How to create animated GIFs on PC
To begin with, let's find out how to create animated GIFs on PC. Below, therefore, you will find indicated how to proceed on Windows, macOS and Linux, using graphics software, customized solutions and online services. As anticipated, don't worry, it's not difficult.
How to create animated GIFs with Photoshop
The first tool I want to suggest you for create animated GIFs acting as a computer is Photoshop, the famous Adobe program for Windows e MacOS dedicated to professional photo editing, but which also lends itself well to use by the less experienced. It is paid (costs starting from 12,19 euros / month), but you can download the trial version working without limitations for 7 days.
create animated GIFs with Photoshop, first download and install the software on your computer by connecting to its website by pressing the button Free trial and following the instructions I gave you in my guide on how to download Photoshop for free.
Then, launch Photoshop by selecting the relevant one collegamento present in Windows Start menu or in MacOS Launchpad. In the window that appears, if you want to create your animated GIF starting from a set of images, click on the menu Fillet, in alto a sinistra, selects the voice Script from the latter, click on the option Upload files in batch, choose the photos of your interest, check the option Attempts to automatically align source images and click your bottone OK, to automatically arrange photos in separate layers.
At this point, click on the menu Window and select the item Timeline, then click on the tab Timeline pop-up under the open content, tap on down arrow next to the item Create video timeline, scegli l'opzione Create frame animation from the menu that is proposed to you and press the button of the same name that you see appear on the screen.
Then convert the previously imported layers into frames to use for the GIF by clicking the button with the three lines horizontally located to the right of the card Timeline and choosing the voice Create frames from layers give the menu check if you press.
If you deem it necessary, also change the order of the elements that make up your GIF by dragging them to the right or left and change the duration of the animated image using the drop-down menu 0 sec. found under each preview.
Then proceed to save the GIF you created by clicking on the menu Filletby moving the mouse over the item Export and choosing the option Save for Web (earlier version). In the new window that opens, move the drop-down menu Size placed immediately under the heading default on the option GIF and, if you deem it necessary, resize the image by adjusting the appropriate options. Finally, select the option Convert to sRGBclick on your button Save and specify the location where you want to save the output file.
If, on the other hand, you want to create an animated GIF starting from a video, pick up the video of your interest by clicking on the menu Fillet, selecting the item Import and then that Video frames in layers. Next, decide whether to import the video from the beginning, to the end, or select a custom range by checking the box next to the item Selected range only and adjusting the start and end sliders located just below the movie preview.
Then select the option Create frame animation e premium pulsating OK, to start importing the movie. If in doing so a message appears regarding the high size / duration of the resulting animation, click on the Cancel button and increase the number of frames to skip.
At this point, if you want to customize the generated frames you can change the card Timeline proceeding as I explained earlier to create personalized GIFs starting from the images. If, on the other hand, you want to get a GIF identical to the initial video, proceed directly with the export.
If something is not clear to you, you can read my guide dedicated specifically to how to create a GIF with Photoshop.
How to create animated GIFs with GIMP
Maybe not everyone knows but also GIMP, the hugely popular free, open source and compatible photo editing software Windows, MacOS e Linux, considered by most as one of the best free alternatives to Photoshop, allows create animated GIFs from photos, therefore starting from a series of static images.
To use the program for your purpose, first download and install it by going to the relevant website by pressing the button Download x.xx.xx and following the instructions I gave you in my guide on how to download GIMP.
Next, launch GIMP by selecting the relevant collegamento which is located in the Windows Start menu or in MacOS Launchpad and, in the window that appears, click on the menu Fillet located at the top left, then choose the item Open as layers from the latter and select all the photos you want to use in the GIF.
At this point, crop and resize the picture so that there are no "smudges" or too marked differences between one image and another using the tools Ladder and / or Cut out in the left sidebar, reorder the images as you prefer (using the layer panel on the right), click again on the menu Fillet and select the item Export as da quest'ultimo.
In the window that opens, expand the section Select file type located at the bottom, click on the item GIF image from the menu that appears, assign a name to the GIF and press the button Export, to confirm. Then put the check mark next to the items As an animation e Permanent cycle, sets the speed of the animation in the field Delay between frames where not specified (in milliseconds) and click on the button Export to save the final result.
If any of the steps are not clear to you, check out my tutorial on how to animate images with GIMP in which I have explained the whole procedure in an even more detailed way.
How to create animated GIFs online
If you don't want or can't download new programs to your PC, you can consider create animated GIFs online, resorting to the use of specific Web services, such as GIPHY. In case you have never heard of it, I inform you that it is one of the largest laptops dedicated to GIFs and, inside, in addition to many GIFs of all kinds, it also houses a practical tool to create custom ones starting from photos, offline videos and videos already uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo and other websites. It's all completely free, but you have to register to create the animations.
So, to use the GIF creation tool, visit the GIPHY home page and click on the button Log in che si trova in alto a destra, select the voice Sign Up in the form that appears, decide whether to register using your email address, Facebook account or Apple account and provide the requested data.
Once you have created your account and logged in, click on the button Create located at the top, then if you want to create animations starting from videos and images on your computer press the button Choose File che trovi sotto the dicitura GIF and select the files of your interest, while if the image or video you want to transform into GIF is online you must type the URL in the text field that you find in the section Any URL present in basso.
Subsequently, if you have decided to use photos to create your GIF, upload the other images of your interest by clicking on the item Add more images present at the bottom left, while if you have chosen to use a video you will be asked to indicate the starting part and the duration.
Subsequently, you will find yourself in the presence of the service editor and you can use the tools and options attached to its interface, which is organized as follows: on the left there is the preview of the GIF, while on the right there are the tabs to add text, stickers, filters and freehand drawings.
When the changes are complete, click the button Continue to Upload located at the bottom right, decide whether or not to make your creation public to the GIPHY community, add any tags and click on the button Upload to GIPHY. Then wait for the GIF creation procedure to be completed, then decide, using the appropriate items on the screen, whether to download the animated image locally, whether to share it via link or directly on social networks and / or whether to download the relevant code. embed.
Other solutions to create animated GIFs on PC
None of the solutions to create animated GIFs on computer that I have already recommended convinced you in a particular way and then you would like me to report you other solutions useful for the purpose? No sooner said than done! You can find them in the list below.
- OpenAviToGif (Windows) - is a free and open source software for Windows that allows you to transform AVI, MP4 and MOV videos into animated GIFs. It is extremely intuitive and does not even require tedious installation procedures to use.
- Total Video Converter (macOS) it is a video converter for macOS which, among its many functions, also includes one to convert movies into animated GIFs. Unfortunately it doesn't let you customize the output parameters in detail, but in principle it guarantees good results. It is free, but it is also available in a paid Pro version (costs 10,99 euros), which includes extra features.
- Make A Gif (Online) - is an online service that allows you to create customized animated GIFs from videos and images, both using locally available and online content, as well as using your computer's webcam. It is not mandatory to create an account, but it is not possible to generate GIFs in high definition and there are other limitations that can be circumvented by registering.
How to create animated GIFs on iPhone and Android
You don't have a computer at hand and would like to understand how to create animated GIFs on iPhone e Android? I'll settle you immediately. In fact, below you will find those that, in my opinion, represent the best solutions in the category useful for the purpose. Put them to the test now!
How to create animated GIFs with Gif Me! Room
If you need a tool through which you can create animated GIFs from your smartphone or tablet, I suggest you try Gif Me! Room. It is an app for Android and iOS / iPadOS through which it is possible to generate customized animated images using photos and videos, both by taking the contents from the gallery and obtaining them at the moment through the camera. Basically it is free, but eventually it is available in a paid Pro variant (the version for Android costs € 1,59, while the version for iOS / iPadOS costs € 2,29) which allows you to remove advertising and offers other advantages.
To download and install Gif Me! Camera on your device, do the following: if you are using Android, access the relevant section of the Play Store and press the button Install (if you are using a device on which there are no Google services, you can contact alternative stores); if you are using iOS / iPadOS, visit the appropriate section of the App Store, press the button Get, quindi quello Install and authorize the download via Face ID, touch ID o password dell'ID Apple.
Next, start the app by selecting the app icon added to the home screen, grant it any permissions required and decide, by pressing the buttons on the screen, whether to take a photo to be transformed into a GIF, whether to import images from the memory of your device or whether to use a previously recorded video.
Then proceed to customize the duration, frame rate and size of your GIF, to add any texts, effects and to make various other changes, by pressing the buttons of the various tools available at the bottom.
Once the creation is complete, tap on the icon with the down arrow che si trova in alto a destra, select the voice GIF on the next screen and decide whether to save the image locally by tapping on the item Save to album or whether to share it via email or one of the social services available by pressing the relative buttons.
How to create animated GIFs for WhatsApp
You ended up on this tutorial of mine because you wanted to understand how to create animated GIFs for WhatsApp? Then I am pleased to inform you that you can do it both by using the solutions that I have already pointed out to you in this guide of mine, and by resorting to the use of a "standard" feature of the famous messaging app. For all the details of the case, read my guide dedicated specifically to how to make GIFs on WhatsApp.
How to create animated GIFs for Instagram
If, on the other hand, you often use Instagram, so you have opened this guide of mine because I am eager to find out how to create animated gif for instagram I inform you that even in this case you can succeed in the enterprise both by using the solutions I have already pointed out to you, and by using other solutions. To learn more, refer to my post on how to create GIFs for Instagram.
Other solutions to create animated GIFs on iPhone and Android
In the event that none of the solutions to create animated GIFs on smartphones and tablets that I have already reported to you had satisfied you, you can consider turning to the use of other solutions useful for the purpose that I have included in the list below.
- ImgPlay (Android / iOS / iPadOS) - free and usable app both on Android and on iPhone and iPad through which it is possible to create fully customized animated GIFs, using both photos and videos. The editor includes numerous customization tools and also has a nice user interface. Note that in-app purchases are offered (at a base cost of € 3,49) to remove the watermark and unlock other extra features.
- GIF Maker (Android) - app for Android devices only that allows you to create customized animated GIFs starting from your photos and videos and adding stickers and texts to them, adjusting the image size, playback speed and various other parameters. It is free, but offers in-app purchases (at a cost of € 3,49) to unlock all the available functions.
- commands (iOS / iPadOS) - is an app available "standard" on iPhone and iPad (if removed, however, it can be downloaded again and for free from the App Store), which allows you to automate a wide range of operations by creating special script, as in the case of the one called Live Photo to GIF to create GIFs starting from Live Photos, the one called Convert Burst To GIF which allows you to create GIFs starting from burst photos and the one called From Video to GIF to create animations starting from saved movies in the roll of iOS and iPadOS.
