GIFs have become one of the most fun and expressive ways to communicate online. Whether you want to make someone laugh, react to a message, or add personality to a social media post, sending GIFs is quick and easy. If you’re an iPhone user, you’ll be happy to know there are multiple ways to share GIFs on iPhone using built-in features, third-party apps, or social platforms.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to send GIFs on iPhone step by step.
Why Share GIFs on iPhone?
GIFs are short, looping animations that capture emotions and reactions better than plain text or even emojis. With an iPhone, you don’t need complicated apps to start sharing them. From iMessage to social media, iPhone makes it simple to send, save, and post GIFs anywhere.
How to Share GIFs in iMessage
One of the easiest ways to share GIFs on iPhone is through the Messages app. Apple has a built-in GIF feature called #images, which lets you search and send animations directly in iMessage.
Here’s how to do it:
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Open the Messages app and select a conversation.
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Tap the App Store icon next to the text box.
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Choose the #images app (the red icon with a magnifying glass).
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Use the search bar to find a GIF or scroll through popular ones.
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Tap a GIF to instantly send it.
This method works with any iPhone running iOS 10 or later, and you can send GIFs to other iPhone users as well as Android devices.
How to Save and Send GIFs from Photos
Sometimes you might find a GIF you love while browsing Safari or scrolling through social media. You can save it to your Photos app and send it later.
Steps to save a GIF from Safari:
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Find the GIF you want in Safari.
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Tap and hold the GIF until a menu pops up.
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Select Save to Photos.
Once saved, you can share it like any photo:
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Open the Photos app.
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Select the GIF.
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Tap the Share icon.
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Choose Messages, Mail, or any other app to send it.
This is a great way to keep your favorite GIFs handy and reuse them whenever you want.
How to Use Third-Party GIF Apps
If you want access to a massive library of GIFs, downloading a third-party app like GIPHY or Tenor is a smart choice. These apps are free and integrate smoothly with iPhone.
Using GIPHY:
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Download GIPHY from the App Store.
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Open the app and search for a GIF using keywords.
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Tap the GIF you want.
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Select Share and choose Messages, WhatsApp, or social media.
These apps often let you save GIFs to your Photos as well, making it easy to send them later.
How to Share GIFs on Social Media
Posting GIFs on social platforms is another fun way to use them. Here’s how to share on some of the most popular apps:
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Instagram: Instagram doesn’t allow direct GIF uploads, but you can turn GIFs into short videos using GIPHY or save them as stickers for Stories.
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Twitter/X: Tap the GIF icon when composing a tweet, search for a GIF, and post instantly.
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Facebook: You can copy and paste GIF links from GIPHY or use the built-in GIF option in comments.
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WhatsApp: Tap the sticker icon in a chat, then select GIF to browse and share animations.
Tips and Tricks for Sending GIFs on iPhone
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Favorite your GIFs: In GIPHY or Tenor, tap the heart icon to save your favorites. This makes it easier to find them later.
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Create your own GIFs: Turn Live Photos into GIFs using the Photos app. Simply swipe up on a Live Photo, choose “Loop,” and share it like a regular GIF.
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Use Siri Shortcuts: You can set up shortcuts to quickly find or send your most-used GIFs.
Conclusion
Learning how to share GIFs from iPhone is simple and opens up countless ways to make your conversations more fun and engaging. Whether you’re using the built-in iMessage feature, saving GIFs to Photos, exploring third-party apps like GIPHY, or posting on social media, you’ll never run out of expressive animations to share.