Create a GIF using Photoshop

A step-by-step guide to making an animated GIF in Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop makes creating an animated GIF easy. Follow these 6 steps and create GIFs like a pro in no time.

Making a GIF in Photoshop

Although GIFs are animated images, you don’t necessarily use a video to create one. Sketches and static photos can also be used to create a GIF. Upload your images into Photoshop and you’re ready to start!

Step 1:

Place each uploaded file into its own layer, then unlock the original layer.

Step 2:

Click Window > Timeline to open the Timeline Panel, then click Create Frame Animation from the dropdown.

Step 3:

From the flyout menu, select Make Frames From Layers.

Step 4:

Set the frame intervals from the flyout menu to 0.1 seconds. Click the first frame while holding down the Shift key, then click the last frame to select all frames. This way you can ensure each frame has the same timing.

Step 5:

Choose Forever from the dropdown menu under the timeline, so the frames play continuously.

Step 6:

Click File > Export Save for Web (Legacy) to export the GIF. For Export Format, set as GIF, and Forever as the Looping Option.

Your GIF is now ready. Don’t be shy, share it with family, friends, colleagues, or everywhere! Apart from being fun to make, a well-produced GIF is a strong marketing medium for businesses because of its eye-catching characteristic.

Explore more to unleash your creativity.

Have fun making GIFs and learn more cool photography tips. There’s a lot more with Photoshop to inspire your creativity!