MP4 to GIF

Convert MP4 to GIF by picking a few seconds of the video and saving them as a looping animation that plays anywhere without a player.

Choose an MP4 video MP4 or M4V

How the files you choose are handled is set out in the privacy policy.

How to convert MP4 to GIF

Tap Choose an MP4 video.
Play or scrub to the moment you want and press Use video position.
Choose the length, the width and the smoothness. The line below shows the size to expect.
Press Make GIF. Watch the loop, then save it.

Why turn a video into a GIF

A GIF is a picture that moves. It needs no play button, loops by itself and has no sound. That makes it the natural format for a reaction in a chat, a step in a how-to guide, a product feature in an email, or a bug report that shows what happened.

It works in places where video does not: most email programs, issue trackers, wikis, documentation sites and forum posts will show a GIF inline and will not play an MP4.

GIF is not an efficient format

This is the thing to know before making one. GIF dates from 1987. It stores every frame as a separate picture limited to 256 colours, with none of the tricks that make MP4 small. A few seconds of GIF can outweigh a minute of MP4.

Setting	Smaller file	Larger file
Length	2 to 3 seconds	8 to 10 seconds
Width	240 or 320 pixels	480 or 640 pixels
Smoothness	Low or Medium	Very smooth
The clip itself	Still camera, plain background	Camera movement, fine texture, confetti

Width counts most. Going from 320 to 640 pixels makes the GIF about four times as heavy. Start small, and only go up if the result is not clear enough.

Picking a moment that loops well

Choose a section where the end looks like the start, such as a nod, a wave or a spin. The loop then feels continuous.
Avoid cuts between scenes inside the clip. They make the loop jar.
Keep it to one idea. If two things happen, make two GIFs.

What changes from the MP4

No sound. GIF cannot carry any.
Fewer colours. Each frame gets its own best 256 colours. Photos and gradients show some grain. Screen recordings and cartoons look clean.
Fewer frames. 10 to 17 a second in place of 30 or 60. Fast motion looks a little choppier.

When a GIF is the wrong answer

If the place you are posting accepts video, a short MP4 looks better and is far smaller. Cut one with the video trimmer and shrink it with the video compressor. For other video formats, the same GIF maker is on the video to GIF page.

Questions

How long can the GIF be?

Up to 10 seconds. Shorter is better: GIF files grow quickly with length.

Why is my GIF bigger than the MP4 it came from?

GIF stores each frame as a full picture with simple compression. MP4 stores only what changes between frames. A GIF is often ten times the size for the same clip.

Does the GIF have sound?

No. The GIF format has no sound.

How do I make the GIF smaller?

Reduce the width first, then the length, then the smoothness.

Will the GIF loop forever?

Yes. It is saved to repeat without stopping.

Last reviewed 10 October 2026.