Convert a YouTube video to a GIF
You'll need the clip as a file first — everything here runs on your own device, so there's no server to fetch a link for you. Once you have the file, trim it and download a clean GIF. Free, no watermark, and nothing is uploaded.
Drag & drop a video here, or choose one below
MP4, MOV, WebM and more · up to 300 MB · stays on your device
Large files load slowly since everything runs on your device — trim to just the part you need for the fastest result.
Getting the clip as a file
If the video is yours, YouTube Studio hands it straight back: open the video there and download the original as an MP4. If it isn't yours, the practical route is a short screen recording — Windows, macOS, iPhone and Android all have one built in, no extra software needed. Play the moment you want, record a few seconds, and add that file here.
Using someone else's video
A video being public doesn't make it free to reuse. Creators can publish under a Creative Commons licence, and YouTube lets you filter search results down to only those — those clips are fair game as long as you credit the creator. For anything else you need the copyright holder's permission, and posting someone's footage as your own can get your account actioned wherever you share it.
Settings worth changing
Trim first — length costs more file size than anything else, so two to five seconds is the sweet spot. A screen recording often captures more than you need, so set the shape to Square or Wide to cut away the player controls and the rest of the page. Then pick a preset: Balancedat 480px suits most places you'll post it, and Smaller drops to 240px when the file has to be tiny.
Guides
Questions
- Can I paste a YouTube link straight in?
- No. The converter runs on your own device and only reads a file you choose, so there's nothing on our side that can fetch a video from a link. Save or record the clip first, then add that file.
- How do I get my own YouTube video as a file?
- If you uploaded it, YouTube Studio will give it back to you: open the video in Studio, and use the download option to save the original as an MP4. That file works here directly.
- Can I make a GIF from someone else's video?
- Only if you have the right to use it. YouTube lets creators publish under a Creative Commons licence, and you can filter search results to just those — those clips are reusable if you credit the creator. Anything else needs the copyright holder's permission.
- How long should the clip be?
- Two to five seconds. A GIF stores every frame as a full image, so length drives file size more than anything else. Trim to the moment that matters and the file stays small.
- Will the GIF have a watermark?
- No. No watermark, no logo, and no sign-up — the GIF you download is clean.
- Does the sound come across?
- No. A GIF is a sequence of images with no audio track, so sound can't be carried over. Keep it as a video if the audio matters.