How to convert a video to GIF
GIFs are everywhere - Slack messages, social posts, documentation, tutorials. This guide shows you how to turn any video clip into a perfect animated GIF in seconds.
Why convert video to GIF?
GIFs have unique advantages over video files for certain use cases.
- Universal compatibility. GIFs play everywhere - browsers, email clients, chat apps, social media. No video player needed.
- Auto-play and loop. GIFs play automatically and loop forever. Perfect for short demonstrations and reactions.
- Easy to embed. Drop a GIF into a Slack message, GitHub issue, or email - it just works, no attachment or embed code needed.
- Great for tutorials. Show a quick UI interaction, a code demo, or a product feature without requiring the viewer to press play.
Understanding GIF settings
Two settings control the balance between quality, smoothness, and file size.
Frame rate (FPS)
5 FPS - Smallest file
Good for simple animations or screenshots. Choppy but very lightweight.
10 FPS - Balanced (recommended)
The sweet spot for most use cases. Smooth enough for demos and reactions, small enough to share.
15–20 FPS - Smoothest
Near-video smoothness, but the file size can be 2–3× larger. Use for short clips only.
Width (pixels)
320px - Compact
Ideal for chat apps and inline use. Very small file size.
480px - Standard
Good for most purposes - documentation, social media, presentations.
640–800px - Large
High-quality GIFs for blog posts or full-width embeds. Expect larger file sizes.
Convert a video to GIF in 3 steps
Upload your video
Open the video to GIF tool and drop your MP4, WebM, or MOV file.
Choose FPS and width
Select the frame rate and output width. Start with 10 FPS and 480px for a good balance.
Download your GIF
Processing happens entirely in your browser. Once done, click Download to save your GIF.
Tips for smaller, better GIFs
- Trim first. Use the Trim Video tool to cut your clip to just the part you need. Shorter clips = smaller GIFs.
- Lower the FPS. Dropping from 15 to 10 FPS saves about 30% file size with minimal visual difference.
- Reduce the width. A 320px GIF is half the file size of a 480px one. Use the smallest width that looks good for your use case.
- Avoid complex scenes. GIFs compress better with fewer colors and less motion. Simple UI recordings compress much better than live-action footage.
Your videos stay private
Filzy converts your videos entirely in the browser. Nothing is uploaded to any server. Your files stay on your device.