A quick way to spice up your timeline
GIFs are a fun element of online communication. They’re great for dramatic reactions or inside jokes. Next time you struggle with what to say on Facebook, use a GIF to get your point across.
Creating and sharing GIFs is an underrated perk of owning any of the best new Android phones. Before jumping headlong into the GIF industry, it’s good to start with the basics. What is a GIF? How can you post one on Facebook?
What is a GIF?
You may have heard people arguing about how to pronounce this word. Is it GIF or JIF? Either way, the concept is simple. Think of a GIF as an animated image or a short video clip without sound. GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format, a techy way of saying “moving images.”
How to post a GIF on Facebook using desktop
Follow these steps to post a GIF on Facebook using your computer. If you’re on mobile, skip to the next section.
- Go to Facebook.com in your browser and log in if necessary.
- Click the status bubble next to your profile icon at the top of your timeline.
- Click the triple dot icon for more options.
- Select GIF.
- Search for relevant keywords to find the GIF you want.
- Click the GIF you want to post.
- Make any finishing touches to your post.
- Click Post.
Your GIF is posted for the world to see. It’s also simple to post a GIF in a comment or send one as a message. Look for a GIF icon near the text box and follow steps 4 through 6.
How to post a GIF on Facebook using mobile
Follow these steps to post a GIF on Facebook using an Android device. Before you begin, download the latest version of the Facebook app from the Play Store and log in.
- Open the Facebook app.
- Tap the status bubble next to your profile icon at the top of your timeline.
- Tap GIF.
- Search for relevant keywords to find the GIF you want.
- Tap the GIF you want to post.
- Make any finishing touches to your post.
- Tap Post.
These steps set you up to share GIFs at any time. You can post GIFs in the comments and send them as messages on mobile, whether you’re using the Facebook app or the Messenger app. Find the GIF icon near the text box and follow steps 3 through 5.
Uploading GIFs from other sources
The above methods only allow you to choose from Facebook’s GIF library. If you created or downloaded a GIF you want to share from your phone’s gallery, treat it like you’re uploading a photo or video. Select the Photo/video option when posting on Facebook and look for the GIF in your gallery. You can choose a GIF for your profile picture or cover photo this way, too.
One neat thing about most modern keyboard apps is that they tend to include GIF libraries. Anytime you’re typing something on your phone’s keyboard, check for a GIF button or icon. You may need to tap a triple dot icon for more options to find the GIF button. Tapping that button pulls up a GIF library for you to peruse.
GIFs help you get the point across
Some things are better said using a GIF. If your interest is piqued, learn how to make GIFs from motion photos on Android. Communicating online can be fun, even if it’s not the same as speaking face-to-face.
