> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.emaillove.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using Animated GIFs in Email

> Add motion and visual interest to your emails

Animated GIFs are one of the few ways to add motion to email without JavaScript. A well-placed GIF can demonstrate a product, add personality, or draw attention to your CTA. Here's how to use them effectively with the Email Love Figma Plugin.

## How GIFs Work in Email

Animated GIFs play automatically in most email clients. No user interaction required: the animation starts as soon as the image loads. There's one big caveat: Outlook on Windows only shows the first frame of a GIF, displaying it as a static image.

| Email Client           | Animated GIF Support |
| ---------------------- | -------------------- |
| Apple Mail (iOS/macOS) | ✅ Full animation     |
| Gmail (web/mobile)     | ✅ Full animation     |
| Outlook (Mac)          | ✅ Full animation     |
| Outlook (Windows)      | ⚠️ First frame only  |
| Yahoo Mail             | ✅ Full animation     |
| Samsung Mail           | ✅ Full animation     |

<Tip>
  **Pro tip:** Since Outlook only shows the first frame, make sure your GIF's first frame communicates the key message on its own. Don't save the punchline for frame 30.
</Tip>

## Adding GIFs to Your Email

1. Create or source your animated GIF
2. In Figma, place the GIF inside an image frame within a column
3. The plugin will detect the GIF and export it with animation intact
4. The GIF will be hosted on the Email Love CDN automatically

## Optimization

GIFs can be enormous. An unoptimized GIF can easily exceed 5MB, and your entire email should stay under 500KB. Here's how to keep GIFs lean:

* **Limit dimensions:** Keep GIF width to 640px max (or smaller). Every pixel adds to file size exponentially.
* **Reduce frames:** Fewer frames = smaller file. Aim for 10–20 frames for simple animations.
* **Reduce colors:** GIFs support up to 256 colors. Reducing to 64 or 128 colors dramatically cuts file size.
* **Use optimization tools:** [EZGIF.com](http://EZGIF.com), Gifsicle, or Photoshop's "Save for Web" can compress GIFs significantly.
* **Keep it short:** 2–5 seconds is the sweet spot. Looping GIFs that are too long become distracting.

## When to Use GIFs

* **Product demos:** Show a product in action (rotating view, feature walkthrough)
* **Countdown timers:** Create urgency for sales or events (also see the Countdown Timer article)
* **Attention grabbers:** Subtle animation on a CTA button or hero image
* **How-to sequences:** Quick step-by-step instructions
* **Personality:** Brand expression, reactions, celebratory moments

### When NOT to Use GIFs

* Don't use GIFs for critical information (Outlook users won't see the animation)
* Don't use multiple GIFs in one email (file size and distraction)
* Don't use fast-flashing animations (accessibility concern for photosensitive users)
* Don't rely on a GIF to replace your text CTA