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YouTube testing GIF sharing

YouTube is testing a new option to create and share GIFs directly from its videos.

There are numerous tools out there for making short, sharable animated clips from longer YouTube videos, but the Google-owned video giant is looking to create its own tool for the job.

The company is testing a new sharing option within its videos that will enable you to create quick and easy GIFs of the content.

Gizmodo reports that the only channel it can find with the new option at present is the PBS Idea Channel, which suggests that it’s at a very experimental stage right now.

Still, the execution is very smooth. All you have to do on an enabled video is click Share, then GIF. You’ll then be taken to a visual representation of the timeline of the video, with fields for the start and end time of your GIF (up to six seconds) and a looping preview of the video snippet.

You can also add simple text to the top and bottom of the GIF, and that’ll be represented in the video too. Tap the Create GIF button when you’re satisfied, and there you have it – a sharable GIF, made in seconds from right within the source material.

Neither YouTube nor Google have commented on this experimental feature just yet, but it appears to be in a form that could be rolled out to the whole service at any moment now.

Read More: Best movie streaming services

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