Why should I convert a GIF to MP4 or WebM?

GIF files are extremely inefficient — a 5-second GIF can easily be 10MB or more, while the same content as an MP4 is typically under 1MB. Converting GIF to video reduces file size by 80-95% with no visible quality loss. Video files also support full-color playback (16.7 million colors vs GIF's 256), which eliminates the color banding and dithering artifacts common in animated GIFs.

Will the converted video loop automatically like a GIF?

Not automatically — video elements require the "loop" attribute in HTML to loop. If you are embedding the video on a web page, add loop and autoplay muted attributes to the video tag: . This matches GIF behavior: silent, auto-playing, and looping. Most modern social media platforms and messaging apps handle looping automatically when you share a video file.

Which is better for web use: MP4 or WebM?

For maximum compatibility, use MP4. It is supported on all browsers including Safari on iOS. For the best compression and smallest file size, WebM with VP9 is slightly more efficient. For production web use, many sites serve both formats: WebM for Chrome and Firefox, MP4 as a fallback for Safari. Convert Media lets you convert to whichever format you need.

What quality setting should I use?

The default CRF 23 is an excellent starting point for most GIF conversions. Since GIFs are already limited to 256 colors, the source quality is inherently restricted, so there is little benefit to using CRF values below 18. If your primary concern is minimizing file size (for example, for email or bandwidth-limited environments), increase the CRF to 28-32. The visual difference between CRF 23 and CRF 28 is usually imperceptible for GIF-sourced content.

Can I use the converted video in an email?

HTML5 video in emails has very limited support — only Apple Mail and a few others play it natively. For email, GIF is still the best choice for inline animation. However, if you need to reduce email size, convert the GIF to a short video for your website and link to it from the email, or use a static preview image that links to the video. The exception is AMP for Email (Gmail), which does support video playback.

GIF to Video Converter

Turn large GIF files into compact MP4 or WebM videos. Up to 95% smaller file size, full color fidelity — all processed locally in your browser.

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Supports MP4, WebM, AVI, MOV, MKV and more

Max file size: 2GB (recommended: under 200MB)

The Complete Guide to GIF to Video Conversion

Everything you need to know about converting animated GIFs to MP4 or WebM video files.

Why Convert GIF to Video?

Animated GIFs are universally supported for display, but they come with significant drawbacks: large file sizes, limited color palettes, no audio, and poor compression efficiency. A typical 5-second GIF that is 10MB can be converted to an MP4 or WebM video that is under 1MB with identical visual quality. This translates directly into faster load times, lower bandwidth costs, and a better user experience.

Modern video formats like H.264 MP4 and VP9 WebM use inter-frame compression — storing only the differences between frames rather than full images — which is far more efficient than GIF's frame-by-frame LZW encoding. Convert Media converts your GIF to video entirely in your browser using FFmpeg WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device.

GIF vs MP4 vs WebM: Format Comparison

Understanding the differences helps you choose the right output format:

Feature	GIF	MP4 (H.264)	WebM (VP9)
Colors	256 per frame	16.7 million	16.7 million
File Size (5s)	5–15 MB	0.3–1 MB	0.2–0.8 MB
Browser Support	Universal	Universal	Modern only
Autoplay	Always	Requires muted attr	Requires muted attr
Loop	Automatic	Requires loop attr	Requires loop attr
Compression	LZW (intra-frame)	H.264 (inter-frame)	VP9 (inter-frame)

MP4 or WebM: Which Format Should You Choose?

Both MP4 and WebM are excellent choices for converting GIFs to video. The right choice depends on where you plan to use the video:

Choose MP4 When:

-Maximum browser and device compatibility
-Embedding in CMS platforms or email HTML
-Sharing with users on older browsers
-Social media uploads (Twitter, LinkedIn)
-iOS and Safari compatibility is required

Choose WebM When:

-Targeting Chrome/Firefox/Edge users
-Need the smallest possible file size
-Web performance is a priority
-Open-source / royalty-free requirement
-Modern web applications and PWAs

Understanding Video Quality: The CRF Setting

CRF (Constant Rate Factor) controls the balance between video quality and file size. For H.264 MP4, the range is 0 (lossless) to 51 (lowest quality). For VP9 WebM, CRF scales from 0 to 63. A lower CRF value means better quality but larger files.

CRF 18–23 (High Quality). The default of 23 is FFmpeg's recommended starting point for H.264. It produces excellent quality at reasonable file sizes. Use 18 for near-lossless quality when file size is not a concern.

CRF 24–32 (Balanced). A good range for web delivery. Most viewers cannot perceive quality differences at this level compared to lower CRF values, but file sizes are significantly smaller — often 40–60% smaller than CRF 18.

CRF 33–51 (Small File). Noticeable compression artifacts at the higher end of this range. Useful when you need to stay under a strict file size budget and quality is less critical.

How Browser-Based GIF to Video Conversion Works

Convert Media uses FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly to run entirely in your browser. When you upload a GIF, the converter reads each frame from the animation, feeds them through the FFmpeg encoder pipeline, and produces a compressed video stream packed into an MP4 or WebM container. No data is sent to any server.

For MP4 output, FFmpeg uses the libx264 encoder with the faststart flag, which moves the video metadata to the start of the file — essential for progressive web playback. The yuv420p pixel format is enforced for broad compatibility, and odd-pixel dimensions are automatically rounded to even values since H.264 requires this. For WebM, the libvpx-vp9 encoder is used with constrained quality mode (CRF + b:v=0), which delivers the best quality-to-size ratio for VP9 content.

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