Is a GIF a video? Find out here

It's hard to imagine social media like Facebook and Instagram without GIFs. But what exactly is a GIF? Here we show you step by step whether a GIF is a video and how to create your own GIF image.

Is a GIF a video: What you should know

Even though a GIF image moves, it is not a video. Instead, a GIF is a short, animated graphic created from either multiple images or a video. Used mostly in social media, GIFs, which is short for Graphics Interchange Format, are also used in chat apps. A large number of ready-made GIFs on various topics, occasions and feelings can be found for free download on the Internet.

How to make a GIF from a video

While a GIF is not directly a video, you can use a video as a template to create your own GIF from it. This can be done either in WhatsApp or by installing an additional app.

1. To create a GIF from a video using WhatsApp, first launch the app for this and open a chat.
2. If you have an Android device, please tap the "bracket icon" to the right of the input field first and then open the gallery.
3. Wählen Sie dort das Video aus, aus dem Sie ein GIF erstellen möchten und tippen Sie auf „Bearbeiten“.
4. Kürzen Sie das Video nun so, dass es maximal sechs Sekunden lang ist und tippen Sie auf „GIF“, um dieses in ein GIF umzuwandeln.