How to Make and Upload an Animated GIF for Free

GIF (graphics interchange format) is a popular file format for animated online images. Creating a GIF image allows you to link several pictures together into one. You can also use GIF images to show movement in pictures to make them look like video. While you can create animated GIF images with image editing programs such as Photoshop, those programs usually are very expensive and challenging to learn. Instead, you can create GIF images easily online using GIF-making applications.

Instructions

Gickr GIF Generator

1. Go to a website that allows you to create your own animated GIF images. One option is gickr.com (see References 1).

2. Upload the pictures you want to use in your animated GIF by clicking "Browse..." and selecting the pictures from your computer. Click "Add One More Picture" if you want to add more than three.

3. Select the size you want your GIF image to be, then select the speed at which you want the pictures to flash. Click "Continue" when you are ready to create your animated GIF, then click "Download" to save the image to your computer.

Makeagif GIF Generator

1. Visit makeagif.com for another way to create your own animated GIF image (see References 2).

2. Select each of the pictures you want to use by clicking "Browse..." and selecting them from your computer. Upload your pictures in the order you want them to appear in the animation.

3. Customize your GIF by choosing whether you want the animation to loop and the speed at which you want the pictures in the animation to cycle. Click "Advanced Options" to resize the pictures, or to choose the exact amount of milliseconds you want between the progression of each picture.

4. Click "Create GIF" to finish creating your animated GIF. Right-click your image and select "Save Image As..." to save the image onto your computer or a memory storage device. The site hosts your GIF, and the URL appears below the image.

Picasion GIF Generator

1. Navigate to the Picasion website (see References 3).

2. Click "Browse..." to choose each image from your computer that you wish to use in your GIF. Click "Add one more picture" as necessary to add up to ten pictures.

3. Customize the size and speed of your animation by selecting options from the drop-down menus. Each menu also allows you to specify exact preferences with the "Advanced..." option.

4. Click "Create Animation" to generate your GIF, then "Save this animation" to save the image to your computer. The URL can also be copied from this page and posted elsewhere.

Tips & Warnings

• Gickr allows you to import pictures from your Flickr account, and convert YouTube videos to GIF images.

• Makeagif allows you to utilize their "Photobooth" option to take pictures from a webcam for making your GIF.

References

• Gickr: Create GIF Animations Online
• Make A GIF: Online Animated GIF Maker
• Picasion: Create GIF Animations Online