How to Turn a Video Into an Animated GIF (and Why GIFs Get So Big)
Animated GIFs are short, silent, looping clips that play automatically almost anywhere. They are popular for reactions, tutorials and simple demonstrations. They are also an old, inefficient format, and it helps to understand that before you convert.
How to make a GIF with Free Video Converter
- Open the converter and add a short video clip.
- In "Convert to", choose GIF (animated).
- Optionally pick a resolution. For GIF, the picture is limited to 480 pixels at most, even if you choose a larger option.
- Click Convert and download the GIF.
What the GIF setting does
- The frame rate is set to 12 frames per second, which keeps the file smaller than a full-motion GIF but makes movement look a little less smooth than the original video.
- With the resolution on "Original", the GIF is 480 pixels wide and the height follows the original shape. If you choose a resolution, the height is capped at that value or 480 pixels, whichever is smaller.
- Audio is removed. GIF files cannot carry sound.
Why GIFs are large
GIF dates from 1987. It stores each frame as a picture limited to 256 colors and uses a simple compression method that does not take advantage of how little changes between frames, as modern video codecs do. The result is that a GIF is often many times larger than an MP4 or WebM of the same clip, and it can look grainy or banded, particularly with gradients, skin tones and photographic scenes.
GIFs work best for short clips with flat colors and simple motion, such as screen recordings of an interface. They work badly for long clips or high-detail footage.
Practical tips
- Keep it short. A few seconds is usually enough. There is no trimming tool on this site, so cut the clip to the moment you want in your phone's gallery app or a video editor first.
- Use a lower resolution for smaller files. Choosing 360p gives a noticeably smaller GIF than 480p.
- Consider a video format instead. Many websites and apps that appear to show "GIFs" actually play a short silent MP4 or WebM, because they are far smaller. If the place you are posting to accepts video, an MP4 will usually look better at a fraction of the size.
- Check upload limits. Many services limit GIF file size. If yours is too big, reduce the length or the resolution and convert again.
Limitations
You cannot set the frame rate, number of colors, dithering or loop count on this site; the settings are fixed. If you need fine control over a GIF, use a dedicated tool. This one is designed for the simple case: take a short clip and get a GIF quickly without installing anything.
Ready to try it? Convert your video in the browser, no upload and no sign-up.
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