WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, allowing users to communicate with text messages, voice calls, video calls and more. One fun way to spice up your WhatsApp chats is by sending animated GIFs. WhatsApp has a built-in GIF library, but you can also add your own GIFs to the library for quick access.
What are GIFs?
GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. GIFs are short animated images that loop continuously. They are commonly used on social media and messaging apps to express emotions and reactions. GIFs often contain funny scenes, memorable moments, or reactions from movies, TV shows, sports and pop culture. Here are some examples of popular GIFs:
| GIF | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Woman nodding approvingly | Agreement, approval |
| Minions cheering | Excitement, celebration |
| Leonardo DiCaprio raising glass | Cheers, congratulations |
Sending GIFs on WhatsApp and other messaging platforms is a fun way to quickly share emotions and reactions without typing out text. The animated images convey meaning and tone effectively with humor and pop culture references.
Accessing the default WhatsApp GIF library
WhatsApp comes pre-loaded with a library of trending GIFs you can browse and send. Here’s how to access it:
- Open any WhatsApp chat window
- Tap on the emoji icon in the text box toolbar
- This will open up the emoji keyboard. At the bottom, tap on the GIF icon (a square play button icon)
- You will now see the WhatsApp GIF library. Browse through various categories like Trending, LOL, Love, Sad, etc.
- When you find a GIF you like, tap on it to send
This GIF library covers many common reactions and emotions for easy messaging. But if you want GIFs for specific interests or niche topics, you may not find them all here. The good news is you can add new GIFs into WhatsApp as well.
Finding new GIFs online
There are many websites and apps that offer a vast collection of GIFs to search through. Here are some top places to find great GIFs:
- Giphy – The largest GIF database online with hundreds of millions of short looping videos and GIFs. They partner with social networks, publishers and brands.
- Tenor – Owned by Google, Tenor has one of the best GIF search engines. They use AI to find the most relevant GIFs for your queries.
- Gfycat – Community for discovering, creating and sharing GIFs, GIF stickers and other short video clips.
- Reddit – Many topical Subreddits on Reddit have great curated GIFs to browse through.
- Tumblr – Long-form blogging platform but also a great source of reaction GIFs.
The key is finding a platform that has GIFs relevant to your interests. Search for terms related to TV shows, movies, sports, music, reactions, etc. Save or bookmark any great GIFs you find for sharing on WhatsApp later.
Saving GIFs from apps or websites
Once you find an amazing GIF online you want to send on WhatsApp, here’s how to save it:
On iPhone
- Press and hold down on the GIF image until a menu pops up
- Tap on ‘Save Image’ to save it to your Photos app
- You can also tap on ‘Copy’ to copy the GIF URL and paste it in another app
On Android
- Press and hold down on the GIF image
- Tap on ‘Download image’ from the menu
- The GIF will be saved to your device’s Gallery app
Alternatively, many GIF websites and apps allow you to copy the direct link or URL to a GIF. You can paste this URL in a WhatsApp chat to send the GIF.
Adding new GIFs to WhatsApp library
Now that you’ve saved great new GIFs on your phone, how do you add them to WhatsApp? Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go to any chat window
- Tap on the Emoji icon in the chat bar and then tap on the GIF icon next to it
- This opens the WhatsApp GIF picker. At the top, tap on the ‘+’ icon
- You will now see an option to ‘Add GIF’. Tap on it.
- You can now select any GIF saved on your phone to add it to WhatsApp
- Navigate to the relevant folder and select the new GIFs you want to add
- The new GIFs will now be added to your WhatsApp library for quick access
Follow these steps whenever you want to add new GIFs to WhatsApp. The limit is currently 100MB worth of GIFs in the library. Adding relevant GIFs this way builds up your own custom library tailored to your messaging needs.
Creating your own GIFs
You can also create your own animated GIFs to add a personal touch on WhatsApp. Here are some ways to make your own GIFs:
- Record a short funny video or selfie of yourself reacting. Use apps like Kapwing, GIPHY Cam, ImgPlay to convert the video into a GIF.
- Screen record funny or memorable moments from shows, sports or videos using built-in software on your device.
- Use Photoshop to stitch together a fast sequence of photos and export as GIF.
- Download software like GIF Brewery (Mac), GIF Animator (Windows) or online tools like GIFMaker.me to make GIFs.
- Combine existing GIFs together into mashups or memes using sites like GIFntext or ImgFlip.
Making your own GIFs allows you to capture personal reactions or inside jokes to share with friends in your own unique way. You can get really creative!
Sending GIFs quickly from WhatsApp keyboard
Once you’ve built up your WhatsApp GIF library, here are some tips for quick access directly from your keyboard:
- Open any chat and tap on the Emoji icon from keyboard
- Swipe left on the emoji pages until you reach the GIF panel
- Favorite GIFs you use often by tapping the heart icon on them. Favorites appear at top.
- Tap on a GIF category to find relevant GIFs fast without scrolling.
- Use the Search bar to find a specific GIF by keyword.
- Tap on any GIF to send it instantly in your chat.
With your own curated GIF library on WhatsApp, you’ll always have the perfect reaction at your fingertips!
Troubleshooting tips
Here are some troubleshooting tips if you face any issues adding or sending GIFs on WhatsApp:
- Update to the latest version of WhatsApp from your phone’s app store
- Check your phone’s storage and clear space if full. GIFs may fail to send if storage is low.
- Reboot your phone and re-open WhatsApp to refresh the app.
- Make sure you have an active internet connection when searching or sending GIFs.
- If a particular GIF fails, remove it from your WhatsApp library and re-add it.
- Try compressing large GIFs online before adding them to your WhatsApp library.
- On Android, give WhatsApp permission to access your phone’s storage if unable to add GIFs.
- Contact WhatsApp Support if the issues persist across devices.
Conclusion
GIFs are a fun way to make your WhatsApp conversations more engaging. Build your own library by finding new GIFs online and adding them to WhatsApp. Explore your creativity by making custom GIFs yourself. Use GIFs to instantly convey reactions, emotions and unspoken words. With a robust GIF collection tailored to your taste, you can take your WhatsApp messaging to the next level.