How to Add Music to Animated GIFs - Most Effective Ways

Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) files are motion pictures that showcase brief animations. They typically look like short videos but do not require you to pause or play them. Today, people use GIFs almost everywhere, from funny memes to even presentations. As time goes by, new ways have emerged to optimize these GIFs and make them look more appealing.

One such method is by adding music to these animated GIFs. But there’s a minor issue: adding MP3 sounds to a GIF can be tricky since these files aren’t technically videos. Not to mention, they comprise short clips that don’t necessarily store audio data natively. The good news, however, is that there are many effective ways to add music to GIF files. In this guide, you will learn these methods, compare them, and find which works for you.

Part 1. First, Know the Limitations of GIFs

As we’ve mentioned, GIFs don’t store audio data natively. This is because, in most cases, they can’t carry sound. Plus, it’s challenging to edit GIFs, especially when trying to do so directly.

A GIF’s animation is hard-coded into the file in such a way that you can’t make changes to it. As a result, you can’t add audio to the file or even edit it directly. Another reason why they can’t store audio is because they’re basically moving images. So, they’re designed to pass visual output alone.

While you can’t add music to GIF files directly, there are various ways to achieve this. One of the most effective is converting the GIF file to another format that can store audio data. For example, you can convert it to MP4, MOV, and AVI to accommodate any audio you want to add.

Part 2. Choose the Right Video Format

When converting your GIF to a video format for adding music, it's essential to select a format that suits your needs. The video format you choose depends on the video quality you want, your preferred sizing, and the format your editing platform supports. Setting up these parameters beforehand ensures you choose the perfect video format for your needs. Here are some popular options that are ideal to add audio to a GIF:

1. MP4

MP4 files are one of the most common video formats used on videos posted on the Internet. They are designed to retain high video quality with low storage capacity compared to other video formats. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of using the MP4 format when adding audio to a GIF.

Advantages:

• It is a standard video format on the internet. So, you can post your newly converted GIFs with audio as an MP4 file practically anywhere.

• It allows for high video compression when trying to reduce its size. This makes it easy to share your converted GIFs with audio between platforms or users.

• It allows your converted GIFs to retain a high video resolution, making it look smoother and more professional.

Disadvantages:

• MP4 files rely on codecs to process media. So, if a media player doesn’t support these codecs, it won't be able to play the converted GIF with audio.

• While MP4 compression allows for good quality, it is still lossy. So, it might not be suitable for very high-definition videos. You should note this when converting your GIFs to MP4.

2. MOV

The MOV format is an MPEG 4 format developed by Apple. This format serves as a container that can house larger files than other video formats. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of converting your GIF to MOV:

Advantages:

• It supports the storage of other multimedia formats, including GIFs.

• Since it can house large files, it is perfect for storing GIFs that are relatively large.

• The MOV format offers high video quality, which is vital when converting GIFs to other formats.

Disadvantages:

• Because they store large files, they can impact system storage and require a ber system to process the media.

• Due to their size, their performance on streaming platforms or multimedia players can be reduced.

3. AVI

The AVI format stores video and audio data using different codecs like XviD and DivX. AVI format videos don’t need substantial compression as they can store pretty large files and are supported across numerous platforms. Here are some of its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• It offers good image quality and high storage capacity for multimedia.

• You can use AVI files to create playable DVDs and discs after converting GIFs or other media formats to AVI.

Disadvantages:

• It can be bulky and difficult for systems to process.

• It doesn’t allow for direct streaming.

Part 3. Best Software to Add Music to a GIF on Windows/Mac

In this section, we will spotlight two of the best software programs for adding audio to animated GIF or any types of GIFs on Windows and Mac devices.

1. Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a dynamic AI-integrated video editor that facilitates easy and seamless video content creation. This software has an optimized interface, equipped with a drag-and-drop functionality that makes video editing quick and easy. Beyond this, Filmora also allows you to convert GIFs to your preferred video format and add music to it. These are some of the top features for adding music to GIFs in the tool:

• It allows you to convert GIFs to any video format, including MP4, MOV, and AVI, and it allows you to easily add your audio to the media.
• With Filmora, you can directly add your referred sound to your GIF before exporting it in a different format without first converting it.
• It offers unique sounds and music to add to your GIFs.
• It allows you to record your custom sound to add to your GIF file.
• Works on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Follow the steps on your device to install and launch it. Now that you’re all set, the following are the steps to using Filmora to add audio to GIFs:

2. MiniTool MovieMaker

Minitool MovieMaker is a video editing software tailored specifically to make the editing process easy for beginners. This tool offers a lightweight downloadable package that runs even on low-end PCs and features to convert your GIFs to any format and add audio to them. Here are some of its top features:

• With MiniTool MovieMaker, you can import and edit videos in any format, including GIF.
• This tool allows you to add audio to your GIFs with a few clicks easily.
• It offers audio effects and sounds to liven up your GIFs and videos.

The following are the steps to add MP3 to GIFs in MiniTool MovieMaker:

Wondershare Filmora VS. MiniTool MovieMaker - Comparison

Part 4. Online Tool to Add Music to GIFs Quickly

Aside from using desktop software, you can also add music to GIFs with online tools, like Kapwing, to save time and storage. Known for its versatility and easy video editing, Kapwing is one of the best tools to add audio to your GIF files online.

Here is how to do it:

Step 1: From the Kapwing studio, import your GIF file to the platform.

Step 2: Go to Audio and select the kind of audio you want to add. You can record a custom sound or simply add a preset sound from the audio library.

Step 3: Click on Export at the top of your screen and choose the format you want to save your GIF in.

Conclusion

Knowing how to add music to animated GIFs is one thing, but choosing the perfect platform can be a hassle. The ideal platform should offer various video formats as well as different features for adding audio media.

Filmora offers both, allowing you to add sound to your GIF in any form at the highest quality. Our platform also allows you to add audio of various types, such as voiceovers, generated AI music, and instrumentals that fit any theme to your video. Need I say more? Download Filmora today to get started!