The World Wide Web might have morphed into engineering wizardry over the past 30 years, however the reputation of comparatively low-tech animated GIFs in the age of social media has held up better than many observers might have anticipated. Whereas in the old days you needed a computer-based graphical program to breathe life right into a series of static photos, right now the method is automated and for many non-professional applications — all you want is your smartphone. There are a number of methods to make a GIF in your iPhone, from utilizing Apple’s Live Photos to third-party apps. We show you the way it’s done.
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Use a Live Photo
You can create GIF animations easily with Live Photos on the iPhone. Apple debuted Live Photos on the iPhone 6S in 2015, and among the many feature’s many charms is that they will easily be remodeled into GIFs. A Live Photo is technically a three-second video — the phone records video 1.5 seconds before you tap the shutter button to 1.5 seconds after you tap — leading to a three-second video complete with sound. Here’s how you can turn that right into a GIF.
- Shoot a Live Photo by launching the camera app and tapping the bulls-eye icon on the top of the screen so that it turns yellow.
- To flip the photo into a GIF, open the Live Photo and swipe up from the bottom.
- You’ll see choices of Loop, Bounce, and Long Exposure — use both Loop or Bounce on your animation.
- Loop plays the three-second Live Photo silently in a loop, successfully turning the Live Photo into a GIF.
- Bounce, a different sort of animation, plays the Live Photo forward and backward in a perpetual loop.
Choose a GIF in Messages
If you’re not obsessive about creating your own unique GIF from scratch, try the GIF finder in Apple Messages. Add a GIF from the #images feature in Messages on the iPhone app to find and share GIFs.
- Open Messages and enter a contact or tap an existing conversation.
- Tap Find Images to search for a particular GIF or enter a keyword.
- Tap the GIF to add it to your message.
- Tap send.
Use the Shortcut app
You’ve most likely done this by accident — held down the iPhone’s shutter key too long while the Camera app shoots a number of still frames at full resolution. When viewed in succession, they resemble a flipbook animation. Those burst photographs are designed to capture motion or create particular results when you don’t want to shoot video. They are particularly helpful in creating animated GIFs in your iPhone.
- Launch the Shortcuts app. It comes pre-installed on your phone with iOS 12 and later.
- Search for and download the Convert Burst to GIF shortcut. While you’re at it, additionally download the Convert Video to GIF shortcut. If either one does not come up in a search, you can find them through Gallery > Photography > Convert Burst to GIF or Gallery > All the GIFs.
- You could also be requested to allow the app access to your photos or videos, so enable it.
- Run the shortcut by tapping the arrow on the bottom right. It will show an inventory of all of your burst photographs.
- Select one and it’s shortly transformed into a GIF.
- Tap Done and you will be prompted to either share the GIF or Save to Photos.
Just use Giphy
The free Giphy app, simply the most popular GIF generator on the market, is a study in communal madness. Giphy was not too long ago bought by Facebook, however the app is still available from the App Store, because it has been in the past. With Giphy, you may choose from a myriad of free GIFs for every purpose imaginable. Or you can use your personal photos from your Camera Roll or shoot a new image or video and embellish it with animated stickers, text, filters, and AR effects. Giphy guides you every step of the way, allowing as much experimentation as you can stand before saving your GIF.
- Download Giphy from the App Store.
- Follow the prompt to create a new GIF.
- Allow Giphy to access your camera.
- Add all sorts of animated elements to your own image.
- Or use Giphy’s pre-made GIFs in any category you want.
- Save, upload to Giphy, or share with your friends.
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