How to send GIFs on iPhone

To send a GIF on iPhone, open Messages, start or open a conversation, tap the plus (+) button, then tap #images. Tap Find images, type a keyword, tap the GIF you want to add it to your message, and tap Send. If #images is not available in your region, install a GIF app such as GIPHY and send from its iMessage extension or share sheet instead.

This guide covers the built-in #images method, sending GIFs with GIPHY, sending GIFs you have already saved, how to save GIFs you receive, and what to check when #images is missing.

Does iPhone have GIFs built in?

Yes, iPhone has a built-in GIF search in the Messages app called #images. Apple describes it as a way to find and share GIFs with your contacts, and according to Apple it is installed by default in iOS 18. You do not need to download anything as long as #images is offered in your country or region.

Apple lists #images as available in these countries and regions:

• United States, Canada
• United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy
• Australia, New Zealand
• India, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan

Outside these markets, #images may not appear in the Messages app drawer at all. In that case, a third-party GIF app is the way to send GIFs from your iPhone (see the GIPHY section below). If you want a refresher on the format itself, our explainer on what a GIF is and how it works covers the basics.

How to send a GIF in Messages with #images

Sending a GIF with #images takes five steps from any conversation in the Messages app. These are the steps Apple documents:

1. Open Messages, tap the Compose button and enter a contact, or open an existing conversation.
2. Tap the plus (+) button next to the text field.
3. Tap #images. If you do not see it, swipe up in the app list to see more apps.
4. Tap Find images, type a keyword such as "birthday" and tap search.
5. Tap the GIF to add it to your message, add text if you like, then tap the Send button.

You can add a GIF to a text message this way: the GIF sits in the message field with whatever you typed, and both go out when you tap Send. To move #images closer to the top of the list, open the plus (+) menu, touch and hold the #images icon until it shrinks slightly, and drag it to a new position.

How to send GIFs on iPhone with GIPHY

GIPHY is the best-known third-party option for sending GIFs on iPhone, and it is the fix when #images is unavailable or lacks the GIF you want. The free GIPHY app from Giphy, Inc. requires iOS 15.6 or later, and its App Store listing includes an iMessage extension and a keyboard extension.

To send a GIF from inside Messages with GIPHY:

1. Install GIPHY from the App Store.
2. Open a conversation in Messages and tap the plus (+) button.
3. Swipe up to see more apps and tap GIPHY.
4. Search for a GIF, tap it to add it to the message, then tap Send.

You can also open the GIPHY app itself, find a GIF and use its share option or copy it to the clipboard, then paste it into Messages, WhatsApp, Instagram or another chat app. If GIPHY does not show up in the plus (+) menu, go to Settings > Apps > Messages > iMessage Apps and make sure it is turned on. For animated stickers rather than GIFs, Giphy also offers a separate GIPHY Sticker Extension for iMessage that requires iOS 17 or later.

How to send a GIF you already saved

A GIF that is already in your Photos library can be sent like any photo. In a Messages conversation, tap the plus (+) button, tap Photos, pick the GIF and tap Send. The same works from the Photos app: open the GIF, tap the share button and choose Messages or another app.

This is the easiest way to reuse a favorite reaction GIF, because you do not have to search for it again each time. It also works with GIFs you saved from the web or received from friends. To share a GIF with nearby Apple devices instead of a chat, AirDrop works from the same share sheet; if it fails, see our guide on fixing AirDrop on iPhone.

How to save a GIF on iPhone

To save a GIF someone sent you in Messages, open the conversation, touch and hold the GIF, then tap Save. Apple says the GIF is saved to the Photos app, where you can send it again later from the Photos picker or the share sheet.

GIFs found on websites can usually be saved the same way: touch and hold the image in the browser and choose the save option. Note that some sites serve animations as short videos rather than real GIF files, so what you save may not be a GIF. In GIPHY, you can also save GIFs to your favorites in the app so you can find them quickly.

What to do if #images is missing on iPhone

If #images is missing, a common reason is that your keyboard language or region is not one Apple supports for the feature. Work through this checklist:

• Check Settings > General > Language & Region and make sure your region and keyboard language are supported, as Apple recommends.
• Open the plus (+) menu in Messages and swipe up to see the full app list, since #images may sit below the first row.
• Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > iMessage Apps and check that #images is turned on.
• Update iOS, then check again.
• If none of this helps, use GIPHY or another GIF app from the App Store.

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