How to Turn MP4 to Animated GIF on Computer/Online/Smart Phones

GIFs are animations of frames or images traditionally used for expressing humor or emotions. Besides, you can also take advantage of GIFs on teaching an individual how to solve a certain issue or provide guidance through tutorials.

But most of the tutorials you can find online are too long that you can't afford to stand up from your seat at times. The truth of the matter is, readers only have a short attention span. For this reason, GIFs are perfect for making tutorials since they are designed to be short and easy to understand.

If you're thinking of combining pictures to produce GIFs, we have a better proposal. You can convert videos like MP4 files from your device to GIFs. That said, the compiled solutions below to convert MP4 to GIF should come in handy.

Part 1. How to Convert a Video to GIF on Computer

How to Convert MP4 to GIF in Vidmore Video Converter

If you are having a difficult time converting your video files to GIF on your Mac, Vidmore Video Converter is your go-to software. Whether your computer runs Windows or macOS, you will enjoy the same set of features and welcome you with a neat and easy-to-use interface. Additionally, the tool lets you convert almost all video formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and a lot more. Aside from that, it features other affiliated functions like Video Enhancer where you can access powerful video editing operations to produce great quality content. On the other hand, below is a detailed guide on how to convert MP4 to GIF with high-quality grade.

Step 1. Get the GIF Converter

Before anything else, have the app installed on your PC by downloading it from its official page. Launch the program and you will see the Converter tab immediately.

Step 2. Import the MP4 file

Once done, you can now upload the MP4 file that you need to convert. From the Converter tab, click the Plus sign button and it will trigger open the file explorer. From here, select your target video and hit the Open button.

Step 3. Trim the MP4 video

Before the conversion process takes place, cut the part of the video that you need to convert as GIF. Simply click the Cut button that looks like scissors then the Editing pane will appear. Drag the left edge of trim control to the right to remove the unwanted beginning parts. On the other hand, drag the right edge trim control to the left to remove the unwanted ending parts. Hit Save at the bottom of the interface afterward.

Step 4. Select GIF as the output format

Now choose GIF as the output format of the video. To do this, click the drop-down menu for the format. Hover your mouse cursor on the left section where video formats are placed. Look for GIF or type in GIF on the search bar to quickly find the format.

Step 5. Save MP4 as GIF

Now set the output location where you want the GIF file to be saved by clicking the Folder icon next to the path location and click the Convert All button to finish the process.

Besides the above method, you can apply the GIF Maker of the Vidmore Video Converter to turn MP4 into GIF. You can follow the steps below:

Step 1. Navigate GIF Maker

Launch the program, locate Toolbox, and select GIF Maker.

Step 2. Select Video to GIF

Select Video to GIF, and your desktop folder will open automatically.

Step 3. Custom Looping GIF

You can edit MP4 videos, including adjusting your project's contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue to your liking. When all settings are complete, click OK to save the edits.

Step 4. Create Looping GIF

If you want to make a looping gif, tick the loop animation next to the screen's bottom left corner. Click Generate GIF to get a looping GIF from your MP4 video.

How to Turn MP4 to GIF with High Quality in Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is designed to assist users in transforming pictures in the best way possible. There are a plethora of customizing options available to unleash your inner artist. Above all, it has an odd yet useful function that gives you the ability to change your MP4 videos to GIF, and it also supports you in making looping GIFs. Being that said, here are the steps on how to convert MP4 to GIF in Photoshop.

Step 1. Run the Photoshop app on your computer and open the MP4 file that you desire to convert to GIF. Click on the File menu and proceed to the Import option. From the drop-down section, select Video frames to layers. Then you should see a file folder where you can locate your MP4 files. Select your target video and upload it to Photoshop.

Step 2. Another dialogue box will appear allowing you to trim the video. You can choose to use the entire MP4 video or select a video range by adjusting the trim control. Once decided, simply hit the OK button. The video will be then converted into layers as seen in the illustration.

Step 3. Now to proceed to the topmost part of the interface and click on the Window menu and select the Timeline option. At the bottom of the part of your screen, you will see the preview of the frames in the GIF. Various options are provided where you can delete or duplicate frames.

Step 4. You are now ready to save the MP4 video as GIF. To do this, go to File - Export - Save for Web (Legacy) or press Alt + Shift + Ctrl + S on your keyboard for the shortcut.

Step 5. Another windowpane will show up where you can tweak some adjustments if necessary. Once satisfied, click the Save button at the bottom part of the panel and set a file location to save the output.

How to Change MP4 to Animated GIF with FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a free and open-source software for video and audio processing. It is designed to run on a command line interface and has a lot of different libraries and programs to handle and manipulate video files. You can use some command lines to convert MP4 to looping GIFs as you like as well as improve the quality of GIFs. Due to its complicated interface and working logic, it may be difficult for new users. But it is a lightweight tool you can try to explore its functions.

Follow the command line below, you can make a GIF from MP4:

Step 1. Open the Program

Install FFmpeg on your computer and open the command prompt on your Windows or macOS.

Step 2. Locate the Directory

Navigate to the directory by using the cd command to where your MP4 file is located.

cd path/to/your/mp4/file

Step 3. Run the FFmpeg Command

The basic command used to convert mp4 to gif is ffmpeg -i input.mp4 output.gif

If you want to improve the quality of your GIFs, you can use the following command line:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "fps=10,scale=320:-1:flags=lanczos" -c:v gif output.gif

You can customize the command based on your requirements, such as adjusting the frame rate, scale, or other parameters.

How to Extract GIF from MP4 with GIMP

GIMP is another powerful editing tool and versatile open-source raster graphics editor. It provides a comprehensive set of tools, such as photo retouching and graphic design. It can make looping GIFs from Mp4. As a free image editing software, it is accessible to a wide range of users, making it a popular choice for artists, photographers, and designers. You can make GIFs by following these steps.

Step 1. Install GIMP and FFmpeg Plugin

GIMP can't import video files without FFmpeg. You might need to install the FFmpeg plugin separately to import MP4 directly.

Step 2. Open Video File

Launch GIMP on your computer. Go to File, open, and select your MP4 file.

Step 3. Import Frames into GIMP

After opening your desired video, go to File, Open as Layers in GIMP, and select the images you want to use for the GIF.

Step 4. Set Animation Properties

Go to Filters, Animation, and Playback to preview the animation. Adjust the timing and order of frames if needed.

Step 5. Export as GIF

Go to File, Export As... and choose the file type as GIF.

In the export options, select As Animation and set the delay between frames. Click Export to save the GIF.

Part 2. How to Turn MP4 to GIF Online

1. Vidmore Free Online Video Converter

As the title suggests, Vidmore Free Online Video Converter allows you to convert MP4 to animated GIFs without any registration. Therefore, you will be able to enjoy all the features it offers without configuring any settings. The performance of the tool is also worth mentioning. This enables you to perform fast conversions without worrying about the quality of the video. After the conversion, you can have the playback in an instant.

Pros:

1. Works on any browser.
2. Can process YouTube and Facebook videos.
3. Can operate batch files.

Cons:

1. Does not allow cutting MP4 videos.

You can convert your MP4 to GIF in 3 steps with this free Video Converter online tool. Click Add files to convert to launch the video converter, add files and choose the output format GIF, and click Convert to turn your MP4 to the chosen format.

2. Convertio

Convertio is an online-based program that lets you change MP4 to GIF. It may render files from a variety of sources, including cloud storage, a local folder, or a video's URL. As a result, you won't have to download things from the cloud and submit them to the tool. To put it another way, you can instantly access your files from the cloud and convert them.

Pros

1. Upload and convert files using the link.
2. Supports mobile devices.
3. Automatically deletes processed files for confidentiality purposes.

Cons

1. Needs subscription to access the unlimited number of conversions.

You can follow 3 steps below to make GIFs from your MP4. Click Choose Files to trigger the files window, and choose MP4 you want to convert. Click the drop-down arrow to select the output format GIF, and click Convert. Then, you can get a GIF within several seconds.

3. Ezgif

Ezgif is a flexible web-based tool with handy capabilities for a variety of purposes. This can assist you in generating GIFs allowing you to turn MP4 files to GIFs. All you have to do is to make sure the video is less than or equal to 100MB in size. You won't be able to convert the movie to GIF otherwise.

Pros

1. Supports MP4, WebM, AVI, MPEG, and 3GP.
2. Shows a preview of the output.
3. Simple and clear interface.

Cons

1. Even with a solid connection, the uploading procedure may take some time.

You can turn your MP4 into GIFs with the following steps. Click on Video to GIF in the main menu. Upload your MP4 video by clicking the Choose File button. Alternatively, you can enter the video URL or use a video from various sources like YouTube. Once you've configured the settings, click the Convert to GIF button.

4. CloudConvert

If you frequently convert files, you need a convenient tool that will help you switch between popular formats with so much ease. CloudConvert is one of those online solutions that can provide you that. Be it movies, videos, audio files, images, or documents, this program can work it out for you. Also, you can convert MP4 to GIF on Mac or Windows because it runs in a browser. And if your goal is to convert in a matter of seconds, this utility does this job well. Provided that you have a good internet connection.

Pros

1. High-quality and fast conversion.
2. Enables uploading files from the cloud.
3. Does come with ads.

Cons

1. Relies on the speed of the internet to operate well.

Click on the Select File button or drag and drop your video file onto the webpage. In the drop-down arrow of Select format, choose "GIF" as the output format. You can also click on the Settings button next to the output format to configure additional settings. Then click on the Start Conversion button to begin the process.

5. Giphy

You'll never run out of cool and fun GIFs when you have Giphy. From reactions, artists, to sports, you can find almost every GIF here. Aside from that, it gives the users the capacity to create their own GIF with access to multiple customizing options that you will surely find useful. Furthermore, you will be able to convert MP4 to GIF online with minimal effort whether your video is in MP4 or MOV format. As long as you are a registered user, you will gain access to these features and many more functions.

Pros

1. Quick registration process.
2. Supports video sharing platforms like Vimeo and YouTube.
3. Freehand annotation.

Cons

1. Video size limitation.

You can change MP4 into GIFs with the following steps. At the top of the Giphy homepage, click on Create to access the GIF creation tools. Click on the Upload button to select a video file from your computer. You can add captions, stickers, or other elements to personalize your GIF. Use the available tools to customize your creation. Once you are satisfied, click on the Create GIF button to generate your GIF.

Part 3. How to Change Videos to GIF on iOS and Android

The applications stated above enable you to convert MP4 to GIF on Windows and Mac. This means that they are compatible with computers. On the other hand, you might also want to know how this is done on your mobile device. In this way, you can convert your MP4 video files anytime, anywhere

For Android Devices

If you are using an Android smartphone, you can install one of the popular GIF makers. For this particular tutorial, we will be using GIF Studio. With it, you are entitled to make changes with GIF through the basic manipulation it offers for GIFs. You can add filters, adjust the frame speed, crop, and many others. Listed below are the steps to use this MP4 to GIF maker application.

Step 1. First of all, you need to install the program from the app store on your Android device.

Step 2. Launch the mobile app and make sure to grant the permissions for accessing media files.

Step 3. Tap the three-lateral bars at the topmost right part of your screen. Scroll up and select Video to GIF. From the list of videos, select your target MP4 footage.

Step 4. Another window will appear where you can set the FPS of the GIF. Just click the Check icon to process the video and the playback will show up instantly.

For iOS Devices

You might also be wondering how you can convert MP4 videos into GIFs using your iPhone. You can make GIFs from your MP4 videos with the built-in Shortcut on your iPhone. To get started, follow the guide below.

Step 1. Open the Shortcut app on your iPhone, locate the Gallery tab and search for Video to GIF, and choose Add Shortcut. Then click the Video to GIF.

Step 2. It will pop up a list of videos in your photo library. Choose the video clip that you want to convert. After that, tap Save. Then you can make a GIF from your mp4 video.

Step 3. Tap the Share button to Save Image or choose a sharing method. Once you're finished, tap Done.

Part 4. FAQs of Video to GIF

Does the quality of the file remain even after converting it to GIF?

No. There will be a loss of quality after converting the MP4 video to GIF. You will notice that the motion is not as smooth as compared to when it was an MP4 video. On the other hand, you may optimize the quality using a GIF editor.

Can I make a high-quality GIF?

Yes. When you have the right tool, you can achieve a high-quality GIF. From the above tools, Vidmore Video Converter lets you adjust the quality of the GIF as you like.

Is it possible to save GIFs from Twitter?

Without using a third-party app, getting GIFs from Twitter can be a bit challenging. We suggest you use an online tool that supports downloading GIFs using the URL. By then, you can copy the link of the GIF, paste it into the tool and download the GIF.

Conclusion

Converting MP4 to GIF does not have to be difficult. Luckily, there are a lot of programs that can assist you in accomplishing this task. Whether you want to create a funny meme or need to create a tutorial by converting an MP4 file to GIF, it will just be a piece of cake by using the solutions above.