How to make a GIF on iPhone — Apple makes it easy for you

iPhone 14
(Image credit: Future)

Sharing still photos and videos is fun enough on social media, but sometimes you want to spice things up with a GIF. However you choose to pronounce GIF, there's no denying how fun GIFs are to create and share.

Many people download the Giphy app to create their own GIFs or share ones made by other people, but iPhone users don't need to do this. Apple offers a few built-in methods that allow users to generate GIFs without needing any external apps. Here's how to make a GIF on iPhone in two different ways.

How to make a GIF using Live Photos on iPhone

Live Photos on iPhone are surprisingly versatile features. You can use Live Photos to customize your iPhone's wallpaper, as well as create unique GIFs. Here's how to save your live photos as GIFs in a few quick steps.

1. Open your Photos app.

2. Select a Live Photo you'd like to turn into a GIF. If you can't easily find one, you can select Albums at the bottom of the app and scroll down to a list of Media Types to find all your Live Photos.

3. With your Live Photo selected, drag it upwards until you see available effects and photo details pop up.

4. From the list of available effects, choose either Loop or Bounce.

5. Your Live Photo is now a GIF. Under the Media Types mentioned earlier, you'll now find this under GIFs instead of Live Photos.

Alternatively, you can use Apple's Shortcuts app to turn a Live Photo or a video into a GIF.

How to make a GIF on iPhone via Shortcuts

Apple's Shortcuts app comes pre-installed on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later, and it makes quite a few tasks easier, including creating GIFs. Using the Shortcuts app, you can transform a Live Photo, a video, or even burst photos into a GIF.

how to convert live photo to gif

(Image credit: Clay Halton/Apple)

1. Open the Shortcuts app. 

2. At the top of the app, search "GIF" and select the Make GIF shortcut. 

3. From your photo library, choose a Live Photo, a video, or a photo with the Bounce or Loop effect in place. 

4. After the app converts your selected photo or video into a GIF, you'll see a preview of the GIF. 

5. Tap Done, and the GIF will be saved in your Camera Roll for you to easily share at any time.

Now that you know how to make your own GIFs on iPhone, you can start using GIFs in Instagram comments or sending them to friends and family. You can also check out these other built-in iPhone-only features that'll make you love your phone even more.

Sarah Chaney
Contributing Writer

Sarah Chaney is a freelance tech writer with five years of experience across multiple outlets, including Mashable, How-To Geek, MakeUseOf, Tom’s Guide, and of course, Laptop Mag. She loves reviewing the latest gadgets, from inventive robot vacuums to new laptops, wearables, and anything PC-related. When she's not writing, she's probably playing a video game, exploring the outdoors, or listening to her current favorite song or album on repeat.

Read more
Adobe Photoshop object selection on iPhone
Photoshop on iPhone is finally here — it has one unexpected feature, too
iphone 16e vs iphone 16
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16: Which cheap iPhone is the best in 2025?
The Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT logos behind two back to back iPhones
Tired of waiting for Apple's big Siri upgrade? Try these top AI apps instead
The white iPhone 16e in front of a gray background
Apple's iPhone 16e brings better performance, battery, and camera to the SE line — and a big price bump
A split image showing the Google Pixel 9a on the left and the iPhone 16e on the right
5 reasons Google's Pixel 9a is a victory lap around the iPhone 16e
Nothing Phone 3a Pro in hand
I tried Nothing's Phone 3a Pro for a week and I've got bad news for the iPhone 16e
Latest in iPhones
WWDC 2025 could mark the beginning of the end for certain iPhone users
Two iPhone 16e phones face-to-face in front of an orange background
If this is Apple's iPhone 17 Air, I'm ready to upgrade my phone ASAP
Close up of the USB Type-C charging port on the iPhone 16e in front of a gray background
Apple's iPhone 17 Air almost had this game-changing design, report says
Messages app in iOS icon
Apple is tantalizingly close to killing green bubbles
The iPhone 16e notch
I “downgraded” to the iPhone 16e from an iPhone 16 Pro. Here’s what happened.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in navy blue held above a table
If Apple couldn't sell me on XR with a $3,500 headset, I doubt a $2,500 foldable iPhone will work either
Latest in How-To
illustration of laptop with tower speakers on either side.
How I turned my office into a personal concert hall with tower speakers and a MacBook
Acer Predator Triton Neo 16 gaming and content creation laptop
3 critical tips and tricks for maximizing performance on your gaming laptop
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus
How to restart a Chromebook
how to use copilot voice
Copilot Voice: Here's how you can chat with Microsoft's new AI companion
Screenshots of iPhone mirroring using iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia
iPhone Mirroring changed how I use my MacBook and iPhone — here's how it works
The iPhone 16's camera control button
How to use the iPhone 16's new Camera Control button to become a phone photography pro