# Stupid Facebook question: Commenting with an animated .gif **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406 "2025-12-04T17:41:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/1 "2025-12-04T17:41:27Z")
I know this is a dumb question, but how do I put an animated .gif into a comment, that is not one of the ones you can choose from the small library with the .gif button? I tried to post this in a comment: ![](https://media1.tenor.com/m/7wYui6F-ij0AAAAC/cinema-movies.gif "Cinema Movies GIF – Cinema Movies Movie Projector – discover and share GIFs") Since the author does not allow link previews, all I got was the text link. So I did a ‘save as’ and posted it in my comment. It was not animated; just the still photo. I did look for ‘projector’ in Facebook’s .gif library, and I found two that was the same one I posted here… only they had captions that I didn’t want. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/2 "2025-12-04T21:12:22Z")
Are you using the “Attach a Photo or Video” option (the camera icon) ? That should do it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/3 "2025-12-04T21:31:41Z")
Yes. I went to the gif and did a ‘Save as’. I gave it a name, and the format was .gif. Then I used the camera icon to post it. It was only a still photo. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/4 "2025-12-04T22:14:41Z")
Have you checked the file you have is animated ? Try opening the .gif file in your browser to make sure it’s moving. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/5 "2025-12-04T22:31:30Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > Have you checked the file you have is animated ? I control-clicked the same animated .gif that is in the OP, and saved it. I just did it again, saving the image that is in the OP. When I double-click on the filename, it opens in Preview… but the image is static. There are two images in the file. When I ‘Open with’ Safari, it is animated. But not when I post the file (using the camera icon) in FB. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/6 "2025-12-04T22:56:41Z")
Hmm. Adding an animated gif to FB works for me.. (Brave browser). According to google ai, there are a few things you could try :- > To fix animated GIFs not working in Safari, check your **Accessibility** settings for “Reduce Motion” and “Auto-play animated images,” and ensure the **Safari settings** for “Auto-Play” are enabled. Other solutions include clearing your browser’s cache, disabling extensions, or making sure the GIF file isn’t too large or has an incorrect loop setting. > > Check your device and browser settings > > - **Accessibility Settings:** Go to **Settings \> Accessibility \> Display** and make sure “Reduce Motion” is turned off. On newer iOS/macOS versions, there may be a separate “Auto-play animated images” toggle in Accessibility settings that needs to be enabled. > - **Messages Settings (iPhone):** In **Settings \> Messages** , ensure “Low Quality Image Mode” is turned off. You may also need to disable any third-party keyboards under the iMessage section. > - **Safari Settings (macOS):** In Safari, go to **Settings \> Websites \> Auto-Play**. Make sure it’s set to a value that allows GIFs to play, such as “Allow All Auto-Play”. Also, check you haven’t got an extension that migh affect it ..I have one called animation policy which allows you to control animation options. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/7 "2025-12-04T22:57:46Z")
You could also try posting it on FB and asking other members if they can see it moving !! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/8 "2025-12-04T23:11:32Z")
OK, I posted it. Not moving for me. > [@pjd](#): > > To fix animated GIFs not working in Safari It’s animated when I open it with Safari. It’s not animated when I post it on FB (which I am reading on Safari). I don’t have ‘Accessibility’ when I go to Settings in Safari. I do see Auto play under the Websites tab (but no ‘Reduce motion’). ETA: On my test post, I replied with a link to the Tenor page. The image posted with a clickable ‘GIF’ button that you can push to start. But as I said in the OP, the friend whose post I was replying to does not allow previews; only the text links. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-facebook-question-commenting-with-an-animated-gif/1025406/9 "2025-12-05T09:03:47Z")
Do normal (non gif) videos automatically play when you get to them in your FB feed (without having to click the play button) ? If not, try this .. > 1. Goto Facebook and click the **Menu** (three dots). > 2. Click **Message Delivery Settings**. > 3. Click **Media** , under Preferences. > 4. Select **Autoplay** to enable video/animation playback in your feed. (This may be slightly different depending if you’re using the FB app or the website)