An MP4 becomes a GIF that plays by itself, loops, and works where only pictures are allowed: documentation, chat, forums, e-mail. The trick is to keep it short and small, and to give it a palette made for the clip.
How to convert MP4 to GIF
- Upload the MP4 (up to 2 GB).
- Enter where the GIF starts (for example
1:05) and how long it lasts in seconds (for example4). Only that part of the video is used. - Keep 12 fps and 480 pixels for a small, smooth GIF, or adjust them.
- Download the GIF.
Settings that matter most
- Length: every second adds frames. Three to six seconds is typical; up to 60 seconds is possible.
- Width: GIF size grows with the area. 320–480 pixels suit most uses; 640 or more for detailed screen captures.
- Frame rate: 10–15 fps looks smooth for most scenes; 20–30 fps for fast motion, at a larger size. It never exceeds the MP4's own frame rate.
- Colours and dithering: 256 colours with Pattern dithering is the default. Smooth dithering looks softer in gradients but makes larger files.
Cropping and looping
Draw an Area on the video to keep only part of the picture, for example a single window of a screen recording, or pick a shape such as square. The GIF loops forever by default; it can also play once or a set number of times.
When GIF isn't the best choice
GIF is limited to 256 colours and compresses poorly, so camera footage makes large files. If the place you post to accepts it, choose Animated WebP (full colour, much smaller), or send a short MP4 instead.
More about what this tool reads and writes: Video to GIF.