Step by step
- Open Video to GIF and choose a video from your device.
- Play it and tap Use current at the start and end of the moment you want.
- Pick a frame rate and width. 12 fps at 480 pixels is a nice balance of smooth and small.
- Press Make GIF. The first run downloads the video engine, then your GIF is ready to download.
GIF settings and file size
| Use | Length | Width | Frame rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chat reaction | 2 to 4 seconds | 320 to 480 px | 10 to 12 fps |
| Product or app demo | 4 to 8 seconds | 480 to 640 px | 12 to 15 fps |
| Website hero loop | 3 to 6 seconds | 640 to 800 px | 12 fps |
| Under 5 seconds | 480 px | 10 fps |
Why GIFs get so big
A GIF stores every frame as a full picture with at most 256 colors, so it is far less efficient than a video. Length, width and frame rate multiply together. Cutting a 10 second GIF to 5 seconds halves the size, and so does dropping from 24 to 12 fps. Many chat apps limit uploads to about 8 to 10 MB for free accounts, so short is good.
Tips
Trim the clip first with the Video Trimmer if your video is long. It is faster to work with.
Busy scenes with lots of movement make bigger GIFs than calm ones.
For websites, a short muted MP4 loop is often smaller than a GIF. Use GIF where video is not allowed.
Ready to try it?
The Video to GIF is free, needs no sign up, and your files never leave your device.
Open the Video to GIFFrequently asked questions
What is the best frame rate for a GIF?
10 to 15 fps looks smooth for most clips and keeps the file small. 24 fps and above rarely looks better in a GIF.
Is my video uploaded?
No. The conversion runs on your device with ffmpeg inside the browser.
Why does the first conversion take longer?
The video engine is downloaded the first time and cached afterwards.
Can I make a GIF from a YouTube video?
You can convert videos you have on your device and have the rights to use. GlowPress does not download videos from other sites.