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How to send gif on instagram dm from gallery


How to Post a GIF on Instagram from Any Device

How to post a GIF on Instagram

How to turn a video into a GIF for Instagram

How to post a GIF on an Instagram Story

How to send a GIF on Instagram DM

Best Instagram GIF apps

GIFs are a fun way to connect with your audience by referencing viral trends or nostalgic moments. And if you don’t how to post a GIF on Instagram, you’re missing out.

They’re useful for memes, but you can also share custom GIFs that add to your brand’s voice. Hootsuite’s mascot, Owly, is a particular fan of GIFs.

Keep reading to find out how to post a GIF on Instagram, including how to slide them into your DMs.

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

How to post a GIF on Instagram

Technically, Instagram doesn’t support GIF files for an Instagram post. There are two workarounds to this problem:

Option #1: Use a GIF from GIPHY

GIPHY is a one-stop shop for all of your GIF needs. It also has a simple tool to turn any GIF into a 15-second .mp4 file. Perfect for posting directly on your Instagram feed.

Option #2: Upload a GIF as a video

You’ll need to convert your GIF to a video to post it on your Instagram feed. You can use a free tool like Adobe Express to convert a GIF into a .mp4 file. And then you can upload the video to your feed. Ta-da!

Now let’s talk about the step-by-step process of posting a GIF on Instagram from your phone or your computer.

Android/iOS

To post directly from GIPHY:

1. Download the GIPHY app.

2. Find a GIF you want to post.

3. Click the paper airplane icon on the bottom right side of the GIF.

4. Choose the Instagram icon.

5. Select where you want to post it on Instagram. You have 4 options: Chats, Feed, Reels, or Stories. Tap on Feed.

6. This opens up your Instagram app. Then you can add text, stickers, or other effects to customize the GIF.

7. Click on Next to add a caption, edit the cover, tag people, or add a location.

8. Then choose Share. Your GIF uploads as a reel to your profile.

To upload your own GIF:

1. To convert a GIF into a video, use a free tool like Adobe Express. You’ll need to sign up for an account first.

2. Click on Upload your GIF.

3. Upload your GIF and then select Download.

4. That’s it! Now you can upload the video directly to your Instagram feed.

Desktop

To post a GIF from GIPHY:

1. Open the GIPHY website and ensure you’re logged in. (You need an account to do this on desktop).

2. Find a GIF you want to post.

3. Click the Share icon on the right side of the GIF.

4. Choose the Instagram icon.

5. A pop-up appears asking for your email address. Then GIPHY will email you a .mp4 file of the GIF.

6. Check your email! GIPHY has emailed you the .mp4 file.

7. Download the .mp4 file and then upload it as your Instagram post.

To upload your own GIF:

1. To convert a GIF into a video, use a free tool like Adobe Express. You’ll need to sign up for an account first.

2. Click on Upload your GIF.

3. Upload your GIF and then select Download.

4. That’s it! Now you can upload directly to your Instagram feed.

How to turn a video into a GIF for Instagram

You can’t create GIFs directly on Instagram. You’ll need to use a different app or your phone’s camera roll to turn a video into a GIF. You can find our detailed guide on how to make a GIF for more info.

You could use Adobe Express mentioned above to turn a video into a GIF, but you might want to consider GIPHY for easy sharing. People using GIPHY can find your GIFs and use them in their projects or messages. Ultimately, this helps build brand awareness.

Below we’ll discuss how to turn a video into a GIF using GIPHY, but other apps can also create GIFs using video. (More on that later).

Or if you would rather watch a video on how to turn a video into a GIF, watch this:

1. Open the GIPHY app or website and ensure you’re logged in. You need an account to create GIFs, so sign-up to get started.

2. Click Create in the top right corner. (On mobile, select “Uploads” and choose “Create”).

3. From here, you can upload a video or add a video URL link. The video must be under 100 MB and shorter than 15 seconds. Keep in mind that the URL option is only available on desktop.

4. Next, you can use the sliders to trim the video.

5. Click Continue to Upload. You can edit your GIF further by adding a caption, filters, or stickers.

Now you’re ready to share your GIF with the world. Easy as that!

How to post a GIF on an Instagram Story

There are three ways to post a GIF on an Instagram Story.

Option #1: Upload a GIF

1. Open Instagram Stories.

2. Add a GIF to your Stories by searching for it in your phone gallery and clicking it.

3. This inserts the GIF into your Instagram Story, and you can add text, stickers, and other effects before you publish.

Option #2: Use the GIF feature within Instagram

1. Upload or take a photo and add it to your Instagram story.

2. Click on the sticker icon in the upper right menu.

3. Choose the “GIF” feature.

4. The menu will show you trending GIFs or you can search for a GIF. Click on it to insert it into your Story.

5. If you want, add text, images, doodles, or effects.

6. Then you can click Next to publish!

Option #3: Post directly from GIPHY

1. Open the GIPHY app.

2. Select a GIF you want to post.

3. Tap the paper airplane icon to share.

4. Select Stories to post on Instagram Stories.

6. This opens up your Instagram app. Then you can add text, stickers, or other effects to customize the GIF.

7. Click on Next to share your GIF on Instagram Stories.

How to send a GIF on Instagram DM

You can also send GIFs to your besties through direct messages on Instagram. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the chat with the person or group you want to message.

2. Tap the sticker icon next to Message…

3. Choose the GIF icon in the bottom right corner.

4. You can scroll through to find trending GIFs or use the search function to find one.

5. Click on the GIF to automatically send it to the chat.

Best Instagram GIF apps

Custom GIFs are a great way to boost your brand awareness and share engaging content to connect with your audience. But you can’t create GIFs using Instagram. It’s necessary to use another app to create GIFs to post on Instagram.

Here are the most popular apps to create GIFs for Instagram:

GIPHY

GIPHY has the largest library of GIFs. It’s perfect to find the precise GIF to convey your message or to create your own custom GIFs. It’s also the only GIF maker on this list you can use on your computer.

Cost: Free

Available on: GIPHY has an app for Android and iOS. It’s also available on desktop, but there is no feature for direct posting to Instagram.

Best for: Uploading GIFs to a library for other people to use.

GIF Maker, GIF Editor

GIF Maker, GIF Editor has over 10 million downloads. It has a ton of features including adjusting the speed, cropping the GIF, and adding or deleting certain frames in the animation.

Cost: Free, but if you want an ad-free experience you can upgrade for $2.99.

Available on: Android

Best for: People needing a GIF editor with all the features.

ImgPlay

ImgPlay is a GIF maker using photos, live photos, burst photos, or videos. You can also trim your GIF, add filters, and merge multiple videos into one.

Cost: Free, but you’ll need to pay for premium features.

Available on: ImgPlay has an app for Android and iOS.

Best for: People wanting to make professional-level GIFs.

GIF Maker by Momento

Momento can take your photos, live photos, and videos and turn them into GIFs. You can add a creative flair by adding stickers, text, and effects.

Cost: Free, but you’ll need to pay for premium features.

Available on: iOS

Best for: Quickly create fun GIFs to share on social media.

Posting GIFs on Instagram is a winning strategy to make your content more engaging and show off your brand’s voice.

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How to Send GIFs on Instagram DM to Your Friends

  • You can send GIFs on Instagram direct messages by using the GIPHY keyboard.
  • To access Instagram's GIPHY keyboard, tap the smiley face icon in the bottom bar of your private message window.  
  • You can scroll through popular GIFs or search for GIFs using a keyword or phrase. 
  • When you tap a GIF, it will automatically send to your Instagram friend and appear in your message history. 
  • This story is part of Business Insider's Guide to Instagram.

Whether you're sending a "Happy Birthday!" or freaking out over the latest episode of your favorite TV show, you can easily send GIFs to your friends in your Instagram messages.

To send GIFS and animated stickers through Instagram's direct message feature, you have to use one of the social platform's built-in keyboards. After starting any new conversation or opening an old private message thread, you can access the GIF and sticker keyboards by tapping the smiley face icon in the message bar. 

Once you select and tap the GIF you want, Instagram will automatically send the image to your friend. At present, sending GIFs through direct message is not yet possible while on Instagram's desktop site, and can only be done through the iOS or Android apps. 

Here's how to send your friend GIFS in Instagram messages on your mobile device. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Apple)
Samsung Galaxy S10 (From $859.99 at Walmart)

How to send GIFs on Instagram DM in the mobile app

1. Open the Instagram app and enter your Message window by tapping the paper airplane icon in the upper right-hand corner of your newsfeed or by swiping left. 

The messages icon remains visible regardless of how far down your feed you've scrolled. Abbey White/Business Insider

2. Choose the Instagram friend you want to send a message to either by tapping an existing conversation thread or by selecting the pencil and paper icon in the upper right to pick a friend. 

Tapping the "New Message" icon opens up a list of friends you can message. Abbey White/Business Insider

3. Tap the smiley face icon in your "Message…" bar.

This bar looks similar to Instagram's search bar and is located at the very bottom of the screen. Marissa Perino/Business Insider

4. A new menu will pop-up. Tap the rightmost "GIF" icon at the bottom of it.

5. You can select a GIF from the popular list or tap the search bar to search GIPHY.

To columns of the most popular gifs will appear beneath the GIPHY search bar. Marissa Perino/Business Insider

6. As you type, GIPHY will automatically populate results. Scroll by swiping up to view all the results. 

The results will change as you add more text in the search bar. Marissa Perino/Business Insider

7. Tap a GIF to send it instantly in the message thread. 

As soon as you tap, it will automatically send and appear in your message history. Marissa Perino/Business Insider

 

  • How to post videos on Instagram in 3 different ways

  • How to send DMs on Instagram from a computer, using either Safari or Google Chrome

  • How to add multiple photos to your Instagram story at once, or use a collage app

  • You can't edit a comment on Instagram, but you can easily delete and repost a comment — here's how

  • 'What is my Instagram URL?': How to find your Instagram URL using a computer or mobile device

Marissa Perino

Marissa Perino is a former editorial intern covering executive lifestyle. She previously worked at Cold Lips in London and Creative Nonfiction in Pittsburgh. She studied journalism and communications at the University of Pittsburgh, along with creative writing. Find her on Twitter: @mlperino.

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Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

how to add — LiveDune Blog

Beautiful gifs on Instagram are an opportunity to add emotions to stories, make the content more vivid and varied. For example, for commercial accounts, a GIF is a good way to emphasize and stand out from other users.

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How to add gifs to Instagram stories


There are two ways to add gifs to Instagram stories: the first is as a separate element, the second is as a separate story. Let's analyze each of the options.

Gif for Instagram stories as an additional element

This is the old and familiar way to insert a gif into Instagram stories:

Make a new story.

At the top of the screen, click on the smiley sticker, then "GIF". nine0003

Choose any GIF you like and place it in the desired part of stories.

The most popular GIFs are located in the Trending section. You can also search for gifs by keywords in both English and Russian. But the issue on Instagram is sometimes different, therefore we recommend that you enter the names of gifs alternately in two languages. For example: first enter “love” into the search, and then “love”, so the probability of finding a suitable GIF increases.

GIFs can be enlarged or reduced in size, as well as flipped by clicking on the animation. If you don't like the gif, you can delete it. To do this, drag it down the screen and move it to the urn icon that appears. Instagram allows you to add any number of gifs to one story. Everything is limited only by common sense and aesthetic vision of the author of stories. nine0003

Gif on Instagram as a standalone stories

Recently, Instagram has added another option to add GIFs as standalone stories. This option is relevant when you want to place only a gif or use it as a background for text.

Go to the stories section and select Create.

Next, find "GIF" and enter the desired gif into the search.

Unfortunately, it cannot be reduced, it completely fills the stories screen. But this version of the gif can be used for a beautiful animated background. To do this, select a neutral background (ideally, so that no transitions are visible, or find a vertical GIF). Add text or other GIFs in the standard way. nine0004

How to add a gif that is not on Instagram


You can place a gif that is not in the standard list, for example, your own brand logo, using the GIPHY service. To do this, install the application on your smartphone.

Select the appropriate gif in the "Explore" section or search for the one you need. Click on the gif you like, then on the paper airplane icon.

If you want to post the gif directly to your stories or Instagram feed, click on the paper airplane, then on the Instagram icon. If as an additional element in stories, then click on the paper airplane and save it through the icon in the upper right corner. nine0004

Next, open Instagram and create a new story. Go to your camera roll and copy the GIF. Go back to stories and click "Add sticker". In this option, we recommend looking for gifs with a transparent background, so it will look more aesthetically pleasing and will not stand out from the general content. Also in GIPHY you can create and upload your own GIF, especially for commercial accounts:

Made with GIPHY

Animated stories always attract attention, but the audience reacts to them differently, it all depends on the niche of the account and subscribers. Therefore, always study the statistics of stories in order to predict user behavior and thereby increase coverage.

Ideas for using gifs in stories


GIFs must be used appropriately. Place it so that it complements the content, and does not take all the attention to itself. Therefore, we have made a small selection of ideas and beautiful GIFs on Instagram that will tell you how you can skillfully use them in your stories. nine0004

To announce a post, repost it in stories and add a GIF "New post", "Tap/Click here", "Fresh content" or simply place a clicking hand. Thus, you will suggest the necessary action to the subscriber and motivate them to interact with the content. You can simply post some ready-made entries in the form of "Good morning" or, for example, "Friday". So you just convey the mood and communicate with the audience at the same time.

GIFs on Instagram can also bring photos to life by adding sparkle, snow or rain. Or supplement a photo with food or coffee with smoke / steam. This is a small element, but it adds so much charm to the photo, makes it lively and sets the mood. nine0003

Gifs on topics will add zest to an ordinary photo. For example, with the help of a GIF, you can create an effect of surprise by adding a GIF in the form of a shark to a regular photo from the sea or by placing a dinosaur in the jungle.

Conclusion


To make your stories unusual, choose interesting and beautiful GIFs on Instagram. At the same time, do not forget to observe a sense of proportion - do not add 10 gifs per story and do not use animation in each story. nine0037 Do not forget about readability - animation should emphasize, focus attention, and not interfere with the study of content. For example, if you highlight a word in the text by adding a sparkle gif to it, that's good. If you highlight the entire text with glitter, it becomes unreadable, and the user is most likely to quickly flip through such stories.

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Send and save GIF images to iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Hundreds of popular GIF images can be found in #images in Messages to add to your posts. nine0004

The #images program is available in Australia, UK, Germany, India, Italy, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, USA, Philippines, France and Japan.

Adding a GIF image from #images

Use #images in Messages to search for and share GIF images with your contacts. To do this, you must perform the following steps.

  1. Open Messages, tap and enter a contact name, or select an existing conversation. nine0182
  2. Press .
  3. To search for a specific GIF image, click "Find Images" and enter a keyword, such as "birthday".
  4. Tap the GIF image to add it to the message.
  5. Click to send a message.

#images GIF animation only works in Messages on Apple devices.

Save a GIF image

You can save a GIF image received in a message in Photos on your iOS device. To do this, you must perform the following steps. nine0004

  1. Open Messages.
  2. Open a message containing a previously sent GIF image that you want to keep.
  3. Tap and hold on a GIF image, then tap Save. If you have an iPhone 6s or later, you can use 3D Touch to save a GIF image. Force click the GIF image, swipe up, and click the Save button.

Image concern report

If there is a problem or concern about the content in #images, it can be reported.

  1. Click and search for the image you want to report.
  2. When you find an image, touch and hold it to open a larger preview.
  3. Take a screenshot, then click a thumbnail to open a preview.
  4. Click , then Mail.
  5. Send a screenshot to [email protected] with a description of what is bothering you. nine0182

If you have a claim or question related to copyright infringement, please report it.

If #images is not in the program bar

Make sure the #images program is enabled.

  1. Swipe left on the program bar, then click the icon.
  2. Click Edit and then to add the #images program.

Make sure the keyboard is set to a supported language and region. Go to Settings > General and click on Language & Region.

Learn more