# Make a small GIF under a file-size limit

> Trim the clip and pick a size limit. The tool chooses the width, frame rate and colours that land under it.

Turn a video or a big GIF into a GIF under the size you choose, for chat, email or docs. Settings adjust to fit, and nothing is ever uploaded.

- Tool: [Video to small GIF](https://fixmint.cc/video-to-small-gif)
- Category: [Audio & video](https://fixmint.cc/audio-video)
- Fixes: GIF or video is too big to send
- Runs in the browser: files and text stay on the device, no sign-up, free.

## How to make a small GIF from a video

1. Drop a video, or a GIF you want smaller, onto the box.
2. Set the start and end, then pick the size limit. Fit automatically does the rest.
3. Download the GIF. Open Settings to choose the width, frame rate or colours yourself.

## Questions

### Why is a GIF so big?

A GIF stores every frame, and each frame holds at most 256 colours. Fewer frames, a smaller width, fewer colours and turning dithering off all make the file smaller.

### Is my video uploaded?

No. Frames are read from the video and encoded in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.

### Can I make a big GIF smaller?

Yes. Drop the GIF and choose a smaller size. Its frames are encoded again at a lower width, frame rate or colour count.

### Will the GIF land exactly on the limit?

It lands just under it. The size is estimated from sample frames and the real file is checked, trying up to four settings. MB here means 1,000,000 bytes.

## Related tools

- [GIF maker](https://fixmint.cc/gif-maker): Need a GIF from photos or a clip
- [Extract video frames](https://fixmint.cc/extract-video-frames): Need still images from a video
- [Rotate video](https://fixmint.cc/rotate-video): Video plays sideways
- [Compress image](https://fixmint.cc/compress-image): Photo too big to upload