Save Twitter GIFs the way you want them
The GIFs you see on X aren't really GIFs. Since 2014, every GIF uploaded to Twitter has been turned into a short, silent MP4 video that loops. That keeps the timeline fast, but it's confusing when you try to save one: long-press it and there's no "Save GIF" option, and most downloaders hand you an .mp4 file when you wanted a .gif.
This Twitter GIF downloader gives you both. Paste the link to the post and you'll get:
- The original MP4 loop: tiny, sharp, and exactly what X shows. Best for WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram and video editors.
- A real animated GIF converted on our server with a custom colour palette, so it doesn't come out grainy. Best for Discord, Slack, forums, email and anywhere that only accepts .gif files.
MP4 or GIF: which one should you download?
| MP4 loop | Animated GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Small (often 100–800 KB) | Large (often 2–10 MB) |
| Colours | Millions | 256 per frame |
| Plays in | Every phone, browser and chat app | Everywhere, including old forums and email |
| Loops automatically | In most apps | Always |
| Best for | Re-posting, messaging, editing | Discord, Slack, Reddit, blogs, email |
Rule of thumb: if the place you're sharing it accepts videos, use the MP4. It looks better and loads faster. Reach for the .gif only when a site insists on it. There's more background in why Twitter GIFs download as MP4.
How the GIF conversion works
When you press GIF, we fetch the MP4 from X's servers and convert it with FFmpeg in two passes. The first pass studies the clip and builds a 256-colour palette tailored to it. The second uses that palette to draw each frame. That's why our GIFs avoid the blotchy, posterised look of quick one-pass converters. The result is capped at 480 px wide (360 px for clips longer than 10 seconds) and 12 frames per second, which keeps files a sensible size while still looking smooth.
The converted file is sent to you and deleted from the server straight away. Nothing is kept or published.
Turn short Twitter videos into GIFs too
The GIF button isn't limited to posts that were uploaded as GIFs. Any video of 30 seconds or less can be converted, which is handy for reaction clips, sports highlights and memes. Paste the link, wait for the result, and choose GIF.