JPG and PNG images are the most common photos to post online. It doesn’t require too much editing and is versatile. Plus, you can post it anywhere without a problem. There’s another image format that will make your website dynamic or your social media posts even more engaging than ever: the graphics interchange format (GIF). GIFs are a fun addition to your content calendar and brand! And if you want to try creating a GIF for your brand, here’s how to animate GIFs.

What to Prepare when Animating GIFs

  • Videos – Many GIFs on the internet are created using videos they recorded or from videos on TV or movies. This isn’t mandatory, but when using a graphic design software, it’s faster to export a video and convert a scene or a few seconds into a GIF.
  • Images, icons, graphic design works – You can animate GIFs using still images like JPG and PNG. It will depend on how you want the image to become a GIF. For example, you can layer images to make an animated image. Meanwhile, you can use a small icon or image on top of your photo. Check out Calm’s Instagram page to see how they use a simple graphic design image with animated elements.
  • Software – Finally, you must choose a software to create your animated GIF. You have several options to choose from, depending on your assets. We’ll list the best GIF creation software below to see how to animate GIFs.

How to Animate GIFs with Various Apps

Most GIF makers are readily available online without downloading them anymore. Animate GIFs faster by uploading videos and images with a few clicks. Here are our top picks of the best GIF creators and know how to animate GIFs!

1. Canva

Canva is one of the best sites from which to get animated GIFs. You can use this software for typography GIFs or animated ads. Here are some examples of how to animate GIFs on Canva.

From a Video

You can upload a video and convert that into a GIF. 

First, upload your video on Canva.

Once done, drag the video to the canvas and edit the video size depending on your canvas.

After this, add other elements like images, text, or icons.

Select the element you want to animate and edit how long it should appear.

Once you’ve animated your GIF, click Share, then Download. Select the File Type as GIF.

From Scratch

Here’s an example of how I created a simple typography GIF.

First, click Design. Customize your design, depending on how you want the GIF to appear.

Next, add text or other elements. You can use this by clicking the Text or Element tabs.

From there, click the elements you want to animate. Then, click the Animate button on the menu bar. Select your preferred animation type.

2. Kapwing

One of the best software apps to use when creating animated GIFs is a video editing software. Fortunately, you don’t need to purchase a video editing software. You can utilize an online video maker like Kapwing to create a GIF. Here’s how to do it:

Like other software apps, you can upload a video or image to create a GIF. Once uploaded, you can edit it by adding text or other elements. Since this is a video editing software, make sure to click on the timeline of the element to animate. This way, you can add transitions or effects. Plus, you can edit the timing. 

Once done, click Export Project and select GIF.

3. Veed

Veed is another place to create GIFs from. It’s an alternative to Kapwing. Like the other apps, upload your video or app to Veed to get started. One advantage of Veed over other apps is its library of animated elements you can edit for your video. Here’s how to animate a GIF from Veed.

  • Upload or choose an element or add text
  • Select that element to animate
  • Click Animate and choose which animation best suits your GIF
  • Export this project into a GIF by clicking Done and download

You need an account to download this to your preferred file type.

4. Adobe Express

Adobe Express is a Canva alternative that allows users to create GIFs. You have two major options for animating GIFs. First, you can convert a video into a GIF. However, this will only convert a video, and you won’t be able to edit it. The second option is creating the GIF from scratch. You can create typography GIFs or layer an image with animated elements. Here’s how to do it:

Select your preferred template design or create a GIF from scratch by clicking the “custom size” button. Once selected, customize your design based on your needs.

To animate text or elements, click the Animation button on the menu sidebar and select your preferred animation. Once done, Download and select MP4. From there, convert the video into GIF.

This method is a bit tedious since you have to download the file as a video file and convert it into a GIF.

5. Ezgif

Our final GIF maker is Ezgif. This tool is ideal if you have already edited images or videos since you can convert photos and videos into GIFs. Here’s how you can get GIFs with this tool.

With videos

1. Click the video to GIF option

2. Click the upload video button

3. Once converted, edit the start and end times, size, and frame rate.

4. If there’s no need to edit, convert to GIF to download the video.

With images

Select the “Switch to alphabetically ordered upload” to ensure your images convert into frames by order. Once done, click Upload Files. Once uploaded, you can edit the delay and toggle frame range, GIF options, and effects. Additionally, you can optimize the GIF to reduce the file size and avoid further delays.

Get an Animated GIF from Penji

As you can see from our examples above, animating GIFs can be time-consuming. After all, you must upload x amount of images or a big file. Then, you have to edit that before it animates. Instead of doing this yourself, outsource your GIF work (and graphic design work) to Penji!

Penji will be your design and GIF maker partner for your brand, marketing, and social media assets. You don’t need to do the brunt work. Upload any image or video on our Penji dashboard, let our designers know how to animate it into a GIF, and get the GIF in 1 to 2 days! With Penji, you get more time to run your business and be more productive in the long run. And if you want to give Penji a try, view a video demo to see how Penji can help you with your projects!