How to save a GIF on iPhone? If you have been wondering how to save this specific image type into your camera roll, you’ve come to the right page. Here, you will find how to save GIF images into your phone, so that you will be able to send it back to your friends, family, or even that significant one.
First of all, you should know what kind of file GIFs are. Abbreviated from Graphics Interchange Format, GIF is one of the most known image types aside from JPEG, PNG, TIFF, SVG, etc. There are only a little number of people that know the long name of GIF, as this file type is better known as an animated image. Of course, GIFs aren’t just about animated images, but all animated images are GIFs.
Probably, you are one among those people who love to send funny GIFs that people gather from movie scene. Some of them are indeed ‘laugh-inducing’ hence it triggers you to share it as well. Unfortunately, if you’re using the recently updated iOS 14, you cannot save the GIF easily to your phone. What to do then?
How to Save a GIF on iPhone: Why People Cannot Save GIFs on iPhone when Browsing the Internet
Before knowing how to save a GIF on iPhone, you better understand first what makes GIFs cannot be saved into your camera roll. If you search about how to save GIF to your iPhone online, you may also stumble upon some articles why some people fail to save the GIF. The most commonly mentioned reasons are as follows:
- People updated their iOS and the new iOS version doesn’t let them to save GIF on their iPhone from websites. Most people that updated their phone to iOS 14 face this problem. However, that doesn’t mean all users of this version’s iOS cannot save the file either.
- People are downloading GIFs using Google or Chrome. There are no specific data regarding this issue, but many Google and Chrome users with iOS 14 said so (they cannot save GIFs when using these apps).
Even when they switch to Safari as browser, only certain websites are allowing them to download the image as an animated piece. Other websites may still allow saving the image via Safari, but the downloaded file remains as a still picture.
Downgrading the iOS version isn’t an answer to answer how to save GIF on iPhone. It is not a good idea if you decide to downgrade the iOS version, though. So, to fix this problem, consider to do these things as recommended by many people:
- First, try to switch browser. If you are currently using Chrome or searching from Google app, use Safari to browse the net; especially if you want to hunt for GIFs.
- If you cannot playback the downloaded file—when previously you can play it, try to restart your phone.
- Make sure you downloaded the file completely. Also, make sure that it is not a screenshot picture.
How to Save a GIF on iPhone that retrieved from Chats/Messages
Sometimes, you don’t get the GIF from searching it on the internet but from somebody’s chats. How to save a GIF on iPhone that you obtain from chats or messages? It’s pretty simple, though.
- To begin with, open the chat thread from which you want to obtain the GIF file.
- Continue by tapping on the GIF picture. The GIF file will then be displayed separately.
- Tap the arrow placed on the upper right corner of the screen. From the pop-up menu, tap on ‘Save to Camera Roll’ to retrieve the GIF and save it to your Camera Roll. Once you do that procedure of how to save a GIF on iPhone, you can save the GIF and send it back to your family and friends.
Additionally, if you own iPhone 6s or later, you may try to use 3D touch as another way to answer how to save a GIF on iPhone. To do it, you will have to press and hold the GIF from your screen, and bring it to a swipe up. You can save the GIF afterwards.
How to Save a GIF on iPhone: What if You Cannot See the Downloaded GIF as Animated?
No one knows the reason, but the recently update for iOS seem to be a difficult version for many. Since this version has been launched in September 2020, people are dealing with difficulties when they try to save GIFs. That’s probably why many people ask the internet how to save a GIF on iPhone.
Interestingly, this problem comes side by side with the still image—given that GIF should be an animated picture. Well, for that still, not moving GIF problem you can try to do these steps:
- Once you save the GIF on your Camera Roll, try to move the image into a separate folder.
- Tap ‘Edit’ on the upper side of the screen then choose the GIFs file that you want to move into a separate folder.
- Tap ‘Add to’, and choose ‘Add to New Album’.
- Name the new album—name it with whatever words you want.
- Tap ‘Save’ afterwards.
- Now that you have moved the file into a new album, simply tap on it. If it’s still not moving on your image viewer, don’t worry. If you send it to someone, be it through Messages or any third-party messaging app, you will see that the GIF will move as it should be.
Let’s just hope the developer knows about this issue related to downloading GIFs and making GIFs animated as it should be, without needing to send it to a friend just to see it moves.
To sum it up, the question how to save a GIF on iPhone should be answered by knowing first from where the GIF is retrieved. Is it from web browser, or is it from chats/messages? Each source has different method to save the file. It may be a little disappointing knowing that the GIF cannot be played in iOS 14 directly, but at least you can still save it. Sending it via Messages or other chatting apps will make the image to ‘start moving’ again.
