How to make a GIF from a video
- Drop a video in. Play it and press “Start at the current position”, or type a start time.
- Choose a length (up to 30 seconds), a width and a smoothness.
- Press Make GIF, check the preview, and save.
Keep GIFs small
GIFs store every frame as a full picture, so size grows fast. As a rough guide, a 480-pixel-wide GIF at 12 frames per second is around 1–3 MB per second of animation, depending on the content. To keep them light:
- Keep it short: 2–6 seconds is plenty for a reaction or a how-to step.
- Use 320–480 px for chats and forums; 640 px only when detail matters.
- 10–12 fps looks smooth enough for most clips.
- Simple scenes (screen recordings, flat colours) make much smaller GIFs than busy camera footage.
When to use MP4 instead
If the place you’re posting accepts video, an MP4 will be far smaller and sharper than a GIF. GIFs are best where video isn’t supported or doesn’t autoplay: emails, some chat apps, documentation and older forums. To shrink an existing GIF, use GIF to MP4.
Questions
How long can my GIF be?
Up to 30 seconds, but 2–6 seconds keeps the file small.
Will the GIF have a watermark?
No. FitVideo never adds a watermark.
Why is my GIF so big?
GIFs store whole frames with limited compression. Make it shorter, narrower or lower fps.
Is my video uploaded?
No. The GIF is made in your browser.