About the Video to GIF
GIFs are perfect for reactions, short demos and quick tutorials because they play everywhere without a play button. This tool turns any part of a video into an animated GIF. Play the video and press Use current time to set the start, choose a length of up to 20 seconds, a frame rate and a width, and see an estimated file size before you start. The GIF is built frame by frame on your device with a 256-colour palette tuned to each frame, then shown in a preview so you can download it.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Video to GIF
- 1Select a video.
- 2Play it and press Use current time where the GIF should start.
- 3Set the length, frames per second and width.
- 4Press Make GIF.
- 5Watch the preview and download the GIF.
Getting a small, good-looking GIF
Size grows with width × height × number of frames.
- Keep it short: 2–6 seconds
- Width 320–480 px for chats and forums
- 10 fps for most clips
- Choose a moment with little camera movement
Colours in GIFs
Each GIF frame can use only 256 colours. The tool picks the best 256 for every frame, so screen recordings and cartoons look crisp, while gradients and skies may show slight banding.
How it works without uploading
Your browser has a built-in media engine (WebCodecs) that phones and computers use to play and record video and sound. This tool uses it through Mediabunny, an open-source media library, to read your file, change it and write a new one, all inside the page. Speed depends on your device, but most clips take only seconds.
GIF or a short video?
Many apps accept short MP4 or WebM loops, which are far smaller and better quality. Use GIF when you need it to work everywhere, including emails, forums and older apps.
Choosing the moment
Play the video and pause on the first frame you want, then press Use current time. GIFs work best when the start and end look similar, so the loop feels seamless. Reactions, short gestures, product turns and quick software demos make the most effective GIFs.
How the frames are taken
The tool takes a frame at regular steps, for example every tenth of a second at 10 fps, scales it to your chosen width and builds the GIF from those frames with a constant delay. Every frame is decoded by your browser, so the quality matches the video's own picture at that size.
Phone and computer
Make GIFs on any device. Longer GIFs need more memory, so keep them short on older phones. To cut the best part first use Trim Video, and the GIF Maker builds loops from pictures.
Features
- Start from the current play position
- Up to 20 seconds
- 5 to 20 frames per second
- 240 to 800 pixels wide
- Size estimate before you start
- No upload, no watermark
Frequently asked questions
How long can the GIF be?
Up to 20 seconds. Short GIFs of 2 to 6 seconds are smaller and loop more naturally.
Which frame rate should I use?
10 fps is smooth enough for most clips and keeps files small. Use 15 to 20 fps for fast motion.
Why is my GIF so large?
GIF is an old format with weak compression. Halving the width cuts the size by about three-quarters; lowering the frame rate or length also helps.
Does the GIF have sound?
No. GIFs can't contain sound.
Can I make it smaller after?
Yes. Our GIF Compressor reduces colours and size.
Which browsers work best?
Chrome and Edge on computers and Android support the most formats. Safari 16.4+ and recent Firefox work too, but some codecs may not be supported there.
Is my file uploaded?
No. It is processed on your own device with your browser's built-in media engine, so nothing leaves your phone or computer.
Will the GIF loop?
Yes, it loops forever, as most GIFs do.