Crop GIF

To create the perfect GIF animation, it’s just as important to know what to take out as it is what to put in. Cutting GIFs down to size is easy with Descript’s GIF cropping tool, which you can download for free here.

Easily crop animated GIFs using Descript

You don’t need to break out Photoshop’s crop tool to resize your GIF file anymore. Descript’s video editing software lets you create GIFs from your footage in the correct size for social media posts and more, right in the app.

Download the app →

How to crop GIFs

Step 1

If you have a GIF image or animation on your hard drive that you want to optimize, drag it into Descript to get started. If you're creating a new GIF project from a video file, drag that file into Descript; when you get your transcript (it only takes a few seconds), highlight the part you want to clip for a GIF, right click, and select “Clip to composition.” It will appear below your original Composition.

Step 2

Resize your GIF by selecting the pink frame and dragging it until the desired part of the image remains in the playback window. Additional crop options will appear if you click the video setting button on the top right corner of the viewer. You can choose your aspect ratio: landscape, square, portrait for vertical GIFs, or custom for any other specs you need.

Step 3

Once you're happy with your GIF, hit the “Share” button, select “Export,” and then “GIF.” Additional options let you determine your new GIF's pixel quality and file size.

Easily crop animated GIFs using Descript

You don’t need to break out Photoshop’s crop tool to resize your GIF file anymore. Descript’s video editing software lets you create GIFs from your footage in the correct size for social media posts and more, right in the app.

Download the app →

Create personalized GIFs with Descript

Shapes

Sometimes our images aren’t the perfect fit for their destination. If you don’t want to crop areas on your GIF but want a different aspect ratio, you can overlay shapes in any hex color to create a border.

Titles & captions

Even without audio, you can retain your video’s message. Descript’s Fancy Captions creates dynamic subtitles from your video’s transcript.

Keyframe animation

Make GIFs like a filmmaker. Descript’s editing tools can zoom in or out and pan across your GIF.

FAQ

How can I make my GIF shorter?

The earlier step-by-step instructions will tell you how to shorten a GIF visually. However, if you want your GIF to take less time without cutting it, you can dial down the duration on the right panel for a faster GIF.

Can a GIF be converted into an MP4 video format?

Yes. Don’t forget, even though you can use Descript as a GIF editor, it’s a video editor at heart. If you want to add a little music or sound effects to your GIF, you can overlay them and export your GIF as a video file instead.

Can I use Descript’s GIF cropper capabilities for free?

You can use the free version of Descript to crop GIF images for unlimited uploads and get your first three hours of transcription free. Just note that for free users, video projects will export with a watermark. If you upgrade to the $12/month Creator package, you get 10 monthly hours and watermark-free video exports, or the $24/month Pro package, you get 30 monthly hours and watermark-free video exports. Contact us for the Enterprise package; we'll negotiate pricing for your own dedicated account representative, training, and onboarding.

Download the app for free

Create a podcast, a video, and all your social assets using Descript. It’s as easy as editing a doc.
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Crop GIF

Crop GIF

To create the perfect GIF animation, it’s just as important to know what to take out as it is what to put in. Cutting GIFs down to size is easy with Descript’s GIF cropping tool, which you can download for free here.

Get started →
How to crop GIFs
  • 3
    Create a new project
    Drag your file into the box above, or click Select file and import it from your computer or wherever it lives.
Step 1

If you have a GIF image or animation on your hard drive that you want to optimize, drag it into Descript to get started. If you're creating a new GIF project from a video file, drag that file into Descript; when you get your transcript (it only takes a few seconds), highlight the part you want to clip for a GIF, right click, and select “Clip to composition.” It will appear below your original Composition.

Step 2

Resize your GIF by selecting the pink frame and dragging it until the desired part of the image remains in the playback window. Additional crop options will appear if you click the video setting button on the top right corner of the viewer. You can choose your aspect ratio: landscape, square, portrait for vertical GIFs, or custom for any other specs you need.

Step 3

Once you're happy with your GIF, hit the “Share” button, select “Export,” and then “GIF.” Additional options let you determine your new GIF's pixel quality and file size.

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