It may have taken Facebook a little while to join the graphics interchange format (GIF) party, but even today, the company makes it quite difficult to use and upload your favorite GIFs. Facebook added a GIF option in 2017 and it is still available for some versions of the social media site today. For others, there are many ways to create and upload custom GIFs, or you can turn to the most popular ones directly within Facebook.
These short clips of images are repeated over and over again and are often used to enhance the point you are trying to make. As communication gets lost in text, a GIF helps you convey your mood in written communications.
This article explains the Facebook/GIF relationship and gives you all the information you need to create GIFs for Facebook.
How to make a GIF for Facebook
Depending on the version of Facebook you’re currently running, you can use one of several GIF creators to create custom GIFs.
Using Giphy to make Facebook GIFs
gifi is a well-known GIF maker that allows you to create unique and interesting GIFs to share with all your friends on Facebook. Adding a Giphy GIF to Facebook is a little different than using the ones that are ready to use in the app.
From the Giphy website, you can choose to upload a created file and edit it or use one of the trending videos to get the GIF you need. Here’s how to do it.
- go there Giphy website.
- Create your own GIF if you have an account or browse the catalog of GIF animations published by others.
- If you create your own GIF, edit your animation however you want with Giphy’s tools, then click “Continue going up” to save it to your account.
- On the GIF page that loads your new GIF or a preselected one, click the “Share icon” and choose Facebook or right click on the GIF and select “Save Image As” to upload it to Facebook later.
- If you saved a created or pre-selected GIF on your PC, go to Facebook and use it however you want (comments, posts, Messenger, pages, etc.). You will need to use the “Photos/Videos” option instead of the GIF option.
Use Meta/Facebook Boomerang Option to Create GIFs
Fortunately for those who really want to get creative, Facebook offers a Boomerang feature. Your short video clip will play continuously, repeating over and over again. You can add GIFs, stickers, text, and even emojis to fully customize your video however you want. Create a GIF on a blank screen or add one to a video clip. Here’s how to use Boomerang.
- From your News Feed, tap “Photo” to access the camera icon in the upper right corner. Move the “Photo” switch to “Boomerang.”
- Play the “Sticker icon” at the top, then choose “GIF” to add any GIF to your video. You can also swipe left to access more filters or add text and effects.
- Choose the GIF you want to add to your video and use your finger to hold down on the image and drag it where you want it to appear in your recording.
- Once you’ve perfected your Boomerang video, tap Next and follow the on-screen instructions to publish it.
How to Add a Facebook GIF Profile Picture
Once you’ve created a GIF, you can make it your profile photo. You can also convert any online GIF into a profile picture. This is what you should do.
- To convert a static profile picture to a moving one, go to your profile and click “Edit” in the lower right corner of your existing profile photo.
- Select “Record a new profile video” to record a new clip or choose “Select profile video” to choose one from a list. The latter opens your camera roll and your list of videos appears.
- Choose your video, trim it if applicable and then select “Save.”
Facebook’s foray into the world of GIFs is likely to have been fueled by the success of GIFs on Facebook-owned WhatsApp. WhatsApp added the option to send GIFs saved on your phone or via the built-in GIF search engine to inpidual friends and groups of people.
The feature lets you edit GIFs on your phone with captions, stickers, and drawings, time the length of clips, and turn your six-second videos into GIFs on the fly. Live photos (iPhone photos that capture a couple of seconds of video before the image is taken) can also be sent as GIFs.
How to add a GIF to a post
Whether you’ve created a GIF or have one in mind, you can add these quirky images to your Facebook status.
- Tap on the “What do you have in mind” box as you normally would, then scroll down and tap the “GIF icon”.
- Use the Look for function to search for specific content or scroll through available options. Once you’ve chosen your GIF, tap on it.
- Write your status, publish it and that’s it. If you have a custom GIF that you’ve created, you’ll need to take a different approach. . Continue with step 4.
- Create your GIF, copy it, and then paste it into your post. Facebook’s algorithm will automatically detect the GIF and load it in the appropriate format.
How to add a GIF to a comment
GIFs make Facebook comments funnier. Whether you’re trolling someone in a heated debate or sending a happy birthday wish, they just make the comments better.
- Insert your “comment” as usual.
- Play the “GIF icon”.
- Search or scroll until you find the perfect GIF, then tap it to select it.
- Play the “Publish icon.”
How to send a GIF on Messenger
Sending a GIF in Messenger is very similar to posting one in a comment, except choosing a GIF automatically sends it without the message. It’s best to write your message first and then follow the steps to add a GIF.
- Write your “message” on Facebook Messenger as usual and then send it.
- Tap on the GIF and find the GIF you want to share.
- Once you find the perfect GIF, tap it and it will be sent automatically.
Finally, there are many ways to create and send GIFs on Meta (formerly Facebook). You can use built-in, searchable and selectable GIFs or opt to create your own using a third-party app like Giphy. Add GIFs to Facebook posts or comments and even use them in Messenger if you want.
As you have seen, creating and posting GIFs on Facebook is a simple process. There is no reason to limit your profile by posting a simple image. Express yourself with the power of GIFs and unleash the wonders of moving images. No, this is not referring to RUSH. With so many GIFs to choose from, you may find it difficult to choose which one to use.
Frequent questions
Can I make a GIF directly on Facebook?
There was a time when Facebook offered a built-in GIF maker using its camera feature. Unfortunately, the company removed this option after recent updates.
Beforehand, you can tap the camera icon and then scroll down to the GIF option. From there, you would create a GIF and proceed to post it as your status. If you’re somehow still running an older version of Facebook, you might see the option in the app.
I made a GIF, but why won’t Facebook let me upload it?
Often, you will have problems loading GIFs created with third-party software. For example, GIPHY is generally well accepted, but others are not. If you’ve designed the perfect GIF and it’s not loading, it’s probably due to the creation software you used.
When possible, try to use GIPHY instead of other applications when you want to upload the file to Facebook. Of course, sometimes an outdated app can lead to problems and crashes. It’s a good idea to wait a bit or update your app if you can’t load a GIF.
