How to Make a GIF from a Video
Turn a video clip into an animated GIF: trim the clip, then choose the frame rate and width to keep the file small, with a free video to GIF converter.
Published
Free tool: Video to GIF ConverterAnimated GIFs play automatically, loop forever and work almost anywhere: chat apps, documentation, slides and many email clients. Making one from a video takes a minute, but a careless GIF can easily weigh tens of megabytes. This guide explains which settings control the size and quality, and walks through the process with the free Video to GIF Converter.
What makes a good GIF
- It's short. Two to six seconds is plenty for a reaction, a product demo or a how-to step.
- It's small. A width of 320 to 600 pixels suits most uses; a GIF rarely needs to fill a screen.
- It uses a moderate frame rate. 10 to 15 frames per second looks smooth enough for most clips.
- The scene is simple. A GIF can use at most 256 colors per frame, so steady, uncluttered footage looks better than fast-moving scenes with smooth gradients.
Why GIFs get so big
A GIF stores every frame as a picture, so its size depends on how many frames there are and how many pixels each one has:
- Frames = clip length in seconds × frames per second
- Pixels per frame = width × height
Doubling the frame rate doubles the number of frames. Doubling the width doubles the height too, which quadruples the pixels in every frame. Here's how the amount of image data compares for a 5-second widescreen (16:9) clip:
| Width | Frame rate | Frames | Pixels per frame | Image data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 320 px | 10 fps | 50 | 57,600 | 0.4× |
| 480 px | 10 fps | 50 | 129,600 | 1× |
| 480 px | 20 fps | 100 | 129,600 | 2× |
| 960 px | 10 fps | 50 | 518,400 | 4× |
The actual file size also depends on the content, since busy, fast-changing footage compresses less well, but it scales roughly with these numbers. Length matters just as much: a 15-second clip holds three times as many frames as a 5-second one.
How to make a GIF with Graph Maker
- Trim the video first. The converter turns the whole video into a GIF, so cut out just the part you want with the Video Cutter before you start.
- Open the Video to GIF Converter and choose your video. It accepts MP4, WebM and MOV files up to 100 MB. You can also paste a direct link to a video file.
- Choose the frame rate: 5 (low quality), 10 (standard, the default), 20 (high quality) or the maximum. Start with 10.
- Set the width in pixels. The default is 480; the height is calculated automatically to keep the video's proportions.
- Click Convert to GIF! The first time, the conversion engine takes a few seconds to load. The video is converted on your own device; files you choose from your computer aren't uploaded.
- Check the preview and download the GIF. If it's too large or not smooth enough, click Start Over and adjust the frame rate or width.
Tips for better GIFs
- Aim for a seamless loop. Pick a clip whose last frame flows back into the first, such as a full turn or a gesture that ends where it started.
- Remember there's no sound. GIFs are silent, so choose moments that make sense without audio.
- Fix the size afterwards if you need to. The GIF Resizer shrinks an existing GIF, and the GIF Cropper cuts away the edges to focus on the action.
- Making a GIF from photos instead? The GIF Maker turns a set of images into an animation.
GIF or video?
For your own website, a short video is usually better than a GIF: an MP4 or WebM clip set to play automatically, muted and looping, looks the same but is often many times smaller. GIFs are the better choice where video isn't welcome or doesn't play, such as chat apps, README files, some documentation platforms and email newsletters. Even in email, support varies: some versions of Outlook show only the first frame, so make sure the first frame works on its own.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a GIF be?
There's no technical limit, but long GIFs quickly become huge. Keep them under about 6 seconds, and check the size limit of wherever you're posting.
Why is my GIF file so large?
Usually because it's too long, too wide or too fast. Trim the clip, reduce the width (going from 960 to 480 pixels cuts the pixels per frame by three-quarters) or lower the frame rate to 10.
Why does my GIF look grainy?
GIFs are limited to 256 colors per frame, so smooth gradients and detailed footage get approximated with patterns of dots. Clips with simple, flat colors look best; for photo-quality motion, use a video instead.