Both file types use a series of images to display motion, but GIFs don’t include audio, hence the captions you see on some of them. While they resemble short video clips, animated GIFs have technical differences from videos. And you may not even need extra software to do so. You can make your own GIFs from the photos and videos on your phone. Animated GIFs - those files showing a few seconds of choppy motion, like the one of Kermit the Frog flailing his arms excitedly - are ubiquitous in text messages, online forums and chat apps, thanks to the internet’s meme culture.īut animated GIFs don’t have to come from the internet. Online “visual” reactions have come a long way since the first sideways smiley-face emoticon appeared four decades ago.
