Start with the original animation
Open the GIF editor and choose an existing GIF. Check its dimensions, frame count, and estimated duration before choosing a task. A small compressed file can still contain many large frames and require substantial memory to process.
Keep the original file while experimenting. Every edit in the editor starts from that input. To combine operations, download a result and choose it as the next input: for example, crop first, then compress the cropped animation.
Reduce dimensions before sacrificing too many colors
Select Compress and begin with the Balanced preset. If the GIF will appear at a small size on a page, choose a smaller output width. Aspect ratio is preserved. A 320-pixel-wide animation often needs fewer pixels than a large screen recording displayed inside a narrow support message.
The maximum-color setting controls the palette. Try 128 colors first, then 64 or 32 for simple graphics. Gradients, photographs, and antialiased text may benefit from 256 colors. Detail retention controls lossy compression; it is not a guarantee of visual quality. Resizing and palette reduction can change the image even at 100% detail retention.
Compare the original and result in the preview, then compare file sizes. An already optimized GIF may grow after processing. If the new version is larger or looks worse, keep the original or try another setting.
Crop the same area throughout the animation
Select Crop and choose a ratio such as 1:1, 16:9, or 9:16. Move the selection to the subject. Arrow keys move it one pixel; Shift plus an arrow moves it ten pixels. The coordinate and dimension fields allow precise adjustments and keep the rectangle within the source image.
Check the whole animation before exporting. A subject that starts inside the selection may move outside it later. Cropping uses the same rectangle for every frame; it does not track moving objects.
Change speed without recompressing the picture
Use 0.5× for slower playback or 2× for faster playback. Speed editing changes frame delays directly and preserves compressed picture data. Different frame delays remain proportional, subject to rounding and the minimum delay.
GIF records time in hundredths of a second. The editor rounds changed delays to 10ms units with a minimum of 20ms. A missing or zero delay uses a 100ms baseline for speed changes. Choosing 1× leaves the file unchanged. Browsers and messaging apps can apply their own minimum delays, so preview in the destination as well.
Use the right source tool
- For still pictures, start with Images to GIF.
- For a clip, start with Video to GIF.
- For a slideshow where GIF is not required, try Images to video.
The editor accepts GIF files up to 100 MB and 10,000 frames, with additional limits on canvas pixels and frame count multiplied by canvas pixels. Try a smaller source on memory-constrained devices. Compression and cropping use a local background worker, which can be stopped with Cancel. Media files are not uploaded, though normal website resources and analytics may make network requests.