Free tool · Convert
Video to GIF
Turn a short video clip into an animated GIF.
Convert a portion of a video into an animated GIF. Choose a start time and duration to keep the file a reasonable size; longer clips produce much larger GIFs. Runs entirely in your browser using FFmpeg.wasm.
- Files never leave your device
- Runs entirely in your browser
- Free, no account needed
How to use Video to GIF
Three steps, and nothing to install.
Drop your video file
Add any MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM or AVI clip.
Set the start time and duration
Pick the moment you want and keep it short, ideally three to ten seconds.
Download the GIF
Save the animated result, ready to post anywhere GIFs are accepted.
More free tools
Free, private, and no sign-up on any of them.
How this works in your browser
Three reductions happen together, and each one exists to fight the same problem. The clip is sampled down to ten frames per second, scaled to a modest width using a high-quality resampling filter that keeps edges clean at the smaller size, and then quantised into GIF’s 256-colour palette. All three are necessary because GIF stores every frame as an independent image, with none of the inter-frame compression that lets video describe a scene once and then record only what changes. That single limitation is why a ten-second GIF can outweigh the minute of video it was cut from, and why the tool caps duration rather than letting you produce something unusable.
Video to GIF vs. upload-based online tools
| Feature | Video to GIF (in-browser) | Upload-based online tools |
|---|---|---|
| File upload required | No - never leaves your device | Yes - file is sent to a server |
| Processing queue | None - starts instantly | Often, especially at peak times |
| Watermark on output | Never | Common on free plans |
| Usage limits | None - free, unlimited use | Often capped per day or file size |
| Works offline once loaded | Yes, for most tools | No - requires a live connection |
| Account required | No | Often, for anything beyond a trial |
Who uses Video to GIF
Reaction GIFs and memes
Pull a memorable few seconds out of a clip to share in chat or on social media.
Product and feature demos
Show a short interaction inline in documentation or a README where video will not embed.
Email and newsletters
Add motion where email clients block video but display animated images.
Bug reports and support
Capture a short reproduction of an issue in a file that plays automatically anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What it can and cannot do, and what happens to your files.
Is there a recommended clip length?
Keep clips to around 3-10 seconds. GIF file size grows quickly with duration, so longer clips can become very large.
Can I choose which part of the video to use?
Yes, set a start time and duration to select exactly the section you want.
Will the GIF have sound?
No, GIF is an image format and cannot contain audio.
Why is the GIF not as smooth as the video?
Because the frame rate is reduced to ten frames per second, well below the twenty-four or thirty of typical video. That is a deliberate trade: GIF stores every frame as a separate image with no compression between frames, so keeping the original rate would triple the file size for motion most people barely register in a short loop.
Why does the GIF look smaller than my video?
The output is scaled to a modest width, with the height following proportionally. GIF file size grows with pixel count as brutally as it does with duration, and a full-resolution GIF of even a few seconds would be unusable to share, which is the whole reason people want one.
Why do the colours look banded or speckled?
Because GIF holds at most 256 colours in total. Video has millions, so the palette has to be reduced, and gradients such as sky or skin tones are where that limit is most visible. Clips with flat, graphic colour survive the reduction far better than richly shaded footage.
Is there a duration limit?
Yes, thirty seconds, and in practice three to ten produces the most usable files. The cap exists because GIF size scales close to linearly with frame count, so a long GIF quickly becomes larger than the video it came from.
Turn your video into a GIF - free, instant.
Files never leave your device. No upload, no account, and free for unlimited use.
Also see: GIF to Video