How to Convert MP4 to GIF on Any Device

Convert MP4 to GIF online (any device)

A browser converter is the one method that works the same on every device. The tool on this page converts locally, so even a large video is not uploaded:

• Choose or drop the MP4.
• Drag the filmstrip handles to the part you want (up to 30 seconds).
• Set width, frame rate and quality, press Convert to GIF, then download.

How to convert MP4 to GIF on Windows

Windows does not include a dedicated MP4 to GIF converter: the Photos app and Clipchamp focus on video exports, and the options they offer change between versions. Three reliable routes:

• Use the online tool above in Edge or Chrome. Nothing to install, and the file stays on your PC.
• Install FFmpeg (official builds are linked from ffmpeg.org) and run the command in the FFmpeg section below in a terminal.
• If you have Photoshop, follow the Photoshop steps below; they are the same on Windows and Mac.

How to convert MP4 to GIF on Mac

QuickTime Player and Preview cannot save a GIF. On a Mac, the built-in option is the Shortcuts app, which has a Make GIF action: create a shortcut that receives a video file, add Make GIF, then add Save File. The Shortcuts Gallery also has ready-made video-to-GIF shortcuts if you search for GIF.

Shortcuts offers few controls over size and colors, so for screen recordings the online tool usually gives smaller, sharper files. Mac screen recordings are MOV files; see MOV to GIF for settings that suit them. On a Mac with Homebrew, FFmpeg installs with a single brew install ffmpeg command.

How to convert MP4 to GIF on iPhone

Two ways work without installing an app. In Safari, open this page, tap Choose video, pick the clip from Photos, convert, and tap Save to Photos; the GIF appears in the Animated album.

Or use the Shortcuts app, which is installed on every iPhone. In the Gallery tab, search for GIF to find a ready-made shortcut that turns a video into a GIF, or build one with the Make GIF action. Shortcuts is handy for repeated use, while the browser tool gives you control over width, frame rate and loop.

How to convert MP4 to GIF on Android

Some phone makers' gallery apps can create a GIF while a video plays; the button's name and position differ by brand and Android version, so look in the video player's controls or the edit menu. If your gallery app has no such option, open this page in Chrome, tap Choose video, convert, and tap Save to Photos or Download. The GIF lands in your Downloads or Pictures folder, where gallery and chat apps can find it.

How to convert MP4 to GIF in Photoshop

Photoshop turns video frames into layers and exports them as an animated GIF. It gives fine control but is slow for long clips:

• Choose File > Import > Video Frames to Layers, select the MP4, and choose a range (Selected Range Only) and, to cut frames, Limit To Every 2 or 3 Frames.
• Check the Timeline panel (Window > Timeline): it shows a frame animation. Set the frame delay if needed.
• Choose File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy), select GIF, set colors (up to 256) and dithering, set Looping Options to Forever, and save.

How to convert MP4 to GIF with FFmpeg

FFmpeg is the free command-line tool behind most video converters, including this site's. The best FFmpeg MP4 to GIF results come from its two palette filters: palettegen builds a palette from the clip and paletteuse applies it with dithering. This one command takes 5 seconds from the start, at 15 fps and 480 px wide, and loops forever:

ffmpeg -ss 0 -t 5 -i input.mp4 -vf "fps=15,scale=480:-1:flags=lanczos,split[a][b];[a]palettegen[p];[b][p]paletteuse" -loop 0 output.gif

Change -ss (start) and -t (length) to pick the clip, fps= and scale= for frame rate and width, and -loop to 0 (forever), -1 (once) or a number of extra repeats. To shrink the file, add max_colors=128 to palettegen and dither=bayer:bayer_scale=4 to paletteuse. The FFmpeg filter documentation lists every option. The reverse, GIF to MP4, is: ffmpeg -i input.gif -movflags +faststart -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf "scale=trunc(iw/2)*2:trunc(ih/2)*2" output.mp4, or use the GIF to MP4 page.

Settings that make a good GIF on any platform

Whatever method you use, the same rules keep a GIF sharp and light. Keep it short: 2 to 6 seconds covers most uses. Keep it narrow: 320 to 480 px for chat, 640 to 800 px for screen recordings with text. Lower the frame rate: 10 to 15 fps is smooth, and every frame you drop shrinks the file. Use a palette made for the clip, not a generic one; that is what separates clean GIFs from noisy ones. The GIF article on Wikipedia explains the 256-color limit and why the format has survived since 1989.

For other video formats, see video to GIF. To go straight to the converter with nothing else on the page, use the MP4 to GIF converter on the home page.

Converting MP4 to GIF: questions