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Deliverability Letter

Animated GIF

Also known as: GIF, JIF

An animated GIF is a short, looping image that feels like a tiny video in an email. It starts playing as soon as the email opens and works in most inboxes without extra clicks.

An animated GIF is a small image file that plays a short looping animation. It feels like a tiny video but does not need a play button. It starts as soon as the email opens. Most email clients show it without any extra setup.

Marketers use animated GIFs to draw attention to key parts of an email. You can show a product in motion or highlight a simple step in a flow. Movement helps break up static layouts and can lead to more clicks when used with care. Keep the file size low so the email loads fast for people on slow connections.

A good rule of thumb is to keep the animation under a few seconds and under 1MB. Make sure the first frame still looks clear on its own, since some inboxes only show that single image. Test the GIF on mobile and desktop before sending a big campaign.