How to Post GIFs on Reddit
Reddit has great native GIF support across both its old and new interfaces, and GIFs tend to do very well in terms of engagement — particularly on subreddits where humor and reaction content are common. Here is how to post GIFs on Reddit correctly, whether you are sharing an original GIF or reposting something from another source.
Posting a GIF in a Reddit Post
Go to the subreddit you want to post in and click the Create Post button. Select the Images & Video tab in the post editor. Click the upload icon and select your GIF file from your computer. Reddit accepts GIF files and converts them to a Reddit-hosted video format for display in feeds — the GIF will autoplay and loop in the feed view, appearing identical to how it would if it were a native GIF. Add a title, set any appropriate flair, and click Post.
One thing to be aware of: not all subreddits allow GIF posts. Check the sidebar rules for the subreddit before posting. Some communities only allow links or text posts, and others have restrictions on animated content specifically.
Posting via Imgur Link
An older but still reliable method is to upload your GIF to Imgur first, copy the direct link (ending in .gif or .gifv), and paste that link in a Reddit link post. Reddit will embed the content from Imgur and display it as an inline animated GIF in the thread. This approach works well in subreddits that prefer linked content over direct uploads, and it lets you share a single GIF across multiple subreddits from a single Imgur URL.
Adding a GIF to a Comment
Reddit's new comment editor supports inline images and GIFs via the image upload icon in the comment toolbar (the mountain icon). Click it, upload your GIF, and it will embed in the comment. On Reddit's old interface, you typically link to an image host rather than uploading directly — paste the direct image URL (ending in .gif) into a comment and Reddit will render it as an inline image on many subreddits if the moderators have enabled image previews.
Using Gfycat and Redgifs Links
Reddit has a strong integration with Redgifs (formerly Gfycat) for GIF content. Many GIF posts in NSFW and general-interest subreddits link to Redgifs, which serves the animation as a streamable video. Upload your GIF to Redgifs, copy the post URL, and paste it as a Reddit link post. The platform handles the hosting and embeds cleanly.
GIF Sizes and Reddit Limits
Reddit's direct upload limit for GIFs is 20 MB. For larger files, use Imgur or Redgifs as an intermediary. If your GIF needs size reduction, the GIF compression guide has quick methods to get under the limit. For the full platform comparison, see the main how to share GIFs guide. For GIFs in other community-focused platforms, the guide on using GIFs on Slack covers a different kind of group communication context.