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How To Make a GIF in Canva With Images or Videos

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How on earth do I make a GIF?

This question popped up whenever I saw an animated GIF meme on my social media. I am sure you feel the same sometimes, too.

Canva’s free GIF maker can turn your design into an animation without much effort. You can also add text, different types of images, videos, stickers, etc.

In today’s post, let’s find out how to make a GIF in Canva in a few quick steps.

Can You Upload Your Own GIFs on Canva?

You can upload your own GIFs to Canva before making any further edits. The feature works similarly to how you upload video files or images.

You can also add collaborators in Canva to make changes to your GIFs together or create a schedule for a social media post.

What You’ll Need To Make a GIF in Canva

Canva GIF maker is free and can be accessed on the web platform or through the app. You can create your GIF with the following:

  • A computer or mobile device. You can access Canva on the web using a web browser like Google Chrome, while a Canva app is available for iOS and Android devices.
  • A reliable internet connection. Canva is an online editing tool that requires internet connectivity to function – be it on the web or the app.
  • A valid Canva account. Canva’s free GIF maker is available to anyone online; however, many customization and sharing options are only accessible to registered users.

How To Make a GIF in Canva: Step-by-Step Instructions

Making an animated GIF is so effortless in Canva that you may want to kick yourself for not knowing it earlier.

You don’t necessarily need your image or videos to create a GIF file; Canva has millions available in its library.

The process of making a GIF in Canva is pretty similar on the web and the app, albeit in a slightly different user interface.

Step 1: Open Canva and Access the Design Page

Head to the Canva website on your computer or open the Canva app on your mobile device.

If you need to install the app, you can find it on the App Store or the Google Play store for iPhone or Android devices.

You can make a GIF in Canva even without an account. Simply access the Canva GIF maker and create your bite-sized content.

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However, having a Canva account will enable you to edit your images and videos and access all its sharing features.

You can create a Canva account quickly by linking your email or social media account like Facebook.

Once logged in, hit the “Create a design” button, type in “video” in the search box, and select a desired video canvas size.

This will take you to the editing panel with a blank design page.

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You can also open an existing Canva design from your projects or start with a Canva template.

On the Canva app, you can hit the large “Purple +” icon to choose or create your canvas.

It is also possible to insert an image or video from your device’s gallery to turn it into a GIF.

Step 2: Get Your Design Ready in Canva for a GIF

Canva has millions of elements you can use to craft a design from scratch. It includes stock images, videos, stickers, shapes, etc.

You can also clip videos, GIFs, or other multimedia elements from third-party websites like YouTube, GIPHY, Google Maps, etc.

Search for the file you need and click or drag it to your design page before editing.

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As for editing your design, you can get inspired by exploring the premade Canva templates. Look for the theme, color, and style that match your vision and incorporate it into your design.

Got an image or video that you want to transform into a GIF file? Simply navigate to “Uploads > Upload files” on the web to upload it to Canva. Then, you can add it to your design by clicking or dragging it with your cursor.

The app makes it much easier to access your camera roll from the bottom of the editing screen on a mobile device.

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Step 3: Refine Your Canva Design To Make It Your Own

Canva’s design possibilities are endless.

You can add videos and images, incorporate your messages in a text box, and add emojis and other funny stickers.

While getting overwhelmed is easy, keep your design as simple as possible. It helps to bring attention to a specific section and improve engagement on social media.

So remove the elements in your design that don’t serve your purpose, and add the ones that enhance it. You can also group similar elements to apply an effect simultaneously.

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Enjoy reading the jokes on animated memes?

Add a text box by clicking “Text” from the sidebar (or the bottom of the app), then type in your message. You can play with different fonts, typography, colors, etc.

Some styles and features, like resizing, require a Canva Pro subscription. As a pro user, you can create a transparent background with one click in Canva.

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Step 4: Give Your Design a Motion With Canva Animation

You can add different animated motions to various elements, including text, images, and stickers.

Select the particular element and hit the “Animate” button. This option should appear at the top toolbar on a computer or at the bottom of your mobile screen.

You can combine multiple animations and create different motions in different elements or pages.

Even if you have an animated sticker on your design, you can apply another animation style to make it pop.

Most animation styles in Canva have customization tools that you can access after applying a specific motion.

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4.1: Creating a GIF Using a Video in Canva

As video files already have motions, you only need to add them to your design and crop it as required.

To crop the video, select it and hit the “Crop” button, then drag the borders as required. You should pull the edges from the corner to avoid shrinking or stretching your video.

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You may also want to reposition it, especially when creating a square GIF with a landscape video file.

Next, drag the borders on either side of the video file in the editor to shorten its length. With that, your video should be ready to be transformed into a GIF.

You can still add an animation style to the video, especially for how it would appear on the canvas.

Hit the Play button from the top right corner to see a preview, although it won’t loop until you download the file.

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4.2: Animating a Canva Page To Create a GIF

In addition to the elements, you can add motion to your entire Canva page.

Select the canvas (not any element) by clicking on a blank space in your design. You should see the selection border appear around the page.

Hit the “Animate” button from the top (web platform) or the bottom (app) of your editor, then choose the preferred animation style.

Next, click or tap the timer icon next to the animate button and drag the slider to set a duration.

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Step 5: Download and Share Your GIF Created in Canva

You can share a link to your Canva design by hitting the “Share” button or icon from the top of your screen.

Link sharing is excellent for sending your design for approval or scheduling a social media post.

On the Canva app, the button also allows you to export your file and create a social media post in one click.

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You must download the file to enjoy the loop motion of your animated design.

Click the “Download” button under the sharing tab, then choose GIF as your file type.

You can also select the MP4 video format for the animated design to save sound with your GIF and protect quality.

The download feature is also accessible from the preview screen and the “File” menu on the web.

If you have multiple pages, you can download them all or separately using the “Select pages” option.

Finally, hit the purple “Download” button to confirm your action, and your GIF should be saved on your device shortly.

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Similar Tutorials To Check Out

Enjoyed reading this detailed Canva tutorial? You can learn more by checking the following related articles:

Wrapping Up

Canva online designing tool is so powerful that it can transform any designs, images, and videos into an animated GIF file.

You can create a GIF in Canva for social media sharing or other purposes by following the steps in my guide.

The comments section is open to your questions or clarification requests.

Found my Canva tutorial helpful? Please share a link to my post to help me grow. I would really appreciate it.

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