Updated August 21, 2026 · Checked against Slack Help
How to Add a GIF to Slack
Yes — you can add a GIF to Slack in three ways: search the built-in Giphy picker, upload your own .gif file without the picker, or turn a GIF into a reusable custom emoji.
Send a GIF with the built-in picker
Open the smiley face menu, choose GIFs, search, select a GIF, and press Send. Slack says the built-in picker is powered by Giphy and is available on all plans unless an owner or admin disables it.
Own GIF fileUpload your own GIF without Giphy
Drag the .gif into the message field, or click the plus button and choose Upload from your computer. Slack accepts normal file uploads up to 1GB.
Custom emojiAdd a GIF as a custom emoji
Use this path for a reusable workspace reaction. Slack says square images under 128KB work best, and animated GIFs can include up to 50 frames.
Quick answer
Send a GIF in Slack with the built-in Giphy picker
Open the emoji menu
On desktop, click the smiley face icon in the message input box. On mobile, tap the message box to open the keyboard, then tap the smiley face icon.
Choose GIFs and search
Select GIFs, then search for the reaction, phrase, or subject you want. Slack's built-in GIF feature is powered by Giphy.
Pick the GIF and send
Click or tap the GIF you want, then choose Send. This sends the GIF in the message thread; it does not create a custom emoji.
Use your own file
How to add a GIF to Slack without Giphy
Drag a .gif file into the message field, or click the plus button and choose Upload from your computer. Add a message if you want, then press Send.
This works even when a workspace owner has disabled the built-in GIF picker. Slack accepts normal file uploads up to 1 GB, so compression is optional for message GIFs.
Custom emoji
Make a reusable Slack emoji GIF
Slack says square images under 128 KB work best, and animated GIFs can include up to 50 frames. This tool uses a 128×128 square output, targets under 128 KB, and keeps the GIF on your device.
Drop a GIF here
or
FAQ
How do I add a GIF to a Slack message?
On desktop, click the smiley face icon in the message input box, choose **GIFs**, search, select a GIF, then click **Send**. On mobile, tap the message box to open the keyboard, tap the smiley face icon, choose **GIFs**, search and tap a GIF, then tap **Send**.
How do I add a GIF as a Slack emoji?
On desktop, click the smiley face icon, choose **Add Emoji**, select **Upload Image**, choose the GIF file, name it, and click **Save**. The file must already fit Slack's custom emoji rules; see [How to Make a Slack Emoji GIF](/how-to-make-slack-emoji-gif) or use [GIF Compressor for Slack](/slack-emoji-gif). On iOS, open the smiley face menu, type the emoji name, tap **Add custom emoji**, follow the upload prompts, then tap **Add**.
How do I add a GIF to Slack without Giphy?
Drag your own .gif file into the Slack message field, or click the plus button and choose **Upload from your computer**. Add an optional message, then press **Send**. This still works when the built-in GIF picker is disabled.
Why is there no GIF option in my Slack?
Slack owners and admins can disable the workspace GIF feature. If you do not see **GIFs** in the emoji menu, ask a workspace owner or admin whether GIFs are turned off.
Can I add a custom emoji from the Slack Android app?
No. Slack says it is not currently possible to add custom emoji from the Android app. Use Slack desktop or iOS to add the emoji; Android can still use custom emoji that already exist in the workspace.
Do I need to compress a GIF before sending it in Slack?
Usually no. Slack message file uploads can be up to 1GB, so a normal GIF message does not need compression just to send. Compress when you are making a custom emoji, or when a large GIF loads slowly. For large message GIFs, use [Reduce GIF Size](/reduce-gif-size).
What happened to the /giphy command?
Slack's built-in GIF picker is powered by Giphy. You can open it from the smiley face menu without typing a command. If your workspace also has the separate Giphy app installed, the `/giphy` command may still be available.