How to Upload Images & Edit, Crop & Rotate an Animated Selection

Uploading and editing plain images -- such as PNG or JPG files -- are second nature to most Internet users these days, but you can perform the same tasks for animated GIFs just as simply. Using an image editor online in your browser, you can crop, rotate and make other minor edits to your animated GIFs. These online tools can be handy for creating resized avatars for forums or cropping animations for your website or blog.

Instructions

Online Image Editor

1. Visit Online Image Editor (see Resources).

2. Click "File" to open a drop-down menu and select "Open." If you are accessing a file on your hard drive, click "Choose File" and browse your computer for the animated GIF you wish to edit. When you have located the file, highlight it in the given window and click "OK."

3. Edit your image using the toolbar on the Online Image Editor window. Select the scissors icon to create a box within your image -- stretch and drag this box to select the area of the image you wish to keep. Click "Apply" to crop the GIF. Rotate the image by clicking the circular arrow icon and selecting the angle to which you want to rotate the GIF. Using the other tools provided, you can also rescale the image, add text or flip the animation horizontally or vertically.

4. Right-click the image and select "Save Image As" or "Save Target As." Find an appropriate location on your hard drive, and click "OK" to save the new GIF.

GIF Magic

1. Visit GIF Magic's homepage (see Resources).

2. Click the first blue "Click Here" button to browse your computer for the animated GIF you want to edit. Locate and click the file in the appropriate folder on your hard drive. Click "OK" to upload the file.

3. Move your cursor over the "Edit" tab on the GIF Magic toolbar. Browse the options for editing your GIF. To crop the animation, click "Crop" to open a new menu. Use the target cursor to indicate the top left and bottom right corners of the area you wish to crop. To rotate the GIF, select "Left" or "Right" from the "Rotate" menu. If you need to rotate the GIF to a particular angle, select "Custom" and enter the amount of degrees to which your animation should be rotated. The GIF Magic toolbar also contains options for other minor edits and visual filters.

4. Click "Save" under the "File" menu in the GIF Magic toolbar to save the GIF to the default downloads folder on your hard drive.

LunaPic

1. Visit the LunaPic editor homepage (see Resources).

2. Click the "Choose File" button to open a new window where you can browse your hard drive for the GIF you want to edit. Locate the file and click it to highlight your selection. Click "OK" and "Upload Now" to upload your animated GIF. The window refreshes and now displays your image.

3. Move your cursor over the "Edit" tab of the LunaPic toolbar and click "Crop Image" to refresh the window again. Use the new menu above your image to select the shape of the cropping tool. Stretch and drag the shape across an area of the GIF. Click "Crop" to remove everything outside the area or "Cutout" to remove everything inside your selected area.

4. Mouse over the "Edit" tab again and click the "Rotate Image" tool. Click and drag the slider to the right to watch your GIF turn in place. When you have found an appropriate angle to adjust the image, click "Rotate" to save your changes.

5. Browse the rest of the options available in the LunaPic toolbar. Among other functions, the LunaPic interface allows you to draw on the GIF, apply filters, resize and stretch your animated image. When you have finished, move your cursor over the "File" tab and select "Save Image." From this page, you can download the GIF to your hard drive or upload it to a variety of websites.

Resources

• Online Image Editor: Home
• GIF Magic: Home
• LunaPic: Editor