Convert Video to GIF — Free MP4 to GIF Maker
Turn a few seconds of video into a shareable animated GIF.
Drop a file here
or click to choose a file
Runs on your device Your file is processed by your own browser and is never uploaded to a server.
Short answer
A video clip can be converted to an animated GIF in a browser by sampling frames at a reduced frame rate, scaling them down, and generating a colour palette optimised for that specific clip. GIF supports only 256 colours, so palette generation is what separates a clean result from a visibly banded one. Ten seconds at 480 pixels wide and 12 fps is a good balance of size and smoothness.
At a glance
| Accepts | MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM |
|---|---|
| Produces | GIF (animated, looping) |
| Processing | In your browser |
| Price | Free, no limits |
| Account | Not required |
GIF is an old format with a hard 256-colour ceiling, so every conversion is a negotiation between length, width, frame rate and file size. Doubling any one of those roughly doubles the output. Short clips of five to ten seconds at 480 pixels wide keep files small enough to embed in chat, issues and documentation.
This converter builds a custom palette from the frames of your specific clip instead of using a fixed web palette. That single step removes most of the banding and muddy colour people associate with online GIF makers.
How to use it
- 1
Add the video
Drop in an MP4, MOV, WebM or similar file.
- 2
Set length, width and frame rate
Conversion starts from the beginning of the video for the number of seconds you choose.
- 3
Convert
Frames are sampled, a palette is generated, and the GIF is assembled locally.
- 4
Download the GIF
Save it and drop it into chat, docs or a bug report.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my GIF larger than the original video?
GIF has no interframe compression comparable to modern video codecs, so it is inherently inefficient. Reduce the width, the frame rate or the duration to bring the size down.
Can I convert a section from the middle of the video?
Not directly. Trim the video to the section you want first, then convert the trimmed clip to GIF.
Does the GIF loop?
Yes, the output loops indefinitely, which is the standard behaviour for shared GIFs.
Is there a maximum length?
The control allows up to 60 seconds, but anything past about 15 seconds produces a file too large to be practical. Consider a short MP4 instead — most platforms now autoplay them silently like GIFs.