A relatively new feature in Snapchat, which was introduced for the first time in February 2018, is GIF support. These new animated stickers, directly from a partnership with Giphy, came to the app about a month after Instagram received the GIF capabilities. If you have used the Instagram version, adding a GIF to snapshots is even more intuitive. While they were late for the game, they are doing better.

Snapchat has had a tendency towards GIF support since Lenses was first introduced, giving a true purpose to taking video snapshots. But animated stickers will benefit from both stationary and video snapshots.

Due to the large number of GIFs available in Giphy, it is not surprising that Snapchat has temporarily removed this feature just a few weeks after launch due to a controversial GIF that has escaped the cracks but has been online since the beginning of the release in April and Snapchat worked GIPHY to renew their moderation system so that it does not happen again.

Adding a Giphy GIF to your add-on

Add a GIF to your Snap in the same way you do for a tag. However, I will make a brief summary below, in case you have forgotten it.

First, take a snap as you would with any other. Then, touch the label icon on the right side of the screen (it looks like a note with a corner taking off). Now, inside the stickers menu, touch the “Search” bar at the top. A lot of GIFs will appear as suggestions for “Giphy Trends”: you can swipe to see all the most popular animated stickers that are being used on Snapchat right now.

You can also search by name by simply typing what you want. The results for specific searches will appear at the top under the heading Giphy. Touch the GIF you want and it will appear right in the middle of your choice.

Drag the GIF tag around the screen to move it and pinch it to resize it if necessary. If you drag it to the garbage icon on the right, you can delete the GIF. Finally, send the Snap by touching the blue arrow in the lower right corner.

How to publish GIFs on Instagram

GIPHY offers a one-click solution to convert any GIF into a perfectly linked 15 seconds .mp4, which you can upload directly to Instagram.

In the GIPHY application:

1. In the GIPHY mobile app, tap Screen_Shot_2018–12–07_at_3.07.20_PM.png located under any GIF.

2. Once you touch the button, a selection of buttons to share on social networks will open: tap the Instagram button.

3. Once you click the Instagram button, Instagram will automatically open.

4. You will be provided with two options:

5. Add the GIF as a publication to your feed.

6. Add the GIF to your Instagram story.

7. If you select Feed, an .mp4 (GIF in a loop of 15 seconds) will be inserted into a publication.

8. If you select History, an .mp4, (GIF in a 15-second loop) will be inserted in the History creation tools.

On the desktop:

1. In giphy.com, click on the GIF that you would like to post on Instagram.

2. Once you click on the GIF, you will be directed to the GIF details page.

3. Click on the Instagram button located on the GIF details page. The Instagram upload button is located on the right side of the GIF in “Share It!” On the GIF details page.

4. Once you click on the Instagram button, you will receive a pop-up window with an email form.

5. Enter your email and press Send.

6. GIPHY will email you an mp4 version of your GIF.

7. Download the .mp4 to your phone and then upload it to your Instagram profile.

8. Note: the GIF can be resized by pinching or expanding the screen, to ensure that all the GIF is visible in the vertical format of the Instagram Stories.