GIFs are loved and also surprisingly heavy. A few seconds of video can turn into a file that is bigger than the video it came from. A handful of choices keeps them light and makes them loop well.
Why GIFs get so large
A GIF stores every frame as a separate picture with a limited set of colours, and it does not have the clever compression that video uses. The more frames, the bigger the picture, and the longer the clip, the more frames there are. That is why a ten-second GIF can be many megabytes.
Pick a moment that loops
The best GIFs show one clear action that begins and ends in roughly the same place, such as a wave, a bounce, a pour or a turn. Trim off the dull start and end. Use the preview to check where the loop begins and ends before you save. If the action ends somewhere different from where it began, the GIF will jump when it repeats.
The three settings that matter
On our Video to GIF page, three settings control the size:
- Length: two to six seconds is the sweet spot. The page allows up to 30 seconds, but longer GIFs get big quickly.
- Width: 480 pixels or less is often enough for a chat or an email. Halving the width cuts the file to about a quarter.
- Smoothness (frames per second): fewer frames make a smaller file but a choppier look. Start in the middle and lower it if the file is too big.
Making a GIF from pictures instead
Our Images to GIF page makes a simple flip-book from two or more pictures. Use it for before-and-after comparisons, product views from different angles or step-by-step instructions. Pictures of the same size and shape line up best; if they are different shapes, every frame takes the shape of the first and the others are fitted inside it with white around them. Choose how long each picture stays on screen: a fraction of a second feels like animation, a second or more suits a slideshow.
When a GIF is the wrong tool
If you need sound, a GIF cannot help, because GIFs are silent. If the clip is longer than about ten seconds or needs to look sharp, a short video is almost always a better choice: it is smaller and looks better. GIFs are best for tiny, silent, looping moments in chats, emails and slides.
Respect the owner of the video
Only make GIFs from videos you own or have permission to use. Films, television and other people's videos are usually protected by copyright, even when the clip is short. Your own holiday video, a clip of your pet or a screen recording you made are the safest material.