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How to add GIFs to Slack

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Good Morning GIF in Slack on a laptop.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

GIFs are entertaining moving pictures that you might want to share in public and private channels or direct messages in Slack. Whether you want to say “good morning,” “great job,” or “Happy birthday,” a GIF gives you a fun way to do it.

You may have a GIF you made that you want to share or simply want to search for one directly in Slack. Either way, we’ll show you how to add GIFs to Slack.

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Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Computer or smartphone with access to the Slack app

Upload a GIF to Slack

If you have a GIF saved to your device, you can upload it to Slack like any other image.

Step 1: Go to the Message field for the channel or direct message where you want to share the GIF.

Step 2: If you have the GIF nearby, you can drag and drop it into the message field.

Otherwise, select the Plus sign on the bottom left and pick Upload from your computer or Upload file. Then, browse for the GIF and pick Open.

Upload From Your Computer in the Slack menu.
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Related

Step 3: When the GIF appears in the message window, press Enter, Return, or the Send button to share it.

Preview of an uploaded GIF in Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: You’ll then see the GIF in action in the conversation.

Uploaded GIF sent in Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Share a link to a GIF

For some GIF websites like Imgur, you can copy the link to the GIF and share it in your Slack message. The GIF then displays as if you uploaded it yourself.

Step 1: Select the GIF you want and open the Sharing options to obtain the link. Copy the URL to your clipboard.

Copy Link option on Imgur.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Head to Slack, open the channel or direct message, and paste the link into the message field.

GIF link pasted into the Slack message field.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Press Enter, Return, or Send and you should see your GIF sent to the recipient.

If the GIF site you’re copying the link from also has a Slack app, you may see a message to connect the app to Slack in order to share the GIF.

GIF sent using a link in Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Add Giphy to Slack

Another option is to connect a third-party app, and one of the most popular GIF applications is Giphy. Once you connect it to your Slack workspace, you can easily search for and share GIFs.

Step 1: Select Add apps in the left-hand navigation below Apps. Pop in the search term “Giphy” and then choose Add.

Add button for Giphy in Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: When you’re directed to the app in your web browser, select Add to Slack and then Add Giphy integration.

Add to Slack button for Giphy.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Next, select the rating for the GIFs you want to use — G, PG, PG-13, or R. Optionally, check the box to Enable Giphy previews.

Step 4: Select Save integration and you’re ready to go.

If you’re unable to add the app, your Workspace Owner may require approval. Contact them for assistance.

Rating and Save option for Giphy to Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Use Giphy in Slack

Once you have Giphy connected to Slack, the rest is a breeze. You just type a simple command to see your GIF options.

Step 1: Enter the command /giphy followed by the type of GIF you want to find into the message field. For instance, you can enter /giphy good morning or /giphy hello.

Giphy command to find GIFs in Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: You’ll then see a GIF preview appear. If you want to use it, press Send.

If you want to see other options, press Shuffle until you find the one you want and then press Send.

Send and Shuffle options for Giphy on Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: You can then see the GIF sent to the recipient.

GIF from Giphy sent on Slack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sharing a GIF in Slack is easy with any of these methods — and it may just make someone’s day. See which one works best for you! And for more, take a look at how to create a poll in Slack.

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Sandy Writtenhouse
Sandy Writtenhouse
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Sandy has been writing about technology since 2012. Her work has appeared on How-To Geek, Lifewire, MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog…
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