How to Create, Open and Edit GIFs

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Learn different ways to open GIFs

Co-authored by Mitch Harris and Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: August 23, 2024

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• Using a Web Browser on a Computer
|
• Using Quick Look on Mac
|
• Using Photos in Windows
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

While many web browsers will play GIFS, you might want to open them in other programs. This wikiHow will show you how to open GIFs using a web browser, Quick Look on Mac, or Photos in Windows.

Things You Should Know

• Open a GIF on your computer's web browser by right-clicking the file in File Explorer or Finder then going to "Open with" and choosing your browser.
• If you're using a Mac, select the file in Finder then press the Spacebar to open it in Quick Look.
• If you're using a Windows computer, right-click the GIF in File Explorer, then go to "Open with" and select "Photos".

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Web Browser on a Computer

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1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ee\/Open-GIFs-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ee\/Open-GIFs-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   1
   Navigate to the GIF in your file browser. If you're using a Windows computer, you'll most likely search through your File Explorer to locate your file. If you're using a Mac computer, you'll most likely search Finder to locate your GIF.
2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Open-GIFs-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Open-GIFs-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   2
   Right-click the GIF. When you right-click the GIF, a menu will open to the right of your cursor.
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3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/24\/Open-GIFs-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/24\/Open-GIFs-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   3
   Hover over Open with. This is usually in the second grouping of menu options and a list of programs and applications that can open or play the GIF will pop up.
4. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d4\/Open-GIFs-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d4\/Open-GIFs-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   4
   Click to select your web browser. Popular browsers include Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and Internet Explorer.

   • If your browser isn't in the list, click Choose another app at the bottom of the menu. This will open a list of all the applications on your computer, including your web browser.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Quick Look on Mac

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1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f4\/Open-GIFs-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f4\/Open-GIFs-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   1
   Open Finder

   

   {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/1\/1d\/Macfinder2.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1d\/Macfinder2.png\/32px-Macfinder2.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":431,"bigWidth":32,"bigHeight":30,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a macOS icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

   . Finder is a program that is always running in the background when your Mac is on, so you can press Alt+Tab ↹ to open it. You can also press ⌘ Cmd+N.

   • You'll also see the application's icon in your Dock.
2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/16\/Open-GIFs-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/16\/Open-GIFs-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   2
   Navigate to the GIF. The default save location for most of your downloads is the "Downloads" folder, so you might want to check there if you can't find it.
3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Open-GIFs-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Open-GIFs-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   3
   Press the Space bar when you have your GIF selected. The file should highlight in blue to indicate it is selected.

   • When you press the Space bar, a Quick Look window will open.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Photos in Windows

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1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/53\/Open-GIFs-Step-8-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-8-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/53\/Open-GIFs-Step-8-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-8-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   1
   Navigate to the GIF in your file explorer. The default save location for most of your downloads is the "Downloads" folder, so you might want to check there if you can't find it.
2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Open-GIFs-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Open-GIFs-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   2
   Right-click the GIF. When you right-click the GIF, a menu will open to the right of your cursor.
3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Open-GIFs-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Open-GIFs-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   3
   Hover over Open With. This is usually in the second grouping of menu options and a list of programs and applications that can open or play the GIF will pop-up.
4. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2e\/Open-GIFs-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Open-GIFs-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2e\/Open-GIFs-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Open-GIFs-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
   4
   Click to select Photos. The application will open with your GIF. You can view the animated image, but you cannot edit or pause it.
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Tips

• Many mobile phones and tablets running iOS or Android will open GIFs automatically in their respective photo gallery app.
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• If you want to edit the GIF, many of these programs will not work. You can read How to Make GIF Files to learn more about that process.
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