Officially, the acronym "GIF" stands for Graphics Interchange Format and is a mode to store short animations every bit a series of photos in a single file. Unofficially, a GIF is a style to share your funny, snarky, or sarcastic side with your friends by using clever animations that capture moments and moods like no other. Did you know that you lot tin can share your favorite GIFs on Instagram posts and Stories — and ship them every bit DMs? Here's how to post a GIF on Instagram to make it way more than fun.

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Tin you mail GIFs on Instagram?

Although the process isn't totally seamless, you tin admittedly share your favorite GIFs on Instagram with just a few extra steps. This can be accomplished by using GIPHY, which is currently the largest collection of GIFs in the earth, or by saving your GIF as a video earlier uploading it.

How to upload a GIF to your Instagram feed

Let's accept a wait at your options for adding a GIF to Instagram. Both crave an actress step or two, but one time yous get the hang of information technology, it's a breeze!

How to post a GIF on Instagram using GIPHY

GIPHY is a treasure trove of fun GIFs, and so if you don't already accept the GIPHY app installed on your iPhone, take care of that ASAP. One time y'all've got GIPHY downloaded, hither are the steps yous need to take to post a GIF to Instagram.

  1. Open up the GIPHY app on your iPhone.
  2. Browse or search for the perfect GIF on GIPHY.
  3. Tap the paper-airplane icon located under the GIF.
  4. Tap the Instagram button. A screen will announced request for permission to open Instagram.
  5. Once you've given permission, your GIF volition open within Instagram. Choose Feed to post a 15-second looped GIF to your Instagram feed as a new post.
  6. Tap Next to add edits and/or filters to your Instagram mail service.
  7. Tap Side by side again to add your caption and hashtags.
  8. When y'all've finished creating your GIF post, tap Share.

Upload your own GIF as a video

Technically, Instagram doesn't back up GIF files, but you can turn your GIF into a video to easily share it on Instagram. In one case you download your GIF onto your telephone, you volition need a GIF-to-video converter app like GIF Cracker. Then simply follow these instructions:

  1. Open GIF Cracker on your iPhone and allow access to your photos.
  2. GIF Cracker will automatically show you all of the GIFs that are stored in your photo library. Choose the one yous want to share.
  3. A screen volition appear with video options, including playback speed, loop count, and number of frames. Adjust these to fit your needs.
  4. When you are happy with the results, tap Start Conversion.
  5. Tap Save.
  6. You will now exist able to share your GIF every bit a video on Instagram.

At that place are likewise other GIF-maker apps that permit yous make GIFs out of photos or videos, so be sure to check those out.

How to add a GIF to your Instagram Story

Nosotros've covered how to add GIFs to Instagram posts, but what if y'all want to add a GIF to your Instagram Story? It'southward easy to do, and there are several means to make it happen.

Post a GIF to Instagram directly from GIPHY

You can post to your Instagram Stories direct from GIPHY in much the same mode you lot create Instagram posts. Here'south how:

  1. Open the GIPHY app on your iPhone.
  2. Discover an awesome GIF to share to your Instagram Stories.
  3. Tap on the newspaper airplane icon located under the GIF.
  4. Tap the Instagram button and give GIPHY permission to access your Instagram. Once you have given permission, your GIF will open up inside Instagram.
  5. Choose Story to post a 15-second looped GIF to your Instagram Story.
  6. Your GIF volition announced in your Stories, where you can add together additional features like text, drawings, and stickers.
  7. Tap Your Stories to save your GIF to your Stories.

Make a GIF and put it on your Story with Boomerang

Another choice is to utilize Instagram'due south Boomerang feature to create a GIF-like animation to share to your Stories. Here's how:

  1. Open up the Stories characteristic in Instagram by borer on the camera icon in the upper correct.
  2. Tap the Boomerang icon on the left side of the screen — information technology looks like a horizontal figure eight.
  3. Position your camera to begin filming your Boomerang. This works all-time with a bit of activeness, so endeavor to capture something happening (water splashing, bees buzzing, or your dog jumping).
  4. Tap the Boomerang shutter button to capture your footage.
  5. Your Boomerang GIF volition consist of 10 photos stitched together, sped up, and looped back and forth.
  6. Tap Your Stories to share.

Add together a GIF to your Instagram Story using a sticker

You can also add a niggling bling to your photo and video Stories by adding a GIF sticker, which provides all kinds of blithe GIF stickers from GIPHY. This is probably the easiest and most addictive manner to add together GIFs to your Instagram Stories:

  1. Open your Instagram Stories and add a photo or video.
  2. Tap the sticker icon, followed by the search bar.
  3. A screen will popular upwards with GIFs that are trending on GIPHY.
  4. Cull a GIF from the options provided or search for a GIF in the search bar.
  5. Tap the GIF yous want to use, and it will appear on elevation of your photo or video.
  6. Compression your fingers to brand your GIF larger or smaller.
  7. Tap Your Stories to share to your Instagram Stories.

How to send a GIF on Instagram DM

You're nearly an expert at posting GIFs on Instagram. The concluding thing nosotros're going to cover is how to share a GIF equally a DM on Instagram because, let'southward face it, some GIFs are simply meant for your favorite people. Share your favorite GIFs with only a few taps of the screen:

  1. Open Instagram and tap the message icon in the top-right corner.
  2. Cull the account y'all want to send a DM to.
  3. Type your bulletin and and so tap the + icon.
  4. Tap the sticker icon.
  5. The GIFs trending on GIPHY will appear on the screen. If you don't see something you like, search for your GIF in the search bar.
  6. Tap the GIF you lot desire to share with your friend.

GIFs are a fun style to relate and connect with people, and we're grateful that they're and so piece of cake to share on Instagram. At present that you lot know how to do information technology, your only problem volition be finding the perfect GIF to post or send.