How to make a GIF from a video on iPhone

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To make a GIF from a video on iPhone, open VidFinch Video to GIF in Safari, tap Choose a video and pick it from your Photo Library, set the start and the end, then tap Make GIF and Download GIF. The GIF is saved in Files → Downloads; open it and tap Share → Save Image to add it to Photos. No app is needed.

Video to GIF Converter

Step by step (Safari, no app)

  1. Open Safari and go to vidfinch.com/video-to-gif.
  2. Tap Choose a video, then Photo Library, and pick your video.
  3. Type the start and the end of the part you want (up to 20 seconds).
  4. Choose 480 px and 12 fps for a good balance, then tap Make GIF.
  5. Tap Download GIF, then Download in the Safari prompt.
  6. Open the Files app → Downloads, open the GIF and tap Share → Save Image. It now plays in Photos → Animated.

Turn a Live Photo into a GIF

A Live Photo is not a video file yet. Open it in Photos, tap Share → Save as Video, then pick that new video in Video to GIF. A Live Photo lasts about 3 seconds, which makes a perfect GIF.

Tips for iPhone videos

  • 4K videos are fine: the GIF is scaled down to the width you choose.
  • HDR videos can look a little different in a GIF, which has only 256 colours per frame.
  • Keep it short. A 3-second GIF at 480 px is usually a few megabytes; 20 seconds can be ten times more.
  • If Safari says the download failed, check your free space in Settings → General → iPhone Storage.

Send the GIF

In Messages, WhatsApp or Telegram, attach the GIF from Photos like any picture. Some apps quietly turn GIFs into short videos when sending; that is normal and the animation still plays.

Questions

Do I need an app to make a GIF on iPhone?

No. VidFinch Video to GIF runs in Safari, and the GIF is saved like any download.

Where is my GIF after downloading?

In the Files app → Downloads. Save it to Photos with Share → Save Image.

Why doesn’t my GIF move in Photos?

Thumbnails stay still. Open the GIF, or look in the Animated album, and it plays.

Is my video uploaded?

No. The GIF is made on your iPhone, inside Safari.

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