Help / How to

Turn a screen recording into a GIF

The short answer: record with ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Command + 0, trim it, open it in the Studio, pick GIF · small loop or GIF · smooth loop, and save. Drag the GIF straight into your README, pull request or chat.

#Steps

1. Press ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Command + 0 (Windows and Linux: Ctrl + Shift + 0), pick the area and record. Press the same keys again to stop.
2. In the Drop Zone, drag the trim handles to keep only the few seconds you need.
3. Open the recording in the Studio and choose a preset:
   • GIF · small loop: 320p, 10 fps, 64 colors. Tiny, good for READMEs.
   • GIF · smooth loop: 480p, 20 fps, 256 colors. Nicer motion.
4. Click Optimize & Save Video.

#Keep GIFs small

• Keep it short: 3 to 8 seconds is plenty for a UI interaction.
• Record a smaller area, such as one window, instead of the whole screen.
• GitHub and most docs sites also play silent MP4 and WebM, which are usually much smaller than a GIF. Try WebM silent loop 720p.

More GIF settings (palette, colors, dithering, loop): Video formats, presets and GIFs.

Still stuck? Click the ? button at the bottom left of the Cropped Studio to ask, send us a message, or request a feature.