How to Create a GIF from a Video Using VLC | Step-by-Step Guide

GIFs are now the language of the internet. They are lightweight but powerful. They offer engagement on par with videos but without their bulk. They capture emotions, messages, and beautiful moments in ways that little else can. They've exploded over the internet in recent years. So, if you're looking for a quick and easy way to create GIFs from videos, there are plenty of options, too. Since GIFs are essentially a sequence of images and not exactly videos, converting videos to GIFs is more complicated than merely, say, converting a video from one format to another. However, you can create GIF from video with VLC and a powerful editing tool.

Part 1: Can You Create GIF From Video with VLC?

Although VLC Media Player is primarily a media player, it also offers built-in video conversion capabilities. So, it's not entirely ridiculous to expect it to be able to convert videos to GIFs. However, VLC cannot convert videos to GIFs. What it can do, however, is extract frames from videos. With the right settings, VLC can be made to extract the frames from a playing video and save them. Subsequently, these individual frames can be fed into a GIF maker, such as Adobe Photoshop, to stitch the frames together into a GIF.

So, VLC is still one half of the puzzle, and the other is a potent image editing tool that can convert a batch of images or frames into GIFs. You cannot use VLC to GIF a video or scene, though.

But what if you need to convert only a part of a video to a GIF? In that case, you must first use VLC's built-in recording features to record the specific segment from the video that you need converted into a GIF and save that recording separately. Then, you break the recorded portion into frames with VLC and feed them to Photoshop.

Part 2: How to Create a GIF from a Video with VLC and Adobe Photoshop

Step 1: Enable Video Editing Tools

Open the video from which a portion needs to be converted to GIF in VLC Media Player. Go to 'View', choose 'Advanced Controls'

A new toolbar with a red button appears above the playback control options at the bottom.

Step 2: Cut Video in VLC

Play the video or move the playback slider to the starting point of your cut, hit the 'Record' (Red) button. When you reach your cut's end, hit the 'Record' (Red) button again to stop.

Step 3: Locate Video

Access the recording in the destination folder you selected in VLC under 'Input/Codecs.'

Step 4: Enable Scene Video Filter

Go to 'Tools', choose 'Preferences', select 'All' under 'Show Settings' at the bottom of the new pop-up. Navigate to 'Video' in the left pane. Head over to 'Filters' , check the 'Scene Video Filter' checkbox.

Step 5: Configure Scene Filter

Expand 'Filters' on the left pane, go to 'Scene Filter'. configure the settings like image resolution, recording ratio, etc., hit 'Save'.

Step 6: Extract Frames from Video Segment

Play the recording from Step 3, and VLC will automatically break it into individual frames. After the segment plays out on VLC, go to 'Tools', choose 'Preferences', hit 'Reset Preferences.'

Step 7: Import Frames to PS

Launch Adobe Photoshop > Go to 'File' > Head over to 'Script's > Choose 'Load Files into Stack'. Click 'Browse' in the pop-up, select all frames generated in Step 6 while holding the 'Shift' key, click 'Open' > Hit 'OK.'

Step 8: Create Frame Animation

In the timeline area, click 'Create Frame Animation', open the 'Hamburger' menu. Choose 'Make Frames From Layers' to turn each imported image into an animated GIF frame.

Step 9: Make Final Adjustments

Click 'Play' at the bottom of the Timeline to preview GIF animation. If it's playing in reverse, open 'Timeline Menu' again. Choose 'Reverse Frames', adjust other settings like loop, cropping, deadline time between each frame, etc.

Step 10: Export GIF

Go to 'Files', choose 'Export', hit 'Save for Web (Legacy)', choose 'GIF' as format, Customize settings and destination location.

Part 3: Convert a Video to GIF in 3 Steps with HitPaw Univd

Using a VLC and GIF-maker combo to convert a video to GIF is a classic case of over-engineering. Imagine how much time it would take for you to execute the steps described above to create a GIF every time. With Univd Video to GIF Converter, the entire process will not take more than a few seconds. Univd makes it easy to convert any video to GIF, whether you need to convert the entire video or just parts of it.

How to Convert a Video to GIF with HitPaw Univd

Step 1: Activate GIF Creator

Launch HitPaw Univd, on the Home interface, you can find the entries to most features. In the video tab, choose the Video to GIF feature.Then choose the target video to import to the program.

Step 2: Choose GIF Settings

Go to the 'Settings' tab in the right pane. Customize frame rate, output resolution, cropping area, file size, and other settings,

Step 3: Create GIFs from Video

Go to the 'GIF List' tab >> In the Timeline at the bottom of the window, choose the beginning and end of the clip portion for converting to GIF format >> Click 'Create GIF.'

Step 4: Export GIFS

Once you've created all GIFs you want from the video, you can click the Export button in the lower right corner to export the GIFs.

FAQs on Creating GIFs from Video in VLC

Q1. Are there any extensions or plugins to create GIF from video in VLC?

A1. No. Currently, there are no plugins or extensions available for converting videos to GIFs in VLC.

Q2. Can I add text or stickers to the VLC video before making a GIF?

A2. No. You cannot do it on VLC. However, you can add texts and stickers (images) to the video when converting it to GIF using HitPaw Univd.

Conclusion

Creating a GIF from a video can be easy or messy, depending on how you do it. With the VLC and GIF-maker combo, it's the latter! That's hardly surprising since VLC is not a dedicated GIF-maker. If you want a faster way, a tool like HitPaw Univd is much easier to use and gets the job done in a matter of seconds. It lets you turn videos into GIFs in just a few steps. Create your first GIF from a video the easy way with HitPaw Univd today.

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