Video conversion
Convert WMV to GIF
Updated Jul 2026
WMV is a Windows video format, and GIF is a small, silent, looping image format that plays anywhere. To convert WMV to GIF, open the video in a converter, pick the clip you want, and export it as GIF. Doing this on your own computer means the video never has to be uploaded anywhere to make the loop.
- Extension
- .wmv
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- Windows video
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .gif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Animations, memes
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert WMV to GIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert WMV to GIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the WMV file, or a whole folder of clips, that you want to turn into a GIF.
- Choose GIF as the output format. If the video is long, trim it to the few seconds you actually want looping.
- Convert. The GIF is written next to your original, and the video never leaves your machine.
WMV vs GIF: what actually changes
| WMV | GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| Audio | Yes, WMV can carry a soundtrack | No, GIF has no audio track at all |
| Compatibility | Plays natively on Windows, spotty support on Mac and web | Opens everywhere, browsers, chat apps, any device |
| File size | Compact for a full-length video, thanks to video compression | Grows quickly, especially past a few seconds or above small resolutions |
| Color quality | Full color range, standard video compression | Limited to 256 colors per frame, so smooth gradients can band |
| Typical use | A complete video with sound | A short, silent, looping clip for sharing |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert WMV to GIF when you want a short clip, like a screen recording or a funny moment, to loop and play automatically in a chat app, forum, or web page where video files don't work well.
Keep the WMV if you need the full-length video with sound, since a GIF has no audio track and gets large fast, so it only makes sense for short, silent loops.
Why not just use an online converter?
A WMV clip is often a screen recording or something personal, like a Windows video someone doesn't want sitting on a stranger's server just to make a GIF out of it. Converting on your own computer keeps that video local from start to finish. You could even turn off wifi and it would still work.
Questions
Will the GIF have sound like the WMV did?
No. GIF has no audio track at all, so any sound in the WMV is dropped. If you need sound, keep the video in a video format instead.
Does converting WMV to GIF lose quality?
Yes, some. GIF is limited to 256 colors per frame, so footage with smooth gradients or lots of color can show banding that wasn't there in the WMV.
How long should the clip be?
Short. GIF file size grows fast with length and resolution, so most people trim to a few seconds before converting rather than turning a whole video into one.
Can I convert WMV to GIF without uploading the video?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so the video never travels over the internet to do it.
Why not just share the WMV file directly?
WMV plays natively on Windows but doesn't reliably play in browsers, chat apps, or on Mac and mobile. A GIF sidesteps that by opening the same way everywhere, at the cost of sound and color range.
Morphjet converts WMV, GIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.