How to convert a video to a GIF (free, in your browser)
Turn a video clip into a clean, looping animated GIF — and learn how to keep the file size down without ruining the colours.
GIFs are perfect for reactions, quick demos and looping snippets that play automatically everywhere. Turning a short video clip into one takes a few seconds — the trick is balancing smoothness against file size.
Open the converter
Drop a clip into the Video to GIF tool. A short clip works best — GIFs get large quickly.
Set width and frame rate
Pick an output width (smaller = lighter) and a frame rate. 10–15 fps looks smooth for most clips.
Make the GIF
Export and download. Multiple options let you dial size against smoothness.
Why GIFs get so big
Unlike video, a GIF stores every frame without modern compression, and it's limited to 256 colours per frame. That's why a few seconds of video can become a several-megabyte GIF. Three levers keep it under control: a shorter clip, a smaller width, and a lower frame rate.
Keeping the colours clean
A naive GIF conversion produces ugly colour banding. Good tools build a custom colour palette from your clip and apply it with dithering, which keeps gradients smooth. That's done for you automatically here, so your GIF looks crisp rather than blotchy.
If your clip is long, trim it to just the moment you want first — it's the single biggest thing you can do to shrink the final GIF.
Video to GIFTurn a clip into a clean, looping animated GIF.