MP4 to GIF Converter

Discord limits for the finished GIF

• Custom emoji: Under 256 KB (the developer docs write 256 KiB). Uploaded up to 128×128 px and displayed at 32×32.
• Chat upload: The support article says 10 MB per file and mentions that Discord is experimenting with limits. Some third-party sources say 20 MB since 2025. We have not verified 20 MB, so this tool defaults to 10 MB.

Last checked: 2026-10-16. KB and MB are treated as 1024-based (256 KB = 262,144 bytes). Platforms rarely say which they mean, so the tool aims a few percent below the stated limit. Limits are rechecked every quarter.

How to convert an MP4 to a GIF

1. Add your MP4. Drop the file or choose it from your device. It is read locally and never uploaded. The first conversion loads the converter once.
2. Set the start and end. Move the handles or type the times to convert only the part you need. Shorter ranges give smaller GIFs.
3. Choose quality, width and frame rate. Pick a preset, then adjust the width (320, 480, 640 pixels or your own value) and the frame rate (5 to 20 per second). The High quality preset uses smoother dithering and a larger starting size.
4. Convert and download. Press Convert and download the .gif. If the file is bigger than you want, lower the width or frame rate and convert again, or use Make it smaller.

Same converter as Video to GIF, written for MP4

This page and the Video to GIF converter run the same in-browser converter. This page is written for MP4 files; the other page is for any common video format. If your file is WebM or MOV, either page converts it.

Which MP4 files convert best

MP4 is a container, and the codec inside decides whether a converter can read it. H.264 video, the most common codec in MP4 files from phones, screen recorders and editors, is the safest choice. Newer codecs such as HEVC (H.265) and AV1 are less widely supported, and if one cannot be read the tool tells you so instead of failing silently.

If a file will not convert, the fix is almost always the same: re-export it from your editor or recorder as an H.264 MP4, then try again.

iPhone clips are usually MOV, not MP4

The iPhone Camera normally saves videos as .MOV files, often with the HEVC codec. This tool opens MOV files as well as MP4, so you can drop the clip in directly. If it fails, re-export the video as an H.264 MP4 from a video editor, or set Settings > Camera > Formats to Most Compatible for future recordings. Phones also have less memory than computers, so very long or very large clips may need a shorter range.

The audio is discarded

A GIF cannot carry sound. The MP4's audio track is ignored, and the finished file contains pictures only. If you need the sound, keep the MP4 and share that instead.

Do you need a fast-start MP4?

Some MP4 files store their index at the end of the file, and others, called fast-start files, store it at the start so that video can play while it downloads. It does not matter here. The whole file is read from your own device before conversion, so both kinds convert the same way.

Quality versus file size

• Width matters most. Dropping from 640 to 480 pixels cuts the pixel count by more than 40 percent.
• Frame rate is the second lever. Fewer frames per second means fewer frames to store, at the cost of smoother motion.
• Quality mode chooses the dithering. Small file uses a pattern that compresses well, High quality uses smooth error diffusion that looks better and adds to the file size.
• Range is the simplest saving. Convert only the moment you need.

Making the GIF fit Discord

Use the Discord emoji or Discord chat preset and check the result against the limits table. For an exact size target, continue with the Discord GIF compressor or compress the GIF to 256KB.