Needless to say how popular GIFs have become in this day and age. No matter what social media network you’re on, you’ll most likely stumble upon a GIF in your feed before long. GIFs are especially popular on Twitter. Twitter’s 140 character limit makes it really difficult for users to express themselves properly. For this reason, users often compliment their tweets with corresponding GIFs. Also, no one can deny the fact that GIFs are really funny. Because of these benefits, GIFs are used extensively on Twitter. However, there is an inherent problem with using GIFs on Twitter. The service does not allow you to download GIFs to your phone. I don’t know how many times I came across a GIF on my Twitter account that I wanted to download but could not download. So, if you’re someone who experiences the same disappointment, Here’s how to download GIFs from Twitter to your phone:
Why Can’t You Download GIFs From Twitter Natively?
Before we learn how to download GIFs, let’s understand why we can’t download GIFs locally from Twitter. The reason is quite simple. We cannot download GIFs from Twitter because they are not GIFs. You’re confused, are you? Sorry, I was confused too when I found out about this. The reason they’re technically not GIFs Twitter converts GIFs to MP4 when you install them. Twitter does this for two important advantages.
First, GIFs cannot be compressed as much as MP4 files. Converting GIFs to MP4 allows Twitter to compress the file so it loads faster. Also, users can pause MP4 files while they are playing, something they cannot do with a GIF file. So for smaller size and better control, Twitter converts GIFs to MP4 files. This is why you can’t download GIFs from Twitter because technically it’s a video file and not a GIF.
Download GIF from Twitter on Android
Yes, I understand Twitter’s point of view, but what if I really want that GIF. There is still a way you can use to download GIFs from Twitter. While it’s not as simple as downloading directly from the Twitter app, it’s not that difficult. All you need is one app and a few extra steps. Let’s pass them.
1. Ok, the first thing you need is an app to help you download GIF from Twitter. There are loads of Android apps out there, but in my experience “Tweet2gif” works best. so click the link download and install application.
2. Now let’s just open the Twitter app and find a GIF we want to download. When you find the GIF you want to download, tap more options (down arrow button) and copy the link of the tweet by tapping on “Copy link to tweet”.
3. Now open Tweet2gif app and paste the link in the URL section of the application. You can do it too Press the “Paste” button The URL will be pasted automatically or you can do it normally by long pressing the blank space and selecting paste.
4. The next step is pretty easy. Just Tap the “Download GIF” button and the GIF will be downloaded to your device. Once the GIF is downloaded, you will see the confirmation on the app’s page. You’ll find the GIF in your default Gallery app (or whatever app you use instead).
That’s how easy it is to download GIFs from Twitter to your phone. It just needs a few extra steps, that’s all.
Save Twitter GIFs to iPhone
Downloading GIFs from Twitter on iPhone is similar to Android. We will use a third-party app to download GIFs on iPhone as well. Here are the steps to do that.
1. “Download and installGIF wrapped” application.
2. Open the Twitter app and find the GIF you want to download. Just like on Android, tap more options (down arrow). Now, Tap on “Share tweet…”. choice.
3. Here, tap to copy the link. “Copy Link to Tweet” button.
4. Open the GIFwrapped app and “Search” button available on the bottom line. Here, tap the search field and then hit “Use Clipboard” button. It will paste the link you copied in step two.
5. Now, Wait a few seconds while the GIF loads. Once it does, tap . open it. Here, shoot Share The button located in the upper right corner of the application to open the sharing options.
6. Now Tap “Share Image” then tap “Save Image”. This will save the GIF to your phone.
SEE ALSO: How to Create GIFs on Mac with Ease
Download GIF from Twitter on Android or iOS
While Twitter makes it a bit difficult to download GIFs, it’s not impossible. Considering the benefits we get when Twitter converts GIFs to MP4s, I really don’t mind those extra steps. What about you? No problem with extra steps or do you want to have the functionality to download GIFs directly from Twitter app? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
