How to Make a GIF in Photoshop for Professional Quality Results

Do you want to make your own GIFs? Are you looking for a way to use your photos and videos? Do you wonder if Photoshop can help? If your answer is yes, then you are in the right place.

Here in this write-up, we will talk about how to make a GIF in Photoshop. We will show you how you can turn your images and videos into a fun GIF. So, get ready to learn a new way to bring your pictures and clips to life with Photoshop!

Part 1: How to Make a GIF in Photoshop with Images

Making a GIF in Photoshop using images feels simple once you get the hang of it. You work with layers and turn each one into a moving frame. You can control how fast or slow the images move and make them loop forever if you want. Moreover, you get to pick how it plays, how big it is, and how it looks when you save it. Once you know where things are, it is fun and does not take too long.

Here is how to make a GIF in Photoshop in five steps:

Step 1Stack your images together

Open Photoshop. Go to the top. Click File, then Scripts, and pick Load Files into Stack. A new window will pop up. Hit Browse, choose your pictures, and press OK. All your images will line up in one file, like a neat stack of cards.

Step 2Turn the stack into a timeline

Now look at the bottom. If the timeline is not there, go to Window, then check Timeline. In the middle of that bar, there is a drop-down; choose Create Frame Animation, and then click it. If you are done right, this will turn your stack into a flipbook.

Step 3Make sure each image becomes its own frame

Hit the Menu button on the timeline, and pick Make Frames From Layers. It tells Photoshop to treat each image like a step in your animation. If the order looks backward, select all frames, then go to the same menu and click Reverse Frames.

Step 4Set the speed and loop

Hold Shift to pick all the frames. Click the time under any frame and choose 0.3 seconds (or type in your own). That sets how fast the animation plays. Then, change the bottom left from Once to Forever, so your GIF loops nonstop.

Step 5Save it as a GIF

Go to File, hover on Export, then click Save for Web (Legacy). Pick GIF, and set the dither to 128 if you want a nice color. You can lower it if you want a smaller file. Hit Save, and boom; you have got a looping GIF you made all by yourself.

Part 2: How to Create a GIF in Photoshop from Video

Turning a video into a GIF in Photoshop is different but not too complex. So, how do you make a GIF in Photoshop using a video?

It is more about trimming things down and keeping the file size small. Videos can be long or big, so you have to cut out the extra parts. Photoshop gives you a timeline to do that. It may feel slow at times, especially when loading or saving. But once it is set up, the rest is easy. You can resize it, change colors, and make it loop. It may take longer than using pictures, but it is still something anyone can try.

Step 1Open your video in Photoshop

Start Photoshop. Drag your video file into it. Or go to File > Open, then choose your video and hit Open. Photoshop will load it using the timeline below. If the Timeline panel does not show, go to Window > Timeline to turn it on.

Step 2Resize the video to make it GIF-friendly

Videos are usually big, way too big for a GIF. Go to Image > Image Size, then change the size. You can type in 30% or something smaller. Make sure the Little Chain button is clicked. It keeps your video from looking squished or stretched.

Step 3Trim and clean up the clip

You can cut down the length using the timeline bar. Just drag the ends to keep only the part you want. You can crop the video, too, but it is better to do big edits in video software before bringing it into Photoshop. Remember to keep it short and clean.

Step 4Save it using Save for Web

Click File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy). A box will open with a bunch of settings. Set the format to GIF. Keep colors at 256 to enhance GIF quality. You do not need transparency, so uncheck that. Set Looping Options to Forever, so it keeps playing again and again.

Step 5Hit save and check your GIF

Click Save, pick where to put it, and name your file. It might take a few seconds. Once it is done, open it in your browser or press Spacebar (on Mac) to preview. You now have a looping GIF made from your video, just like that.

Part 3: The Best Photoshop Alternative to Make GIFs from Videos and Images

You already know that it is possible to create animated GIFs in Photoshop, so now, in this part, we will introduce you to the best Photoshop alternative for making GIFs, and that is AVAide Video Converter.

It is a super-easy-to-use program that enables you to create GIFs from both videos and images. You can fine-tune the aspect ratio and frame rate to get the perfect look. You can also choose whether the GIF loops or not. If you want to clip or trim the video, AVAide Video Converter makes that simple, too. Available for both Windows and Mac, it is an easy-to-use solution for anyone who wants to create GIFs quickly.

Step 1Download and install the GIF maker on your computer. It works on Windows and Mac. After that, open the program.

Step 2On the top part, click on the More Tools. Then, choose GIF Maker. Now, you are in the right spot to start making your GIF.

Step 3There are two ways to make a GIF. These are Video to GIF or Photo to GIF. But for this guide, we will pick Photo to GIF to proceed. So, click the option to import the pictures you want to use.

Step 4When your pictures load, settings will appear, you can compress the GIF to change how big the file will be. You can also set how fast the pictures move. Do not forget to check the box for Loop Animation if you want it to play again and again.

Step 5If your GIF looks good, click the Folder button to pick where you want to save it. Then, click the Export button. That is it; AVAide Video Converter will turn your file into one fun, moving GIF.

By Jane Pineda on Jun 13, 2025