Video to GIF
Two-pass palette conversion, so the result does not come out muddy and banded.
Your file
Drop a file here, or click to choose
It stays on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Settings
Why two passes
A GIF can only hold 256 colours. Most converters use a fixed generic palette, which is why web GIFs so often look dirty. This tool runs FFmpeg twice: the first pass studies your actual footage and builds a palette from the colours in it, and the second pass renders using that palette. It costs a few extra seconds and the difference is obvious.
Keeping the file small
GIF has no motion compression worth the name, every frame is stored nearly whole. Three things control the size, in order of impact:
- Length. Five seconds is a good ceiling. Ten is pushing it.
- Width. 480 px is plenty for a chat or a README. 320 px halves the size again.
- Frame rate. 12 to 15 fps reads as smooth for most footage. 24 fps doubles the size for very little gain.
Bayer dithering gives the smallest files and a slight crosshatch texture. Sierra looks smoother on gradients like skies and sunsets, at a larger size.
Common questions
Why is my GIF enormous?
It is too long, too wide or too many frames per second. A 5 second, 480 px, 15 fps GIF usually lands between 2 and 5 MB.
Should I use a GIF at all?
If the destination accepts video, no. A 3 MB GIF is often a 200 KB MP4. Use GIF where autoplaying silent video is not supported, like some chat apps and email.
Can I make a transparent GIF?
Not from video. The source has no alpha channel to preserve.