GIFV
Also known as: .gifv, Imgur GIFV, GIFV format
GIFV is not a real file format — it is a label Imgur coined for looping clips that look like GIFs but are actually delivered as MP4 or WebM video. The trick gives GIF-style autoplay loops at a fraction of a true GIF’s file size.
- Not a real format — an Imgur label for MP4/WebM
- Gives GIF-style loops at much smaller sizes
- The underlying file is actually video
A marketing name, not a format
A .gifv link on Imgur does not contain GIF data. Behind the scenes the page serves an MP4 or WebM video that loops automatically and silently, mimicking the behavior people expect from a GIF. The "GIFV" name was Imgur branding for that experience.
The reason it exists is size: animated GIFs are an old, inefficient format, and the same clip as compressed video is far smaller and smoother.
Saving or converting a GIFV
Because a GIFV is really video, the actual file you download is an .mp4 or .webm. If you genuinely need an animated GIF — for a chat app or platform that only accepts GIFs — you convert that video back to GIF, accepting the larger size and lower color fidelity.