How to Send a GIF on WhatsApp (Android and iPhone)

A well-chosen GIF says in a second what a paragraph can't, and it's the easiest way to make a chat with a customer or a team feel less stiff. The slightly confusing bit is that WhatsApp doesn't put a button called GIF on the main chat screen. It sits inside the sticker panel, and there's a second route for short clips you've already got on your phone. Here's how both work, according to WhatsApp's help centre, and what to do if a clip won't turn into a GIF.

Send a GIF on WhatsApp from the GIF library

This is the route with a search box, so you don't need anything saved first. WhatsApp's help centre gives slightly different wording for each phone.

On Android

1. Open a chat and tap the sticker icon, then GIF.
2. Tap the search icon to look for a specific GIF.
3. Tap the GIF you want to send.

To preview a GIF before it goes, WhatsApp says to tap and hold it, then tap the send icon.

On iPhone

1. Open a chat and tap the sticker icon, then GIF.
2. Use the search icon to look for a specific GIF, the clock icon for recently used GIFs, or the star icon for your favourites.
3. Tap the GIF you want to send.

The look of the icons can vary by app version, so if you can't spot them, look for the sticker symbol next to the message box.

Turn a short video into a GIF on WhatsApp

The help centre says WhatsApp lets you send videos shorter than six seconds as looping GIFs. If you've got a clip on your phone, here's the route:

On Android

1. Open the chat you'd like to send the GIF to.
2. Tap the attach icon, then Gallery.
3. Pick a video that's under six seconds, then tap the edit icon and choose GIF in the top right corner.
4. If your video is longer, use the slider to trim it to under six seconds first, then tap GIF.
5. Tap the send icon.

On iPhone

1. Open the chat and tap the plus icon.
2. Tap Photos or Photo & Video Library.
3. To send a live photo as a GIF, tap and hold the live photo, then tap Select as GIF.
4. To send a short video as a GIF, pick one under six seconds, tap the edit icon and choose GIF. Trim a longer video with the slider first.
5. Tap the send icon.

Why a GIF shows up as a video on WhatsApp

I haven't found a page in the WhatsApp help centre that explains the file format it uses behind the scenes, so I won't guess at it. What the help centre does say is that short clips are sent as looping GIFs when you choose the GIF option, and that the clip has to be under six seconds. If your clip arrives as an ordinary video instead, the most likely cause is that the GIF option wasn't chosen on the editing screen or the clip was too long to send as one.

It's worth checking this before sending to a customer, because a looping animation and a play-button video feel quite different in a chat.

Save your favourite GIFs on WhatsApp

According to the help centre, you can add GIFs to your favourites. On Android, tap and hold a GIF within a chat, then tap the star icon. Removing one is a tap and hold again, then the unfavourite icon. On iPhone, tap and hold the GIF in a chat and choose the star option, or do the same in the GIF menu and tap Add to Favorites. To take one out, tap Unstar, or Remove From Favorites in the GIF menu.

If you use the same celebratory GIF to thank customers, favouriting it saves you searching every time.

Send a GIF on WhatsApp: Android vs iPhone

	Android	iPhone
Open the GIF library	Chat, sticker icon, GIF	Chat, sticker icon, GIF
Short views	Search icon	Search, recent and favourites icons
Turn a clip into a GIF	Attach, Gallery, edit icon, GIF	Plus, Photos, edit icon, GIF
Live photos	Not mentioned in the help article	Tap and hold, then Select as GIF

Using GIFs in WhatsApp for business

If you run a small business, GIFs can soften a reply, celebrate a customer milestone or simply say hello. I'd use them sparingly and match the tone to the person. A dancing cat is lovely to a regular customer and risky in a complaint thread. In a group, everyone sees the same animation, so keep it work-appropriate. And if you'd rather make something that's yours, creating your own stickers is another route, which I've covered in my guide to making WhatsApp stickers with AI.

If you can't find the GIF option on WhatsApp

• Look for the sticker icon beside the message box, not the camera. The GIF tab is inside the sticker panel.
• For your own clips, check the video is shorter than six seconds, or trim it with the slider.
• On iPhone, a live photo needs a tap and hold before Select as GIF appears.
• Update WhatsApp, because an older version may lay things out differently. Menus vary by app version.
• If messages won't send at all, see my guide to fixing WhatsApp messages that won't deliver.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the GIF button on WhatsApp?

Open a chat, tap the sticker icon, then GIF. According to WhatsApp's help centre, that's the route on both Android and iPhone, though icon looks can vary by app version.

Can I search for GIFs inside WhatsApp?

Yes. In the GIF panel, tap the search icon to look for a specific GIF.

How long can a GIF be on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp's help centre says it lets you send videos shorter than six seconds as looping GIFs. For a longer video, trim it to under six seconds with the slider.

How do I send a short video as a GIF?

Attach the video from your gallery or photo library, tap the edit icon and choose GIF in the top right corner, then send.

Can I save a favourite GIF?

Yes. Tap and hold a GIF in a chat and use the star option to add it to your favourites. WhatsApp's help centre gives the removal steps too.