GIFs are a fun, dynamic way to express yourself on the Internet. These animated files feature a brusk, looping video clip — usually i that expresses an emotion. Humans are visual creatures, and if a moving picture is worth a one thousand words, and so an blithe GIF is worth even more than.

Because they're such a fun, clear, and succinct mode to express a feeling, GIFs are incredibly popular. That's why 'reaction GIFs' are one of the nigh common ways to utilize this kind of file. GIPHY, one of the biggest GIF platforms online, has an unbelievable 500 million active users — and they send 7 billion GIFs every single day!

One common use of blithe GIFs is in private or direct social messages, and they're also popular on sites like Tumblr. Nonetheless, they also work well in many types of artistic content, such every bit blog posts, landing pages, emails and social media posts.

How to Make a GIF From a Video in 6 Steps

There are GIF files made from looping images, or even withal images, but this commodity is all nearly explaining how to create GIFs from a video. We'll break down why you should be using GIFs, what makes a GIF not bad, and how to make a GIF from a video yourself — fifty-fifty if you're a full beginner!

Why utilize GIFs instead of videos?

GIFs give you all the expressive power of a video, with a much lighter file size that won't slow down your page'south loading time or operation.

For example, if you're writing a web log post almost managing teams, it wouldn't make sense to embed a agglomeration of short videos that illustrate topics like stress, productivity, belonging, and workplace trust. But adding in a few different GIFs will work — and they'll brand your web log post a lot more fun and engaging to read!

Specially considering so many readers tend to skim through written content online, GIFs are a good mode to make sure the overall letters of what you're saying come through effectively.

GIFs also tend to be funny, so they're a good way to proceed things light hearted. This is a proficient strategy if you're writing most drier content, and you even so want the slice to be entertaining and dynamic.

GIFs are also trendy — and they're not going anywhere. Peculiarly for younger audiences, like Millennials and Gen Z, they're an integral office of communicating online, expressing emotions, referencing popular civilisation, and harnessing the power of video in a quick and shareable way.

How to make a GIF from a video

There are hundreds of millions of GIFs available online that you can utilize to express yourself, but making your own couldn't be easier, so there's no reason non to get creative! Here's a step-by-step guide to making your own GIF — you won't demand fancy tools similar Photoshop to exercise it.

There are lots of options for online tools yous tin can apply to create animated GIFs, like EZGif, Imgflip, GifMaker, and GIPHY. And of class, yous can likewise create a GIF out of JPG or PNG images. But GIPHY is one of the almost pop tools, and GIFs that use video files, similar movie GIFs, are one of the most popular types.

Then here, we'll be guiding you lot through how to brand a GIF from a video, using GIPHY.

Step ane: Prepare your video

Make a GIF from a video

A good GIF starts with a skilful video, and then you'll want to make sure yours fits all GIPHY's specifications.

Your video should:

  • Be upwardly to 15 seconds long, but ideally 6 seconds or less
  • Be upwardly to 100MB, only ideally under 8MB
  • Take resolution upwards to 720p, but 480p is best
  • Be under 200 frames per second, or ideally under 100 frames per second
  • Take content that will look proficient and exist articulate on pocket-sized screens

Once you have a video prepare that you're happy with, click on the 'Create' button in the upper correct corner of GIPHY'due south homepage.

Step 2: Upload your video to GIPHY

Make a GIF from a video

Next, upload your video file to GIPHY by selecting 'Choose File' under GIF (since that'southward what you want to create).

You can also enter a YouTube link, or some other URL, to use a video directly from YouTube, Vimeo, or another video-hosting site.

GIF from a video

Next, GIPHY does most of the piece of work for you lot. You lot'll but demand to tell the tool which section of your video you'd like to transform into a GIF, by trimming your video and selecting when you'd like the GIF to start.

Step 4: Get creative

text for a meme style

GIPHY also gives you the pick to decorate your masterpiece with stickers, filters, and a few unlike styles of explanation.

If yous're in the mood to add together text for a meme-style GIF, make it sparkle with stickers, or add a filter to make the subject of your video await astonishing, now's your chance.

Optimize your GIF

You're done! All you need to do is hit 'Upload to GIPHY', and your creation will beginning uploading and ready to bring together the huge and thriving online GIF ecosystem.

You lot'll and so exist able to download it to your calculator, to use information technology in your make content.

BONUS! Stride half dozen: Optimize your GIF

optimize your gif

If y'all want to be actress certain that your GIF will await bully on every platform, optimizing it is quick and easy. We like EZGif'southward free optimizer, which makes it easy to discover the right residuum between a small, quick-loading file size, and a good compression quality then that your GIF looks crisp and beautiful. It also lets you lot customize your GIF with a few other tools, such as a crop or resize function, if you lot need.

What makes a good GIF?

Making a GIF is easy — but how tin can yous brand an blithe GIF that'due south as good as it can maybe be?

Well, the all-time GIFs outset with a neat video. So brand sure the video you're starting with is practiced quality, fits in with all the required specs, and most importantly, actually conveys the feeling, bulletin, or thought y'all need information technology to.

Other than their expressive powers, GIFs' quick loading capability is their other major reward. So make sure your GIF isn't also big of a file size, ideally by using the GIF optimizing tool we shared above!

Once you know your GIF itself is great, it'southward all about how you use it. Try using GIFs to add involvement, movement, and expressiveness to your blog content, email campaigns, and landing pages. They're as well great on social media, and fun to share with your team over Slack.

Go get creative!

GIFs are the perfect fashion to liven upward many unlike types of content and keep things fun, electric current, and relatable. There are millions of GIFs to choose from, but making your own couldn't be easier.

With GIPHY, EZGif, and a multitude of other options, you'll be creating amazing GIFs in no time. Become try it out for yourself and have fun becoming a superstar GIF creator!