How to create an animated Gif image from a video easy and fast? Step by step guide

GIF is the acronym for “Graphics Interchange Format” (graphic exchange format) and is a animated image digital file type. It has a palette of more than 16 million colors, although it is can only use 256 at once.

It was created in 1987 and has been used ever since as a fast and fun way to add visual content to web pages. Its use has had its ups and downs. Mainly when it started to be used Flash as a form of animation. The latter allowed adding sound to these files.

With the advent of phones and tablets from Manzana, that they couldn’t play Flash content, GIFs began a period of expansion in its use and dozens of websites specialized in these types of multimedia files proliferated.

What are the differences between a GIF and a video?

GIF is a specific image format, it can be animated or not. Consequently it can be used as a static illustration. Instead, a video encompasses different types of formats (.mp4, .WMV, .mkv, etc).
A file .gif cannot contain sounds. Videos can not only have sounds, but it is also possible to transmit them through different channels.
The number of supported colors. The former use a maximum of 256 per fileAlthough it has a wide palette of them, only this amount can be used. The second type supports millions of colors at the same time, so its quality is much higher. Which brings us to the fourth difference.
The size. If you need to make a Advertising banner animated for web, it is recommended that you use the format GIF before another. Since it will weigh much less compared to a video file.
The capacity of infinite playback or loop. The GIF have the option of play your content from the beginning after your animation is finished. Unlike videos that have a certain beginning and end.

Steps to convert a video into an animated .Gif image from your computer

It is always a fun option make a GIF to send to your friends. The problem is that many times the content we want to share is a video. Besides the virtues of an animation, there is something that makes .gifs more fun.

For these reasons we will show you how to make your own animations in GIF format:

With Adobe Premiere

Premiere is one of the best video editors today. It can be tricky at first, but your work will look great with this program.

To create a GIF from a video you must follow these steps:

Open Adobe Premiere. From desktop or application Creative Cloude.
In the first window you will have to create a new project, name it and indicate in which file it will be hosted.
Already in the workspace you have to drag it or the videos you want to convert to the timeline window. With this action you make sure the sequence is the same size and frames per second than the original video.
You can trim, mount and create transitions as you would with any other project.
Once you have finished editing, you must to render. To do this, press the menu File, Export, Media.
In this new window you must indicate the output format as Animated GIF. With care of not to be confused with GIF. By clicking on the Output name, you will be able to choose the name and location of the file that we are creating. You can also change other values like size.
Press Export and wait to finish the process.

With Adobe Photoshop

Within the family of Adobe we have another option for create GIF with the maximum quality. With it we can edit frame by frame the images of our video. This tool will also help us to optimize the GIF for web.

Follow these steps:

Launch Adobe Photoshop. It is not necessary to create a new document, you can skip this step by pressing the option Layered video frame, on the menu Import from File.
Select the video you want to convert. Keep in mind that, the higher quality and size, the more resources your computer will need to do it.
In the pop-up window you must choose the segment you want to use. The larger it is, the slower the process.
This is the time to retouch your video. Each frame (frame) is rendered on a different layer. When done, export your work as follows.
Enter the Menu file, To export Y save for web as the picture shows.
In this new window we will indicate the way departure. What will be in GIF format. We can make our file lighter, lowering the percentage in the image size. We can also choose the infinite repetition (loop). Up to the number of colors (a maximum of 256 as we already explained).
To end, Choose save and choose the location.

Steps to create a Gif from a video file from the Smartphone

If you don’t want to do it with the PC, you can make your animated creations from your mobile without any problem.

We will show you how to do it, just choose between these options:

With WhatsApp

Send cool animations to your contacts It can not be easier.

All you have to do is:

Opens the application.
Choose the contact you want to send the GIF.
Press the icon of clip and choose Gallery.
Decide which video do you want turn into.
Indicates the beginning and the end of the segment you are going to use. The maximum limit is 1.5 MB.
At this point you must choose the GIF option, next to the video icon.
Hit the submit button (the little paper plane) Y Ready!

With Telegram

This application, like its competition, create animations from our videos.

Through the following steps you can achieve it:

Open the app.
Choose To who send you the GIF.
In the bottom right you will find the clip icon, press it.
Select from gallery the video you want to convert.
Press the mute buttonr the speaker (mute). Automatically the video section you can send will be shortened. Choose the segment you most want.
Press send and ready.
Once done, in the options from the file, you can add it to your own library from GIF to use it whenever you want.

With Gif Toaster

This app for iOS is very simple and intuitive, you just have to:

Open it
To select The mode “Video> GIF “.
To choose whatever you wish turn into.
Save it or share it.

With Giphy Cam

Available for Android was developed by the giant of GIF Giphy. This App allows you to record directly in animated format or use a video from the gallery.

To do the latter you must:

Open the App.
Select “import from your camera”
You can add fun filters, effects or phrases.
Save content created or share it on social media.

List of the best online tools to convert a video into a GIF for free

If you don’t want download any program or app, Make it conversion via web.

We recommend these sites:

GIFS.com In it, you can drag your videos or copy the URL of Youtube or Instagram
Giphy.com Within GIF Maker (Giphy) this tool allows you to create your own GIFs
Kizoa.app You can edit videos and create animations.
Makeagif.com It allows to generate animations with the possibility of store them on the site.
Ingur.com/vidgif A quick alternative if you want to convert a video from the Internet.
Picasion.com On this site you can change the size and output speed of your clip.
Filmora.wondershare.com Ideal for create memes animated.