How to Create a GIF from a Video in VLC (2026 Updated)

Create a GIF from a Video with VLC and Photoshop

Since VLC Media Player doesn't have a native GIF export feature, we'll have to use VLC to extract frames from the video, and then use a secondary tool like GIMP or Photoshop to stitch those frames back together into an animated GIF.

Below are the specific steps to create a GIF from a video in VLC and Photoshop.

Step 1. Play and Record Your Video Clip in VLC.

Before extracting frames, it is much easier to trim your video down to just the specific scene you want to turn into a GIF. However, if you've trimmed it or you intend to turn the entire video into a GIF, you can skip this step.

1. Open your video in VLC.
2. Click View > Advanced Controls the top menu if you don't see a recording button.
3. Specify a file save location by going to Tools > Preferences > Input / Codecs > Record directory or filename.
4. Play your video, click the red Record button where you want the GIF to start, and click it again where you want it to end.

Step 2. Split the Recording into Frames

1. Go to Tools > Preferences once again and click the option All under Show Settings at the bottom.
2. Scroll down Scroll down the menu on the left side to locate Video > Filters > Scene filter.
3. Set the image format, file location, recording ratio, etc. Hit Save to apply your settings.



4. Go back to the left sidebar and click directly on the word Filters (don't expand it). Check the box next to Scene video filter to turn the feature on.



5. Click Save and close VLC completely.
6. Re-open VLC and play the short clip you recorded in Step 1.

Note: Once your frames are extracted, go back into your settings and uncheck the Scene video filter box. If you forget this step, VLC will continue extracting frames every time you watch a video.

Step 3. Import the Extracted Frames into Photoshop

1. Launch Photoshop.
2. Go to File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack.
3. Click Browse and load the frames you made in VLC > select OK and wait for loading.

Step 4. Create Frame Animation and Export Images as GIF

1. Go to Window > Timeline to open the animation panel. Click Create Frmae Animation in the timeline area.
2. Click the Hamburger menu at the rightmost of the timeline and select Make Frames From Layers.
3. Hit the Play/Pause button to preview the GIF. You can set the loop, delay, crop a GIF, and many more.



4. Go to Files > Export > Save for Web (Legacy). Choose the file format as GIF and make adjustments like color grading, image size and others. Select an output directory. Now you have made your own GIFs!

This is the entire process to make a GIF from a video with VLC and Photoshop. You can tell that it is pretty complex because you need two different tools, VCL to extract the desired scenes as frames, and then Photoshop to make these frames into a GIF image.

Create a GIF Using a VLC GIF Plugin

While VLC does not have a native GIF maker out of the box, a community-made extension called VLC-GIF-Maker automates the process. This plugin adds a simple graphical interface right inside VLC, so that you can select timestamps and export a GIF without ever needing another external editor.

There's only one minor catch: the plugin relies on FFmpeg to handle the heavy lifting of video conversion in the background. You will need to make sure FFmpeg is installed on your computer first.

Here's how to create a GIF from video using VLC GIF plugin.

Step 1. Download and Install FFmpeg

Before installing the VLC plugin, you need to install FFmpeg and ensure it is added to your system's PATH if you are on Windows. This gives the VLC plugin the underlying engine it needs to process the video files and convert them into GIFs.

1. Download FFmpeg and extract that compressed file.
2. Open the new FFmpeg folder. Click on the address bar and copy the bin location.
3. Click your Windows Start button. Search for and open Edit the system environment variables.
4. Click the Environment Variables... button near the bottom right.
5. Scroll down the System variables menu to find the Path variable. Click to highlight it, then click the Edit... button.
6. Click New, and Paste the bin folder location you copied earlier.
7. Click OK on all open windows to save the changes.

Step 2. Install the VLC-GIF-Maker Plugin

Once FFmpeg is successfully set up, you need to put the actual plugin file in the right place.

1. Head over to the VLC-GIF-Maker GitHub repository and download the vlc_gif_maker.lua file.
2. Drop the .lua file into VLC's extensions folder, e.g., %ProgramFiles%\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\extensions\ on Windows and /Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/share/lua/extensions/ on Mac.
3. If the extensions folder does not exist yet, simply create a new "extensions" folder and put the file inside.
4. Restart VLC to apply the changes.

Step 3. Generate Your GIF in VLC

Once the plugin is successfully installed, you can directly convert your video file to a GIF within VLC.

1. Open your video in VLC.
2. Go to View > VLC GIF Creator from the top menu.
3. Configure settings such as timestamps, resolution, FPS, filename, looping, and more in the pop-up GIF Maker window.
4. Click Generate GIF.

Create a GIF from a Video with a Dedicated GIF Maker

Extracting frames manually or installing background engines like FFmpeg may sound like too much of a headache. For a simpler and more straightforward solution, consider using dedicated video to gif software.

VideoProc Converter AI is designed specifically to streamline GIF creation without any friction. Unlike the VLC methods, there are no plugins or settings to configure. It works right out of the box.

It is incredibly beginner-friendly but still packs under-the-hood power for advanced users. You can completely customize your output with precise control over timestamps, duration, frame rate, looping, etc. If you have a massive folder of video clips, its batch processing capabilities and GPU acceleration will convert them all into GIFs in seconds.

Step 1. Import Your Video (or Videos)

Launch VideoProc Converter AI and click on the Video icon on the main screen. Drag and drop your video(s) directly into the workspace. Videos of any formats, resolutions, and recource are compatible.

Step 2. Enable the GIF Maker and Adjust Your Settings

Click Toolbox on the bottom toolbar, and select GIF. Double click GIF icon to set loop time, image size, duration and frame delay. You can extract desired frames by dragging the green knob as well.

Step 3. Export Your Animated GIFs

Click Done after all the settings. Then choose a folder to save your GIF and click RUN. You will get your own GIF in seconds.

Final Words

VLC excels in media playing, and some users also take it as a video converter. But as a GIF maker, it does not perform as excellently as a media player. You have to convert a video to a GIF image by means of another tool. While VideoProc Converter AI, an all-around video processing program, gets my vote when it comes to making GIFs.