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Have you received a GIF in a text on your iPhone and wondered, "what does GIF stand for, anyway?" If you've been wondering what GIF means and how to find the GIF keyboard on your iPhone so you can start sending them, too, this is the article for you. GIFs are basically small, moving or animated pictures that you can use and send in a variety of ways. In this tip, we'll go over how to search for and send an Messages GIF. You won't need a GIF app or anything extra, and it's fun and easy. Let's get started!
Related: How to Save Stills from Live Photos
What Does GIF Stand For?
GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format, and GIFs have been around for over 30 years now. This file type is small in size and usually used to indicate moods or reactions, in a manner similar to how you might use emojis.
GIFs for Texting:
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Open the Messages app.
- Start a new conversation, or open a message thread that already exists.
- Then tap the red magnifying glass icon in the Messages app bar.
- Type your keyword into the Search bar.
- A list of suggestions will pop up as you type.
- Tap the GIF you like to add it to your message.
- Enter any additional text or comments.
- Then tap the blue circle to send.
Top Image Credit: ginger_polina_bublik / Shutterstock
