With this video to GIF converter you can take a short moment from a video and turn it into an animated GIF that loops on its own. You choose where the GIF starts, how long it runs and how wide it is. The tool is free, works in your browser and doesn't ask you to sign up.
Make a GIF in four steps
- Upload one video. On a phone, tap "Select files"; on a computer, you can drag the file onto the page.
- Type where the GIF should begin in "Start at". You can write it in seconds (for example 75) or as minutes and seconds (1:15).
- Choose a Length of 3, 5, 10 or 15 seconds, and a Width of 320, 480 or 640 px.
- Create the GIF and download it.
The settings, one by one
Start at
This is the point in the video where your GIF begins. Play the video on your device first and note the time just before the moment you want. Starting a second early is usually better than starting late, since a GIF that cuts in mid-movement looks rushed.
Length
The GIF runs for 3, 5, 10 or 15 seconds from your start time. Most good GIFs are short: a reaction, a goal, a product turning around, a single step in a tutorial. Three to five seconds covers most of these. Ten or fifteen seconds suits a slightly longer action, but the file will be much bigger. If your start time is near the end of the video, leave enough footage after it to fill the length you pick.
Width
Width sets how wide the GIF is in pixels. 320 px works for chat messages and small inline images, 480 px is a good middle size, and 640 px gives the clearest picture for a blog post or a slide. If you're unsure, start with 480 px and go smaller if the file turns out too heavy to send.
Why GIFs get big, and how to keep them small
GIF is an old image format, and it stores every frame as a picture. That makes GIFs much heavier than a video of the same length. A 15 second GIF at 640 px can easily be larger than the video it came from.
GIFs also have no sound. If the moment depends on someone speaking or on music, a GIF won't carry it, and a short video clip is the better choice.
To keep the file manageable:
- Choose the shortest length that still shows the moment.
- Use a smaller width if the GIF will be viewed on phones or inside a chat.
- Pick a start time that skips any dead time before the action.
If you want a short clip that keeps its sound, use Trim video instead. It cuts the part between a start and end time and keeps the original format. When the trimmed clip is still too heavy to send, Compress video can shrink it further.
What people make GIFs for
GIFs play automatically in many places where video doesn't, and they loop without anyone pressing play. That makes them useful in a few everyday ways.
Teachers and trainers use a short GIF to show a single step, such as where to click in a program or how a science demonstration turns out, and drop it into slides or a class page. Small businesses turn a product video into a looping GIF for a website or an email newsletter. People who write how-to guides use GIFs from screen recordings so readers can see an action without opening a video player.
And of course there are reaction GIFs. If you filmed something funny with friends, a three second GIF of the best moment is easy to share in a group chat.
If the video you want to use is one of your own uploads on YouTube, you can get the file with the YouTube downloader and then make the GIF here. Only do this for videos you own or have permission to download.
Privacy
Your video is processed on our server and deleted as soon as the GIF is sent back to you. We don't keep it or share it, and no watermark or branding is added to your GIF. You can use the tool on Android phones, iPhones and computers running Windows, Mac, Linux or ChromeOS, straight from the browser. Uploads can be up to 100 MB.
Frequently asked questions
Is this GIF maker free?
Yes. You can make GIFs from your videos free of charge without an account, and your GIF has no watermark on it.
How do I convert MP4 to GIF?
Upload your MP4, enter a start time, choose a length and width, and create the GIF. It downloads as a single animated GIF file.
How long can my GIF be?
You can choose 3, 5, 10 or 15 seconds. Shorter GIFs are much smaller files and load faster, so pick the shortest length that works.
Can I write the start time in minutes?
Yes. "Start at" accepts plain seconds, such as 90, or minutes and seconds, such as 1:30. Both point to the same moment in the video.
Why doesn't my GIF have sound?
The GIF format can't store audio, so every GIF is silent. If you need sound, trim the video into a short clip instead.
Why is my GIF file so large?
GIFs save every frame as an image, so they grow quickly. A shorter length and a smaller width will bring the size down a lot.
Can I make a GIF on my phone?
Yes. Open this page in your phone's browser, tap "Select files" and pick a video from your gallery. The GIF saves to your phone when it's ready.