Reverse GIF

How to reverse a GIF

To reverse a GIF, DropGIF flips the order of its frames and keeps each frame's own timing, so the backward version moves at the same pace as the original. It takes a few seconds:

1. Drop your GIFDrag it onto the page, tap Choose files, or paste it with Ctrl/⌘+V. Animated WebP and APNG work too, and every frame opens with its original timing.
2. Set Direction to ReverseOpen Motion (on a phone, the Motion tab) and choose Reverse under Direction. On this page it starts selected, so the preview plays backward right away.
3. Or pick BoomerangChoose Boomerang to play the GIF forward and then backward. The loop never jumps back to the start.
4. Adjust the speed if you likeDrag the Speed slider anywhere from 0.25× to 4×. A slower speed like 0.5× makes a reversed splash or fall easier to follow.
5. Export and saveTap Export GIF. Then tap Download GIF on a computer, or Share or save GIF on a phone.

Reverse or Boomerang: which to pick

Boomerang is the fix for a GIF that jumps at the end of every loop. Most clips end somewhere different from where they started, so playback snaps back to frame one. Played forward and then backward, the last frame flows straight into the reverse pass, and the reverse pass lands on the first frame, so there's no seam. DropGIF doesn't repeat the first and last frames at the turn, so the motion doesn't stall there.

What reversing changes, and what it keeps

• Timing travels with each frame. If the original holds on its last frame for a second, the reversed GIF opens on that long frame. To change it, tap the time under the frame in the Frames strip and type a new one.
• Captions read normally. Reverse changes the order of the frames, not which way they face. Text you add under Caption sits on every frame and reads left to right.
• The file stays about the same size. Reverse uses the same frames, so it comes out close to a forward export with the same settings. Boomerang nearly doubles the frame count, and the file grows with it.
• Transparency is kept. If the GIF has a see-through background, DropGIF keeps it clear in the reversed version.

Direction applies to the whole GIF. To reverse just one part, remove the frames you don't want in the Frames strip first. You can also reorder frames by hand there, if you want a sequence that's neither forward nor backward.

Reverse GIF ideas that work

Reversing works best on motion with an obvious direction, where going backward looks impossible. A few that never get old:

• A dive where the swimmer shoots out of the water and lands neatly on the board.
• Coffee leaping out of a mug and back into the pot.
• A dog shaking off bath water, except the water flies back onto the dog.
• A stack of cups or a block tower that builds itself back up.
• Someone “catching” a paper ball they actually threw.

Keep it short. Two to four seconds is enough for the joke to land, and it keeps the file small enough for a group chat. Want a punchline on it, like “I CAN UNDO THIS”? Add text to the GIF before you export.

Reverse a video into a GIF

You don't need a GIF to start: the video to GIF converter takes MP4 and MOV. Drop the file, drag the yellow trim handles around the moment you want, then set Direction. The GIF plays that selection backward. Phone videos work as they are, and the iPhone video to GIF page has tips for clips from an iPhone.

Boomerang counts twice against the length limit. Free GIFs can be up to 20 seconds, so with Boomerang on, the trim handles stop at 10 seconds of video (at 1× speed). With a GIF, Boomerang on a 12-second animation makes about 24 seconds, which is over the free limit: raise the Speed or remove a few frames to bring it under. Pro allows up to 60 seconds.

A Boomerang GIF is nearly twice the file. Check the Where it fits strip under the preview, and if Slack or Discord shows a ✗, tap Fit next to it. The GIF compressor page explains what Fit changes.

Frequently asked questions