What is a GIF?

GIFs, or Graphics Interchange Format image files, have been around since the late 1980s but truly became popular as a way to communicate on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram in the 21st Century.

So, what are they, how do they work, and what are their pros and cons? In this guide, we'll cover:

• A definition of GIF images
• A brief history of the GIF
• How to create a GIF from scratch
• How to create a GIF from video footage
• Where to find great GIFs
• The benefits to GIFs
• The downsides to GIFs
• How to open, edit, and convert GIFs

GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format and it is a type of raster image file format that allows for animations. GIFs are made up of a series of images (or frames) that are displayed in rapid succession, creating the illusion of motion.

GIFs are often used to create short, looping videos — often memes — that are posted online. They are most commonly used as a way to create animated images from popular culture on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Animated GIFs can be created from scratch or they can be made from existing video footage.

For the more technically minded: GIF files are compressed using the LZW algorithm (also used by TIFF files), which helps to keep file sizes small while preserving image quality. This algorithm produces lossless compression, meaning that no data is lost in the compression process. GIF files are made up of GIF87a and GIF89a formats, which allow for animations and transparency.

And, what you’ve all been waiting for: the pronunciation. According to GIF inventor Steve Wilhite, it’s pronounced ‘jif.’ But according to Barack Obama, it’s pronounced ‘giff,’ with a hard g. So...

The GIF file format was created in 1987 by Steve Wilhite at CompuServe. They were first introduced in 1987 by CompuServe as a way to compress images so that they could be loaded faster on early dial-up internet connections.

At the time, GIFs were used mostly for images with low colour depth, such as line drawings and logos. In 1989, GIFs began to be used on the internet to share short animations. However, they were not widely used until the early 2000s when they became popular on websites like Reddit and Tumblr.

(One major reason for this surge in popularity is that there was no native support for video in HTML until HTML5.)

GIFs are now widely used on social media platforms and far too many web pages and — for better or worse — they have become an integral part of online communication.

When it comes to creating GIFs, there are a few different methods you can use. If you want to create a GIF from scratch, you'll need to use an image editing program like Adobe Photoshop or the GIMP. Alternatively, you can use a video editing program like Adobe Premiere to create GIFs from existing video footage.

Creating a GIF from video footage is a great way to turn a memorable moment into a short, endlessly looping animation that’s perfect for sharing on social media, websites, or messaging apps. To start, choose the segment of your video you want to GIF — usually just a few seconds is ideal. Trim the original clip so it includes only the essential action. This makes the GIF quicker to load and easier to follow visually. Once you have your clip selected, consider adjusting the frame rate (frames per second) and size: higher frame rates and large dimensions make smoother GIFs but also bigger file sizes, so strike a balance depending on where you plan to use it.

Once the clip is prepared, you can convert the trimmed video into a GIF using a variety of tools. For beginners or fast results, online tools like Ezgif or Giphy’s GIF Maker let you upload a video, adjust duration, crop or resize, and export a GIF all within your browser — no software install required.

For more control and quality, desktop editors are excellent: Adobe Photoshop lets you import video frames to layers, fine-tune timing, colour settings and looping options, and export high-quality GIFs. Another good desktop choice is FFmpeg, a powerful command-line tool for advanced users that can precisely control frame rates and optimisation.

Whichever approach you choose, preview the output before sharing to ensure the animation plays smoothly and the file size is appropriate for your intended use.

1. Giphy

Giphy is one of the largest search engines for animated GIFs, with a vast library you can browse by keyword, mood, or category. It’s also deeply integrated into social platforms and messaging apps, which means many people use Giphy without ever visiting the site directly.

2. Reddit

Reddit is a rich source of GIFs, particularly through dedicated subreddits and community posts. Users often share original, niche, or timely GIFs that reflect internet culture as it’s happening, making it a good place to discover content you won’t always find on mainstream GIF platforms.

3. Imgur

Imgur hosts a large volume of GIFs and short looping videos, especially those connected to memes and Reddit threads. While it’s not exclusively a GIF platform, its search and trending sections can still surface popular and widely shared animated content.

4. Your phone or messaging app

GIF search is now built directly into most mobile keyboards and messaging apps. On iPhone, iMessage includes built-in GIF search, while Android keyboards like Gboard offer instant access to GIF libraries such as Giphy and Tenor. For many people, this is the fastest way to find and share GIFs.

5. Tenor

Tenor is another major GIF platform and a key alternative to Giphy. It powers GIF search in many messaging apps and keyboards, particularly on Android, making it one of the most widely used — and often unseen — sources of GIFs.

Honestly, GIFs aren’t a great file format, and most of the benefits are due to how they are used culturally on the web, rather than anything inherent in the format itself.

1. GIFs are eye-catching and fun: GIFs are a great way to add some visual interest to your social media posts. They can help you to stand out from the crowd and they can also be a lot of fun to use.
2. GIFs are easy to share: GIFs are easy to share on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. All you need to do is copy the link and post it on your profile.
3. GIFs are versatile: GIFs can be used for a variety of purposes, such as capturing a moment, expressing an emotion or adding humor to a post.
4. GIFs are easy to create: GIFs can be created from scratch or they can be made from existing video footage.

1. GIFs can be distracting: GIFs can be a lot of fun to use but they can also be distracting. If you are trying to read something, it can be difficult to focus on the text when there is a GIF in the background.
2. GIFs can slow down your website: GIFs can slow down your website because the file size tends to be larger. This means that they tend to take up more bandwidth than other types of images.
3. GIFs don't work on all platforms: GIFs are not supported by all social media platforms and some websites will not show them correctly.
4. GIFs can be annoying: Some people find GIFs annoying and intrusive and they would prefer not to see them online.
5. GIFs are often low quality: Many GIFs are low quality and they can look grainy or pixelated when you enlarge them.

GIFs can be easily opened by standard apps in Microsoft and Mac operating systems, and by any major web browser.

If you want to edit a GIF, you'll need to use a photo or video editing program like Photoshop or Adobe Premiere. Alternatively, you can use a GIF editing program like Ezgif.com.

Once you have a program installed, open the GIF file that you want to edit. Then, use the program to make the changes that you want. This may take a few minutes, but when it's done you'll have a GIF file that you can share online.

You can use these same programs to convert a GIF into a different file format, such as JPEGs, PNGs or MP4s.