How to make a GIF 6 different ways

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many is a GIF worth?

Sometimes, your favorite cheeky reaction image doesn’t say enough. When you need to illustrate your feelings or double down on a punchline, GIFs are your best friend. These looped images are the perfect way to add comic flair to a digital conversation – but sometimes you can search a GIF library up and down and not find the right clip.

If only you had a collection of personalized GIFs to choose from, right? We have good news: you can make one.

Prepare for your next chat by loading up your GIF library with custom files. Here’s how to make a GIF in six simple ways.

What’s a GIF?

A GIF – which stands for Graphics Interchange Format – is a series of images that loop to form an animation. Like a flipbook-style animation, the images quickly change in sequence to produce a clip that looks like a video.

GIFs aren’t videos, though. Most importantly, while the file type can hold multiple pictures at once, it can’t have sound. GIF files are also 8-bit, which is restricted to 256 levels of color and tone, causing them to look much worse than modern video file formats. For context, an 8-bit image can hold 16 million colors, while a 16-bit image can contain up to 28 billion.

So why do we use GIFs? Well, they’re easy to make and compatible with most platforms. People have tried to create alternatives to the format, but they always fail to gain traction because they aren’t compatible with parts of the web. GIFs, on the other hand, have been around since 1987 and work on every browser. We’ll probably be using GIFs for a while yet (at least, until a worthy competitor comes around).

How do you pronounce GIF?

This is a hotly debated question. But whether you pronounce the word with a hard “g” (think “gift”) or a soft “j” sound (like “giraffe”), you're in the clear—the Oxford English Dictionary approves both.

How to use GIFs

Even if you’ve never used a GIF before, you’ve probably seen one. Twitter, text convos, blogs – GIFs are everywhere. Libraries of them are even built into most cellphone keyboards.

Like emojis, you can use GIFs to add a visual element to your digital communications. And while we often think of GIFs as silly clips, you can use them for a diverse range of purposes. Here are a few:

• To share an important moment. While GIFs make hilarious reaction images, they can also serve as a quick way to highlight something neat, like your favorite team’s winning goal.
• To illustrate instructions. Have you ever attempted to learn origami from a blog? Trying to replicate folds from words or images can feel like pulling teeth. But with a GIF, you can watch someone else’s hands make the creases right next to the steps. Tech-savvy bloggers use GIFs in all sorts of ways to make instructions easier to digest.
• To jazz up a slideshow. No one likes a boring presentation. If you want to spice up your slides, add a GIF that compliments the content. A slideshow about the water cycle, for example, could feature a GIF that animates the process.

How to make your own GIF

Billions of GIFs are sent every day. But sometimes, the perfect GIF for your situation is nowhere to be found. When the libraries let you down, whip out your phone and make one yourself.

How to make a GIF on an Android phone

Android users can use the following steps to make a GIF from photos from their galleries or by taking pictures:

GIF from an existing photo:

1. Open the “Gallery” app.
2. Select the photos you want to make into a GIF (you can select multiple images by using a long press).
3. Tap “Create.”
4. Choose “GIF” from the menu.

GIF from new pictures:

1. Open the “Camera” app.
2. Tap on “Settings” in the top left corner of the screen.
3. Tap “Swipe Shutter” and take a photo burst.
4. Choose “Create GIF.”
5. Leave the settings page and return to the camera.
6. Swipe down on the shutter and release it when you’re done filming your GIF.
7. If you want to edit the GIF, open the clip in your gallery and select “Creativity” to apply additional effects.

How to make a GIF on an iPhone

iOS users can also transform videos and images into GIFs from their camera roll. Here’s how:

1. Open the “Shortcuts” app.
2. Tap “All Shortcuts.”
3. Search for “Make GIF” in the search bar and install.
4. Once complete, choose “Make GIF” and select a Live Photo or video.
5. Once the Shortcut has created the GIF, it will automatically save to your camera roll.

Other ways to create a GIF

The GIF-ing process is accessible on desktop, too. Both options below are great choices for making more elaborate GIFs from media on your laptop or PC.

How to make a GIF with GIPHY

GIPHY is a popular third-party app for finding, creating, and sharing GIFs. Here’s how to use it to make a GIF of your own:

1. Visit giphy.com and create an account.
2. Select “CREATE” from the navigation bar.
3. Under “GIF,” select “Choose File” to use a photo or video from your files.
4. Jazz up your GIF with text or effects.
5. Tap “Continue to Upload” and switch the “Public” toggle to on or off, depending on your preference.
6. Select “Upload to GIPHY.”

How to make a GIF with Photoshop

Techy and creative types may prefer the editing range of more advanced programs like Photoshop. Here’s how to follow your most creative instincts and turn videos into GIFs on this popular editing software:

1. Open Adobe Photoshop.
2. Select File > Import > Video Frames to Layers.
3. Select the video you want to GIF and set the range you wish to capture.
4. Make sure the “Make Frame Animation” box is checked, then hit “OK.”
5. Select File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy)
6. In the top right corner, click the “Preset” menu and select a GIF file option.
7. Click “Save” and download the file to your computer.

Up your social media with Linktree

GIFs are a wonderful way to liven up your feed. But when it comes to social media, there’s still a lot to learn to turn your profiles from average to outstanding.

Linktree can help you sharpen your skills and create engaging content. Our blog can teach you how to create a profile picture background that pops, use QR codes and make money from your socials. And don’t forget about your bios – they may be only a few characters, but they’re the perfect spot to link out to the rest of your web presence. Add a Linktree to your profiles and connect to other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and a personal website with just one click.