A Graphical Interchange Format, also known as GIF, is a feature used to animate images in the smallest file sizes available. It comprises a series of videos or pictures with no sound and plays in a constant loop. Converting MP4 videos to GIF formats is another peculiar feature that Photoshop has installed.
Key takeaways
- If you want to convert the entire video into a gif, then in the “range to import” option, choose “From beginning to end.”
- Don’t forget to change the “save as type” into “Image only (*.gif)” format.
Step-by-step instructions on how to convert MP4 to GIF in Photoshop
To use this feature, here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
Step 1: Select and open the MP4 file
To open and select your MP4 file for your work, proceed to the topmost part of the screen at the toolbar menu and click on Files. On the drop-down menu box, scroll down and select Import. On the drop-down menu option from the Import options, click on Video frames to layers.
By clicking on the Video frames to layer, the screen will redirect you to the desktop or anywhere else on your system to pick your selected MP4 file you desire.
Step 2: Import video to layers
After selecting/importing your video, a dialogue box will appear on your Photoshop screen with the title – Import video to layers. On the option on the dialogue box, you’ll see the possibilities of Range to import. You can pick the option: “From Beginning to End”, if you desire to use the entire video, or you can use the “selected Range only” option if you only wish to use a part of the video in your work.
For the step-by-step illustration, the option chosen in the Range to import feature is “From Beginning to End.”
There is also the “Limit to every frame” feature where you can limit the number of frames to create at your discretion. For this illustration, the Limit is at 50.
After clicking on the option, scroll to the dialogue box’s right-hand side and click on Ok.
Step 3: Import progress
In the above illustration, the dialogue box shows the import’s progress by gradually compiling the layers together to give you the full size of what you want.
Step 4: Windows
The next step is to work with the window feature. For that, scroll to the topmost part of your screen and click on Windows. On the drop-down menu, scroll down and click on Timeline. After clicking on the Timeline, you can play the video and use it on your Photoshop without any issues.
Step 5: The Video
The illustration above shows the imported video converted for use on the Photoshop scale. Once your video opens and plays on Photoshop, it proceeds to the next phase of saving the video file in Photoshop.
Step 6: Saving the video
To save your newly imported video, scroll up to the screen’s top area, at the toolbox menu bar, and click on Files. In the drop-down box, scroll downwards and click on the Save for Web and device feature or get that by pressing Alt + Shift + Ctrl + S for a short-cut command.
Step 7: The Save for web and device feature
After clicking on the save for web and device feature/command, a dialogue box will pop up on your screen. The image is under “Optimized” section, select the necessary options in the dialogue box areas, like the GIF area. Ensure you fill in on all the vital areas.
Step 8: Save for Web and Devices (GIF saving)
At the initial stage in the Save for web and device feature, the previous illustration’s video layers were optimized. Select the 4-up option and click on just one of them. By doing this, you can see the file size of all the four outputs you can use, and choose for your GIF. Pick the most appropriate one for use, return to the optimized view setting right beside the 2-up setting on the topmost part of the screen in your work, and click on Save.
Step 9: Saving your GIF file
Once you finish up with the setting and choosing your desired part of the video to use in your GIF, the next step is saving your newly created GIF. For that, the moment you click on Save as done in the previous step, the screen will redirect you to the saving space. Choose the location you desire to save in, the File name and choose the Save as type.
For this step-by-step illustration, the Save destination is the Desktop, the File name is video to GIF, and the Save as type is Image only (*.gif) format.
Once you finish, click on the final save, and you have successfully converted your MP4 video to a GIF.
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Conclusion
Everyone enjoys using a GIF to communicate and entertain. As a graphic designer making the best type of GIFs requires some skills, and with this step-by-step instruction guide on converting an MP4 video to GIF, you’ll ace the GIF game at any moment.