The one-paragraph version
Keep it short (a few seconds), keep it narrow (around 320 to 480 pixels wide), and use 10 to 15 frames per second. Pick a clip with simple, high-contrast content that loops naturally. If you can use a short MP4 or WebM video instead of a GIF, it will be much smaller and look better, but a GIF is the format that works everywhere without a play button.
Why GIFs are so large
The GIF format dates from 1987. Each frame is limited to 256 colours, and the compression is far less efficient than a modern video codec, so an animation that would be a few hundred kilobytes as video can be many megabytes as a GIF. The format survives because it plays automatically, loops, and needs no sound or controls on almost every website, chat app and forum.
That is also why the settings matter so much. The size of a GIF grows with the number of frames and the pixels in each frame, so small changes to either one make a big difference.
The settings that matter
| Setting | For a smaller file | For a smoother GIF |
|---|---|---|
| Frame rate | 5 to 10 fps | 15 fps |
| Width | 240 to 320 px | 480 to 640 px |
| Length | 2 to 4 seconds | Under about 10 seconds |
Doubling the width roughly quadruples the number of pixels in each frame, so width is the most powerful lever. Going from 10 to 15 frames per second adds half as many frames again. If you are not sure, start at 10 frames per second and 320 pixels wide, look at the result, and only then increase one setting at a time.
Choosing a clip that works
Some footage compresses far better as a GIF than others. Simple, flat colours and clear outlines look good, and screen recordings of an app are an ideal case. Footage with lots of gradients, film grain, dark scenes or constant camera movement looks speckled, because only 256 colours are available to describe it, and it produces a bigger file.
For a loop that feels seamless, choose a moment where the end of the clip resembles the start, such as a repeating motion, a spinning object or someone returning to their starting pose. Trim to exactly that stretch rather than leaving a second of padding at either end.
Making one from a video, or from photos
The Video to GIF Maker takes an MP4, WebM or MOV file, lets you pick the start and end of the section you want, and builds the GIF at the frame rate and width you choose. If you would rather build an animation from still pictures, such as a before-and-after sequence or a set of photos with a delay between them, the Image to GIF Maker does that. To tidy up a GIF you already have, use the GIF Editor.
All three run in your browser, so your footage is not uploaded anywhere. Longer clips take longer to process, because every frame has to be captured and encoded on your device.
Transparency and flashing
GIF transparency is all or nothing: a pixel is either fully transparent or fully solid. That is why a GIF with a transparent background can show a rough, jagged edge against a new background colour. If you know where the GIF will be shown, give it a matching background colour from the start.
Also be careful with fast flashing. Content that flashes more than three times in any one second can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy, and accessibility guidelines recommend avoiding it. A strobing effect looks exciting to make, but it is not worth the risk to your viewers.
Try it yourself
Last updated 2 November 2026. These guides are general information written by the Cwtch.es team. Settings and platform limits change, so check the current details for any service you rely on.