Question 1

What is GIF Grab?

Accepted Answer

GIF Grab is a free screen recorder that turns a tab, window, screen, or webcam into an animated GIF or MP4 right in your browser. You can also drop in a video you already have. It trims, reverses, boomerangs, adds captions and stickers, and can fit the GIF under a size limit. Everything encodes on your own machine, so nothing is uploaded.

Question 2

How do I record my screen as a GIF?

Accepted Answer

Click Record screen, then pick a tab, a window, or your whole screen in the browser's share dialog. Do the thing you want to capture, then click Stop. GIF Grab shows a looping preview, lets you trim and edit it, and exports a GIF or MP4 to your downloads.

Question 3

Does GIF Grab upload my recording anywhere?

Accepted Answer

No. The recording, the editing, and the GIF or MP4 encoding all run locally in your browser. There is no account and no server. Cloud tools like Kapwing and Flixier send your screen to their servers to do the conversion. GIF Grab does not.

Question 4

Should I save a GIF or an MP4?

Accepted Answer

A GIF loops on its own and plays anywhere, but it holds only 256 colors and the file gets large. An MP4 is much smaller and sharper for the same clip, but it needs a video player. You can export both from one recording and decide after. One honest note on MP4: the in-browser recording has no fixed duration in its header, so some apps, including Google Photos, can show the wrong length or cut it short. It plays fine in regular video players.

Question 5

Why does it tell me to keep this tab in front?

Accepted Answer

Browsers slow a tab down to about one frame per second once it is hidden behind another tab or minimized. If that happens mid-recording, the GIF turns choppy. Keep the GIF Grab tab visible while you record. A window or screen you record alongside it is fine, as long as GIF Grab itself stays on screen.

Question 6

Can I record just part of the screen?

Accepted Answer

This page records whatever surface you pick in the share dialog, then you can scale the output down with the size presets. If you want to select an exact area on any web page, skip the picker, and have the selection follow the action as it moves, that is what the GIF Grab Chrome extension adds.

Question 7

Does screen recording work on my phone?

Accepted Answer

Screen recording is desktop only, because mobile browsers do not support the Screen Capture API. On a phone you can still record your camera or load a video and turn it into a GIF or MP4.

Question 8

Is there a watermark or a sign-up?

Accepted Answer

Neither. GIF Grab is free, needs no account, and never stamps a watermark on your GIF or MP4.

Question 9

How do I make the GIF smaller?

Accepted Answer

Turn on the size limit and set a target in megabytes. GIF Grab re-encodes, shrinking the dimensions first and then the frame rate, until the file fits. You can also pick a smaller size preset or a lower export size before you save.

GIF Grab: Record Your Screen to GIF & MP4 Free in Your Browser

Record your screen straight to a GIF.

Nothing leaves your device

The fastest way to grab a GIF

Frequently asked questions