About MOV to GIF
iPhone and Mac recordings arrive as QuickTime MOV files: a good format for editing and an awkward one for sharing a short reaction in chat or a loop on a documentation page. GIF fills that gap, because it plays inline in almost every chat client, wiki and issue tracker without a player, a click or a compatibility warning.
This converter uploads the .mov file to our server, where FFmpeg decodes it — including HEVC clips from newer iPhones — and writes an animated GIF from the section you choose. Keep the clip to ten seconds or less, pick a frame rate from 6 to 12 and a width from 160 to 480 pixels, and the server builds a palette from those frames before writing the file so colors stay close to the original recording.
What this tool does
Built for QuickTime files
The picker accepts .mov only, so the tool stays focused on the conversion it promises instead of guessing what an ambiguous file should become.
HEVC iPhone clips are supported
Newer iPhones record HEVC inside a MOV wrapper; the server decodes that stream and produces a standard animated GIF.
Choose the exact loop
Set a start time in seconds and a clip length up to 10 seconds, so a long recording becomes the five-second moment worth sharing.
Frame rate and width under your control
Pick 6 to 12 frames per second and a width between 160 and 480 pixels, the two settings that decide whether the GIF stays small or keeps detail.
Palette-based output
FFmpeg builds a color palette from the selected frames and applies it with dithering, so gradients and skin tones look closer to the MOV than a naive GIF encoder allows.
Deleted after download
The MOV upload and the generated GIF live in a temporary folder only and are removed automatically once your download completes.
How to use MOV to GIF
- 01
Add the MOV file
Drop the .mov clip into the workspace or click Choose file. Files up to 100 MB are accepted.
- 02
Set the start time
Enter the second where the moment begins, or leave 0 to start at the beginning of the recording.
- 03
Choose length, frame rate and width
Keep the clip between 1 and 10 seconds, then pick a frame rate from 6 to 12 fps and a width from 160 to 480 px.
- 04
Create the GIF
Click Create GIF. The server seeks to the start point, extracts the frames, builds the palette and writes the animation, with progress shown while it runs.
- 05
Preview and download
Check the loop in the inline preview, then download the GIF named after your original clip.
Supported formats and limits
- Input
- MOV
- Output
- GIF
- Processing
- Server-side FFmpeg job in a temporary directory, deleted after download.
- Maximum size
- Up to 100 MB
- Requirements
- Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari · Server-side FFmpeg conversion
Limitations worth knowing
- Accepts .mov files only, up to 100 MB, one file per job.
- GIF clips are limited to 10 seconds, a 12 fps ceiling and a 480 px maximum width.
- GIF has no audio and only 256 colors, so gradients and photographic footage can band.
- HDR MOV clips are converted to SDR color, and jobs stop after three minutes.
Privacy and file handling
The MOV file is uploaded to a temporary folder on our server, converted to GIF with FFmpeg, and streamed back as a download. The upload and the result are deleted automatically when the download finishes, and nothing is copied to permanent storage, logged as content or shared with third parties.
Read the full privacy policy