To add a GIF to PowerPoint, select the slide, go to Insert, then Pictures, find your animated GIF and click Insert, and it sits on the slide like any picture. To see it move, start the slide show with Slide Show, then From Current Slide. In PowerPoint for the web, GIFs won't play in Slide Show.
A well-chosen GIF can wake up a sleepy training session or add a laugh to a team update. In PowerPoint, an animated GIF goes in exactly like a photo: no special media menu, no embedding. The only surprises are where it plays, and the fact that a still GIF stays still however much you'd like it to move.
Insert an animated GIF on Windows
- Select the slide you want the GIF on.
- On the Insert tab, click Pictures.
- Browse to your GIF. Microsoft says it can be on your computer or in OneDrive, so a GIF saved in the cloud works too.
- Select the file and click Insert.
- Resize and move it like any other picture.
- To watch it play, go to the Slide Show tab and select From Current Slide.
Insert a GIF on a Mac
On a Mac, Microsoft's steps go through the Home tab: under Insert, click Picture, then Picture from File. Check the file name ends in .gif, select it and click Insert. To play it, open the Slide Show menu and choose Play from Current Slide.
Where your GIF will and won't move
| Version | Can you insert a GIF? | Does it play in Slide Show? |
|---|---|---|
| PowerPoint on Windows | Yes, Insert, Pictures | Yes |
| PowerPoint on Mac | Yes, Picture from File | Yes |
| PowerPoint for the web | Yes, like any picture | No, Microsoft says it can't play animated GIFs |
Why a GIF won't play
Two reasons cover almost every case. First, PowerPoint for the web. Microsoft is clear that you can add an animated GIF there, but it won't play when the presentation runs in Slide Show. If you're presenting from a browser, or sharing a link that someone opens online, they'll see a still image. Present from the desktop app if the animation matters.
Second, the file itself. Microsoft notes a .gif can be either a still image or an animated one, and a still GIF can't be turned into an animated one. If you downloaded a GIF and it never moves anywhere, it was probably saved as a single frame. Find another copy.
And don't judge it in the normal editing view. Start the slide show from the current slide to see it as your audience will.
GIFs can't be grouped
If you're building a slide where a GIF sits next to a caption, you might try to group them so they move together. Microsoft's help on grouping says the Group button isn't available when your selection includes a GIF. Position the GIF and its caption separately instead, and line them up by eye.
Finding GIFs to use
Microsoft mentions searching the web for GIFs from inside PowerPoint: on the Insert tab, choose Insert Online Pictures or Insert Clip Art, depending on your version, and search for "animated gif". Whatever the source, check you're allowed to use an image before putting it in a client-facing deck. For business presentations, GIFs you've made yourself, such as a short screen recording of your app or website, are always the safest bet.
Turn your own slides into a GIF
PowerPoint can also go the other way and save a presentation as an animated GIF, which is brilliant for social posts. Go to File, Export, Create an Animated GIF. Microsoft says the default quality is Medium and the default minimum time per slide is one second; adjust both, then select Create GIF. The result is a continuously looping .gif file you can post anywhere that accepts GIFs.
Sizing and placing a GIF on the slide
Once it's inserted, a GIF behaves like any other picture: drag the corner handles to resize it and drag the middle to move it. Hold back from stretching a small GIF to fill the slide, because low-resolution animations look blurry when blown up. A GIF works best at the size it was made, tucked beside your main point rather than covering it. If the slide has a title, keep the GIF below it so people read the heading first and then enjoy the animation.
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Use GIFs sparingly
- One GIF per slide, at most. Two moving things fight for attention.
- Keep it relevant: a reaction GIF works in an internal update, less so in a pitch.
- Place it away from text people need to read.
- Watch your file size. Big GIFs make the deck heavy to email and slow to open.
If your deck is getting too big to send, here's how to compress a PowerPoint. And when a short clip with sound would work better than a silent loop, my guide on how to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint is the next step up.
My take
Insert, Pictures, choose the GIF, Insert. Test it with From Current Slide, present from the desktop app rather than the web version, and keep it to one GIF where it'll get a smile. If it still won't move, the file is probably a still image.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insert a GIF into PowerPoint?
Select the slide, go to Insert, Pictures, choose the GIF and click Insert.
Why is my GIF not moving in PowerPoint?
Run the slide show to see it play. PowerPoint for the web can't play animated GIFs, and a still GIF won't animate.
Do GIFs work in PowerPoint for the web?
You can insert them, but Microsoft says they won't play in Slide Show in PowerPoint for the web.
Can I group a GIF with other objects?
No. Microsoft says the Group button isn't available if your selection includes a GIF.
Can PowerPoint save slides as a GIF?
Yes. File, Export, Create an Animated GIF, choose the quality and seconds per slide, then Create GIF.
