Convert video to GIF
Turn a short video clip into an animated GIF in your browser, with a generated colour palette for clean output. No upload required.
Your file is processed entirely in this browser tab. It is never uploaded, stored or seen by anyone.
To convert a video to GIF, drop the clip into the converter above and choose GIF. The video is resampled to 12 frames per second at 480 pixels wide and given a generated colour palette. Keep clips under about ten seconds — GIF is an inefficient format and long clips produce enormous files.
How it works
- Choose your file
Drag a file onto the converter, or click to browse. Nothing is uploaded — the file is read directly by your browser.
- Convert to GIF
Press Convert. FFmpeg runs as WebAssembly inside the tab and shows real progress as it works.
- Download the result
When it finishes, download the GIF file. It is created in your browser's memory and never sent anywhere.
Your file never leaves your device — conversion runs entirely in this browser tab.
About GIF
GIF is a still-image format from 1989 pressed into service as a video format, and it shows. It is limited to 256 colours per frame, has no interframe compression worth the name, and produces files several times larger than an equivalent MP4. A ten-second clip that is 1MB as MP4 can easily be 8MB as GIF.
The two settings that matter most are frame rate and width, which is why this converter fixes them at 12fps and 480px. Both are aggressive reductions, and both are the difference between a shareable file and an unusable one.
The palette generation step is what separates a clean GIF from a dithered mess. Rather than using a fixed 256-colour palette, the converter analyses the clip first, builds a palette optimised for the colours actually present, then maps the frames to it. It costs an extra pass but the quality difference is dramatic.
If the destination supports video at all, use MP4 instead. Most platforms that appear to accept GIFs — including Slack, Discord and X — silently convert them to MP4 on upload.
| Codec | LZW-compressed indexed colour |
|---|---|
| Container | GIF89a |
| Typical bitrate | n/a — typically 2–8 MB for 5 seconds |
| Compatibility | Universal, including contexts that block video |
| Best for | Reaction clips, documentation, email, chat platforms |
Limits you should know about
Because conversion happens on your device rather than on a server, the ceiling is your browser's memory rather than our disk space. Files under 50MB work reliably everywhere. Desktop browsers stretch to roughly 200MB; mobile browsers, and iOS Safari in particular, cut out closer to 40MB.
Speed is the other trade. Running FFmpeg through WebAssembly is 5–10× slower than a desktop app, so a conversion that takes thirty seconds in a desktop application can take several minutes here. The converter shows a real estimate before it starts, and the tab has to stay open while it runs.
If your file is beyond those limits, trim it first, or use a desktop application such as HandBrake or FFmpeg directly — neither has a size ceiling.
Common questions
Why is my GIF file so large?
GIF has no real interframe compression, so every frame is stored close to independently. Reduce the length first, then the frame rate, then the width. Under ten seconds at 12fps and 480px wide is a sensible ceiling.
How do I make a higher quality GIF?
Quality in GIF is mostly about the palette. This converter generates one from the clip itself rather than using a generic palette, which is the single biggest improvement available. Beyond that, shorter and smaller is the only real lever.
Should I use GIF or MP4?
MP4, wherever it is supported. It is smaller, higher quality, and most platforms convert uploaded GIFs to MP4 anyway. Use GIF only where video genuinely will not play, such as in some email clients.