Nowadays, online communication can’t do without GIFs. This popular file format is essential in conveying ideas and emotions in ways that regular texts and still images cannot. GIFs are also universal—they’re easily shareable and light, making them better options than videos.

Embedded in your iPhone is an app that allows you to convert images, Live Photos, and videos into GIFs. That’s right; you don’t need a third-party app to convert your files into GIFs. With iPhone’s Shortcuts app, you can create your own GIFs with one easy step.

How to Turn Photos Into GIFs

Before you start, make sure that you have the Shortcuts app downloaded. Unlike other built-in apps, Shortcuts can be erased from your device. Don’t worry. You can always download it for free on the App Store. Once you have the app ready, here’s how you can turn a photo into a GIF:

  1. Open Shortcuts.
  2. Go to the Gallery tab, then search for Convert Photos to GIF. Select it, then tap Add Shortcut.
  3. Go back to the My Shortcuts tab, then tap the Convert Photos to GIF shortcut.
  4. Choose up to 21 photos. Based on our tests, going beyond 21 photos will result in an error. Once finished with your selection, tap Add at the top right of your screen.
  5. You’ll be shown a preview of your GIF. Tapping Done will exit the preview without saving your newly created GIF. If you want to keep it, tap the Share icon in the upper right, then choose Save Image to save it to Photos. You can also directly send it to people through Messages or messaging apps like Messenger.

There you have it! You now have a GIF from your curated list of photos. Aside from this, you can also make GIFs out of your Burst photos!

About Turning Live Photos Into GIFs

Live Photos allows users to capture a second or two before and after a photo is taken, making a short video. They can only be taken using an iPhone 6S or newer, and can only be viewed on an Apple device running iOS 9 or macOS El Capitan or newer. Anyone else, including non-Apple users, will see a still image, unless you first convert them into GIFs.

How to Take Live Photos

To take a Live Photo on a supported Apple device, open up the native camera app, and tap the Live Photo button above the main photo viewfinder. When it is turned on, it appears yellow.

If you want to switch off the feature, just tap the icon above the viewfinder. When it’s turned off, it’s white. Note: Live Photos take up double the space on your phone that regular photos do.

How to Convert Live Photos to GIFs

Before Apple Shortcuts, the primary way to convert Live Photos into GIFs was to download third-party apps like Lively. However, doing so will render a GIF featuring a watermark with the app name unless you upgrade to the app’s premium version for $4.99.

Instead, use iPhone’s Shortcuts app for free. To do so:

  1. Open Shortcuts.
  2. Go to the Gallery tab, then search for Make GIF. Select it, then tap Add Shortcut.
  3. Go back to the My Shortcuts tab, then tap the Make GIF shortcut.
  4. Select a Live Photo from your album. Unlike in the Photos to GIF shortcut, this shortcut automatically sends your GIF to the Photos album.

How to Turn Videos Into GIFs

You’ll need the same Make GIF shortcut to convert videos from your camera roll into GIFs. This shortcut automatically compresses your video and sends the converted GIF to your photo library. Alternatively, you can also use the Video to GIF shortcut to convert videos into GIFs.

Share Away!

With your iPhone, you can now make your own GIFs from the photos, Live Photos, and videos in your camera roll. They are now easily shareable and device-agnostic, breaking all the barriers that prevented you from sharing them before.