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Happy birthday, Dad: wishes, GIFs and videos

A dad joke on a looping GIF, or a proper video of the photos he pretends not to care about. His name on screen, a tune underneath, ready in a few minutes.

Free · no sign-up · no watermark

Ready-made GIFs to send

Download one as it is, or press Add their name to open it in the editor and make it theirs.

The easiest happy birthday for your dad is his name and one good line on an animated card, sent as a GIF: it plays straight away in the family chat and keeps looping until he has read the joke twice. For something he will actually keep, make a video with old photos, a clip from the grandchildren and a Happy Birthday tune.

This page opens the editor on the family templates, with the greeting set for Dad and GIF chosen as the export. For a big number, the 60th birthday and 50th birthday pages have templates with the age up front.

It is free and works in your browser: the photos never leave your phone or computer, and nothing carries a watermark.

Start from one of these

Happy birthday wishes for Dad

Dads tend to prefer a joke with a straight line hidden in it. Pick one for the Message, or mix a funny one with a sincere one.

  • Happy birthday, Dad. Thanks for the advice I ignored and later took.

  • To the man who can fix anything except his own taste in music. Happy birthday.

  • Happy birthday to the world’s best dad and second-best driver (after me).

  • Dad, you taught me how to ride a bike, change a tyre and pretend I wasn’t crying. Thank you.

  • Happy birthday. Don’t worry about getting older, you’ve been practising for years.

  • You’re not old, Dad. You’re vintage.

  • Happy birthday to the person who always asks if I’ve checked my oil.

  • Everything I know about hard work, I learned watching you. Have a brilliant day.

  • Happy birthday, Dad. I hope your day is as long as one of your stories.

  • Thank you for every early start, every lift and every “I’m proud of you”.

  • Happy birthday to the king of the barbecue and the TV remote.

  • Dad, you’re the reason I can laugh at myself. Happy birthday.

  • Another lap around the sun, and you’re still the one I call when something breaks.

  • Happy birthday, Pops. Put your feet up; we’ll do the washing up. Probably.

  • Proud to be your kid every single day. Happy birthday, Dad.

How to make a happy birthday GIF or video for Dad

  1. Pick a template

    Press Make one for Dad above and keep the first family template, or open Templates and choose a funny one if he would hate anything soppy.

  2. Write the card

    Type Dad, Pops or his name in Name, his Age if it is a big one, and a wish from the list in Message.

  3. Add the photos he’s in

    For a video, choose Video (MP4), press Add photos and clips and add a few pictures: him holding you as a baby, a holiday, the shed, the car he loved.

  4. Export and send

    Press Export video, then Download video, or Share on a phone to send it to him or to the family chat.

Jokes, thank-yous or both

Plenty of dads find a sentimental card awkward and a joke easy, which is why the best birthday message for Dad is usually a joke with a thank-you tucked inside it. A GIF suits the joke: short, silent, looping in the chat. A video suits the thank-you, because the photos do the talking for you.

  • A funny template with a dad joke and his name is perfect for the morning message.
  • A family template with five or six photos and a slow tune is the one he will watch on his own later.
  • A milestone template puts a big gold number on screen for the 50th, 60th or 70th.

Photos and clips that work for dads

Look for the things he did, not the poses

Dads are often behind the camera, so there are fewer photos of them. Look for the candid ones: asleep on the sofa, lighting the barbecue, carrying a child on his shoulders, wearing the jumper everyone teased him about.

Ask the grandchildren

A ten-second clip of a grandchild saying “Happy birthday, Grandad” beats any caption. Ask parents to film it and send it to you, then add it with Add photos and clips. For a video with lots of people, see the birthday montage page.

Sound, size and where he will watch it

Add music has the site’s own Happy Birthday arrangements, free to use, or you can add a song file from your device: the band he played on every car journey, say. GIFs have no sound, so choose Video (MP4) if the music matters.

If he will watch on a television at a family meal, set Format to Landscape 16:9. For his phone, Square 1:1 or Story 9:16 fill the screen better.

Happy birthday Dad: questions

What is a good short happy birthday message for Dad?

Something short enough to read on a looping GIF: “You’re not old, Dad. You’re vintage.” or “Proud to be your kid every single day.” There are fifteen more in the list above.

Can I make a GIF with his name on it?

Yes. Type his name in Name, press Export video and choose GIF. The GIF loops on its own in WhatsApp, Messages and most chats.

Can I add his favourite song?

If you have it as a file on your device, yes, with Add music. Songs from streaming apps can’t be added; the site’s own Happy Birthday arrangements are always there as an alternative.

Will it play on his old phone?

GIFs and MP4s play on almost any phone. If he struggles with attachments, send the GIF: it shows up in the chat without having to be opened.

Is it free?

Yes. There is no charge, no watermark and no account, and the photos are never uploaded.