How to Easily Import GIF Files into DaVinci Resolve

Last updated on 26 April 2023

GIFs are a fun way to liven up your projects, thanks to their unique visual aesthetic and easy sharing capabilities. They are a popular choice for web designers, who use them to spice up websites and online advertisements. But does DaVinci Resolve support GIF files?

In Short, no. DaVinci Resolve does not support GIFs. You can neither import them into the software nor export them from it. However, a quick solution is to convert the files into image sequences or video formats that the software supports and then proceed to import those file

Files and formats that DaVinci Resolve supports 

DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing software that supports many different file types, making it a popular choice for many projects. Some of the most common file types that the software supports include:

• Video formats, such as MOV, MP4, AVI, and WMV.
• Image sequences in a variety of formats, including JPEG, TIFF, and RAW.
• Audio formats, such as WAV and MP3.

Therefore, to use any files in the software, you will need to convert them into one of these supported file types.

2 Efficient ways you can import GIF files into DaVinci Resolve

How can you use a GIF file in DaVinci? The answer is to convert the file into an image sequence or video format that the software does recognize. Here’s a look at how you can do this: 

Method 1 – Convert the file into an image sequence

The first method is to convert the GIF file into an image sequence. You can extract the individual frames from the GIF, which you can import into DaVinci Resolve for editing.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Download a third-party program or visit a website that can extract images from GIF files, such as Zamzar.
2. Open the GIF file in the program or upload it to the website.
3. Select the output format as “TIFF” or another image sequence format supported by the software.
4. Save the extracted images to your computer.

5. Next, you will need to import these image sequences into DaVinci Resolve. You can do so by opening the software on your computer and importing the image sequence files into a new or existing timeline.
6. From there, you can begin editing your file as usual.

Method 2 – Convert the file into a video format

Another option is to convert your GIF file into an MP4 or other video format before importing it.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Download a third-party program, such as GIMP or Adobe Premiere Pro. Open & Import your GIF file into your Premiere Pro timeline. (You can also use the online file converter Zamzar for this method).
2. Select the “Export” option and choose a video format like MP4 or AVI. (We recommend MP4 due to wide support for the file type).

3. Save your file to your preferred location.
4. Once you’ve saved the video file, you can import it by selecting “Import” from the “File” menu and, selecting your video file, then clicking “Import“.

Key Takeaway: Unfortunately, you can’t import, edit, or export GIF files with DaVinci Resolve. Therefore, it’s best to know the media formats it supports and convert your GIF files into one of these formats before importing them.

Reputable Third-Party Programs for Converting GIFs

To convert your GIF files into formats that DaVinci Resolve supports, you can use one of the following reputable third-party programs or online tools:

EZGif (Online Tool)

EZGif is a popular online tool that offers various options for editing and converting GIFs. You can use this website to convert your GIF files into image sequences or video formats. The easy-to-use interface makes it simple to adjust settings and achieve the desired output.

GIF2Video (Online Tool)

GIF2Video is another web-based tool that enables you to convert GIF files into video formats such as MP4 or WebM. It’s easy to use, and the conversion process is relatively quick.

GIMP (Desktop Application)

GIMP is a powerful, free, and open-source image editing software that also supports GIF files. You can use GIMP to export individual frames from your GIF files as image sequences, which you can then import into DaVinci Resolve.

Adobe Photoshop (Desktop Application):

Adobe Photoshop is a widely used, professional image editing software that also supports GIF files. Photoshop allows you to import GIF files, edit individual frames, and export the frames as image sequences or convert the GIF into a video format like MP4.

FFmpeg (Command Line Tool)

FFmpeg is a powerful and versatile command-line tool for converting and processing multimedia files, including GIFs. With FFmpeg, you can convert your GIF files into video formats like MP4, MOV, or AVI, as well as extract image sequences.

These third-party programs and online tools provide you with multiple options to convert your GIF files into formats compatible with DaVinci Resolve, ensuring you can achieve the desired results for your projects.

Video tutorial

Here’s a quick guide that will show you how to import a GIF into DaVinci Resolve using the Zamzar online tool in just 54 seconds.

Conclusion

Using GIF files in DaVinci Resolve may seem difficult since the software doesn’t natively support these files.

But with some additional effort on your part, namely converting them into image sequences or video formats, you’ll soon be able to use them just like any other type of media within your projects! So get out there and start experimenting with different animations for your next masterpiece!