How to make a GIF from a video
Updated 26 September 2026
Tool for this guide: Video to GIF
- Open video to GIF and add your video.
- Set Start at to the second where the moment begins, and Length to how long it lasts (up to 30 seconds).
- Choose a width and smoothness. 480 px at 12 frames per second suits chats and websites.
- Click Make GIF and download it.
The video stays on your device; everything happens in your browser.
A real example
A 12-second 1280 × 720 video turned into a 5-second GIF at 480 px and 12 fps came out at 754 KB.
Keeping GIFs small
GIFs store every frame as a full image with at most 256 colours, so they grow quickly.
| Change | Effect |
|---|---|
| Shorter clip | Size falls in proportion |
| Smaller width (480 → 320 px) | Less than half the pixels per frame |
| Fewer frames per second (12 → 8) | A third fewer frames |
Already have a GIF that's too big? Use the GIF compressor.
GIF or video?
For anything longer than a few seconds, a short MP4 is usually many times smaller than a GIF and looks better. Use GIFs where video doesn't autoplay or isn't supported, such as some chat apps, forums and emails.
Try it now
Make a looping GIF from part of a video. Choose the start time, length and size.
Open video to gif