Turn a video into a GIF
Your files are processed on your device. We never upload them.
Video is read and written with Mediabunny, under the Mozilla Public License.
How to turn a video into a GIF
- 01A ▸Choose a video, or drop it on the page.
- 02A ▸Set the start and end of the clip (the first 5 seconds are chosen to begin with).
- 03A ▸Pick the frame rate, width, and colours, then select Make GIF.
- 04A ▸Download the GIF.
About Video to GIF
Where Video files come from
Reaction clips, screen captures, and moments from phone videos start as MP4 or MOV, but forums, chat apps, email, and documentation pages often show only GIFs inline, and GIFs loop and play without a click.
What changes
- Only the chosen clip is kept, at the frame rate you pick (5 to 20 frames a second), so motion is less smooth than the video's 30 or 60.
- Each frame is limited to 256 colours, chosen for that frame, without dithering, so still areas don't shimmer.
- The sound is left out, as GIF has none. The GIF loops forever.
Measured
Five seconds of our one-minute 1080p sample (H.264 at 30 frames a second; a synthetic test pattern), made into a GIF in Chrome on a laptop. Phone timings are still to be measured.
| 5 seconds, 480 × 270, 10 frames a second, 256 colours | 50 frames, 0.58 MB, in 1.3 seconds |
|---|---|
| The same five seconds as MP4 (GIF to MP4) | about 0.1 MB |
| Time on phones | still to be measured |
In your browser
The video is decoded by the browser's own decoder (WebCodecs) in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari 26 or later; the GIF is written by our own encoder, which works the same everywhere. HEVC videos from iPhones can be read where the browser decodes HEVC, such as Safari.
Limits
- On phones, GIFs are at most 15 seconds and 480 pixels wide, to stay within a phone's memory.
- GIFs grow quickly with length and width; long or wide GIFs can be several times larger than the video they came from.
- Browsers without WebCodecs video decoding can't read the frames; the page says so.
Other options
- GIF to MP4: the reverse, and a far smaller file where MP4 is accepted.
- Compress GIF: to shrink a GIF that's still too big.
- Video to JPG: for still frames instead of an animation.
Questions
Are my videos uploaded?
No. Your files are processed on your device. We never upload them.
How do I keep the GIF small?
Keep it short, narrow, and slow. Every frame of a GIF is stored as a picture, so a 10-second GIF at 15 frames a second holds 150 pictures. 480 pixels wide at 10 frames a second suits most chats; fewer colours shrink it further.
Why does my GIF look grainy or banded?
A GIF frame can have at most 256 colours, and smooth gradients (skies, skin, shadows) need more. Each frame gets its own best 256, so most clips look fine; choose a higher width rather than fewer colours if banding shows.
Is there a length limit?
Not on a computer, though GIFs over half a minute are large files. On a phone a GIF is at most 15 seconds and 480 pixels wide, so it fits in the phone's memory.
Does the GIF have sound?
No. GIFs can't carry sound. For a short clip with sound that loops in chats, a short MP4 is usually better.