Hold your finger on a GIF in Pinterest and what usually gets saved is a still frame. The movement, which was the whole point, is lost. Paste the link of the animated Pin here and you receive the GIF file itself, looping the way it does on the site, ready for a chat, a slide or a newsletter.
Animated Pins are popular for quick craft loops, outfit transitions and tiny cooking steps, and they are light enough to send anywhere. The download goes directly to your device with no copy left on a server. A short ad is displayed first and can be closed as soon as the close button appears.
How it works
- Copy the GIF Pin linkOpen the animated Pin, which shows a GIF label on the thumbnail, tap the share arrow and choose Copy link.
- Paste it on this pagePut the link in the field at the top and tap the down arrow button.
- Save the GIFClose the ad and choose the GIF option. On iPhone, save it to Photos from the Files app to see it move.
Questions and answers
Why does my saved GIF not move?
Either the still preview was saved instead of the animated file, or the gallery app is showing only the first frame. Download it again through this page and open it in the browser or in a chat app, where GIFs play.
Will it be a GIF file or a video?
When the Pin is a GIF, you get a GIF file. Some animated Pins are actually short videos published by the author; in that case the page offers MP4, which is the format Pinterest holds for them.
Can I send the GIF on WhatsApp or use it in slides?
Yes. A GIF file can be attached in messaging apps and inserted in presentation or email tools like any image. Some chat apps convert it to their own looping format when sending, which does not change the animation.
Does the GIF lose quality when downloaded?
No change is made on our side. You receive the file as Pinterest stores it, with the same dimensions and number of frames. GIFs are naturally limited in colors, so some grain is part of the format.
Can I download GIFs from a secret board?
No. Only public Pins are supported, because the tool reads Pinterest without any login. A GIF saved on a secret board is visible just to the board's owner and collaborators and cannot be fetched by link.
Am I allowed to share a GIF I downloaded?
Share GIFs you created or have permission to use. Many animated Pins come from illustrators and small studios, so for anything public or commercial, ask the author first and keep the credit visible.