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GIFs are incredibly popular image formate. People share millions of GIFs daily on social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Discord, and Twitter. The saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words," holds for GIFs. They can be either static or animated. But its animated feature makes it most popular. Let's get to the details of the topic!
What Is a GIF File?
GIFs are known are animated images. This is because they are more likely a short 3 to 4-second animated clip than a static image. In addition, they have known as animated images because they do not have any sound. GIFs display animations by combining images with small file sizes, which are used to share our emotional reactions.
Looking to find out what is GIF and how you can use them? GIFs are called Graphics interchange formate. GIF is an abbreviation of Graphics Interchange Format, and it was first used on the 15th of June 1987.
Features of GIF Files
1. Multiple Images in a Single File:
The most prominent feature of GIF Files is that they can store more than one image file into a single animated image file.
2. Transparency While Editing:
Transparency is a feature that makes GIF Files used even in video files. Transparency means that a GIF file has no background, and a user can place whatever they want in the background. Various formats are supported, such as a still image, a gradient, or video.
3. Interlacing GIF (GIF89a):
GIFs are raster file formats developed for sharing through the internet. The Normal GIF Files developed in the beginning were affected by the internet speed. The Interlaced GIFs (GIF89a) are faster because the raster is done only on the changing pixels, skipping the ones that are not changing at all in the whole GIF File.
4. Compression Ratio:
GIF Files use Lossless Data Compression, meaning the data is never lost when the GIF is being created. In simple words, all of the images used in a GIF retain their image quality.
Pros and Cons of GIF
Pros
Transmitting or sharing GIF Files is way faster than sharing a video file.
Transmitting or sharing GIF Files is way faster than sharing a video file.
GIFs have Small sizes and take very less space to store.
GIFs support CSS, hence easy to embed in webpages, and are faster to load than video.
The main details of each image are never lost when making a GIF File because it uses Lossless Compression.
Cons
GIFs are difficult to edit. You’d better make a new one within the time it takes for editing.
The frame rate is very low as compared to the old videos with the least frame rates. It ranges between 15 to 24 FPS.
Why We Use GIF File?
GIF Files are versatile with no alternative like this is why there are many uses as described below:
- To Animated Logos: Websites use GIF Files for displaying low-colored animated logos. These logos save storage and work properly on slower internet connections.
- To Demonstrate Procedure: GIFS are also used to demonstrate simple steps or tutorials. Their short, repetitive nature makes them easy to comprehend.
- To Explain Emotions: GIFs display animations by combining images with small file sizes, which are used to share our passionate reactions. In addition, most GIFs are self-explanatory and have captions on them.
- To Make Memes: It is a fact that memer worldwide have kept this file format alive even when the decades have passed. GIF is considered as best image formate to create an animated meme.
- For Web Graphics: Web developers use GIFs as these files give you a feeling of something alive, but these files engage the users to some extent. GIFs attract attention; that's what they are used in website ads and posters.
How to Make a GIF? - Quick Method
How to make a GIF file? There are a few online methods and GIF maker that you can use to make a GIF of any image or video clip. Here we will discuss some of the quick methods.
Websites like Giphy.com are best for creating your GIFS. Here is how you can do that:
- Go to "Giphy.com" to make your GIF.
- Once open, click "Create" from the option.
- Now select the "GIF" option from the left-hand side.
- You can upload files by clicking the upload button. Select the number of seconds for each picture.
- When ready to download, right-click your image, select "Download image as," and save it as GIF.
How to Open a GIF File?
If you don't know how to open a GIF file, don't worry. Most operating systems and web applications have built-in features to open a GIF, but there is some detail for easily opening any GIF file on a certain platform. Most image and video editing software can easily open a GIF File.
1. GIF Viewer for Windows
In windows, several applications are used to open a GIF file. Windows built-in Photo Viewer is the best tool to open GIFs. You just have to double-click on the file, and the photo viewer will display it. You can also open it in Windows web explorer.
2. GIF Viewer for MacOS
The process of opening a GIF on MAC OS is similar to Windows. The space bar method is one of the best methods to open a GIF file. Just locate the GIF and select it. Then, press the Space bar to open it.
3. Applications That Supports Viewing or Editing GIFs
Another way is through any software. There are several editing software like PicsArt, Adobe illustrator, and Fillmore meme generator easily open a gif file into Windows operating system.
Canva Animator
Canva animator is the best application to create a GIF file. Canve supports almost all types of image formats. Canva animator is used for making presentations, and you can import any GIF into the Canva animator.
Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop lets you viewer the GIF files, and you can also edit them here. Importing a GIF file is easy in Photoshop. You can just pick and drop your GIF. Photoshop may take some time to import as compared to other applications.
Using Any Latest Web Browser
All Web browsers can view GIF files. So just open your web browser and drag and drop the GIF file. It will show you the GIF instantly.
Still can’t open a GIF? Follow the steps:
- Check if your GIF Viewer software is working properly. Troubleshoot if it is not.
- Download the GIF again from the online site you've downloaded it from before.
- Export the GIF again if you're using any software for making them.
- A more technical method is editing it and saving it again with the .gif extension.
How to Create and Download GIF?
There are plenty of online and offline tools for creating GIFs, such as After Effects, Canva (online), Photoshop, and Illustrator, to name a few.
Since Canva gif maker is a popular online application for you to make a quick GIF. Here's how you can do it:
Step 1. Click on the given link "Canva Gif maker" to open Canve gif maker."
Step 2. Open the link and select the "Make A GIF Free" option.
Step 3. Now "Upload Media" or drag and drop the images you want to make a GIF of.
Step 4. You can select from the given arts (texts, elements, backgrounds, etc.), or you may upload your arts as well. Just drag and drop them on the artboard.
How to download a GIF?
Once you are done making and merging your images, it's time to download all images as a single GIF file.
Step 1. Press the "Share" button and select "Download" from the list.
Step 2. After pressing download, you can change the file type to Animated GIF/Movie. You can see many other options on the file too.
Step 3. Press "Download as a GIF," and it will start downloading instantly.
How to Compress and Convert GIF Files?
Want to compress a GIF and refudce GIF file size? There are various GIF Compression methods that you can perform to reduce the size of your GIF. You can do this by removing a certain number of frames, reducing the colors, or by performing lossy compression, etc. In addition, there are free online tools for compressing GIFs, such as Freeconvert, GIF Compressor and ezgif.
As for converting, you can convert videos to GIFs and vice versa. You can also convert GIFs into images, audio, or document files, by using Wondersahre UniConverter.
How to Recover Deleted GIF Files?
Wondershare Recoverit is one of the best free applications for restoring lost and damaged GIFs. It is compatible with both Windows and macOS. This software can recover your files from almost all kinds of storage media like Mobile Phones, Hard Disk Drives, USB Drives, Memory Cards, Digital Cameras, etc. If you want to know more about the basics, here’s the guide on how to recover deleted GIF images.
Conclusion
This simplest guide is written for people from all fields who use computers or mobiles. The language used is so simple that a non-native speaker will also be able to understand the concepts about GIF files and perform the tasks like creating, editing, downloading, and recovering GIFs for free with almost no effort. In addition, there is a brief history of GIFs that should increase your general knowledge to impress someone. This guide also teaches you the latest and the easiest methods of opening a GIF file and performing compressions and conversions of GIF files for free as well.
FAQs
What is a GIF used for?
It is normal to send gifs as a quick way to chat, so there is no need to think much about it. However, GIFs are sometimes more expressive than other ways to communicate, so that person is sending you a gif.
Is a GIF a picture?
GIFs are image sequences but are also lower quality. This feature makes it useful for the webpage. This is not the complete part of a video but a small few-second clip with no sound. You can also create it using images.
What does it mean when someone sends you a GIF?
GIFs are used for expressive chats. People use it to express their emotions or sayings. These are also a source of humor in the chat.
What is GIF full form?
The full form of GIF is Graphics Interchange Format. It is a multi-image with Bitmap format or a short video clip.
