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birthday.video

Free · made on your device

Make your own happy birthday GIF

Cake, balloons, fireworks or confetti that loop forever, with their name on. Pick a design, type the name and download a GIF for any chat.

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.

A happy birthday GIF is a short animation that plays on a loop with no sound: candles flickering, balloons rising, confetti falling. Most GIFs online are the same few clips shared millions of times; here you pick a design, type their name and download a GIF that is theirs alone.

This page opens the editor with GIF chosen and a square shape, which is what chats and comment boxes show best. Type the Name, add the Age if you like, and press Export video, then choose GIF. Want sound as well? Switch to Video (MP4) and add one of the free Happy Birthday tunes.

The GIF is made in your browser, so nothing is uploaded and there is no watermark on it.

Start from one of these

How to make a happy birthday GIF

  1. Choose a design

    Press Make a birthday GIF and pick a design from Templates. Ones with a big title and bold colours read best at GIF size.

    The birthday.video template gallery on a phone: the heading Choose a birthday template, category buttons with Classic cards selected, the Story 9:16 format chosen, and animated cards named Confetti party and Wishes, line by line (enlarge image)

    Pick a card from the gallery; the category and the shape are already set by the page you came from.

  2. Add the name

    Type their Name, and the Age if it is a number they will enjoy seeing. Keep any Message to a few words.

    The Whose birthday is it? sheet for the Confetti party template, with Name filled in as Maya, Age 30 and the Message Have the best day, an Add photos and clips button and the Make the birthday video button (enlarge image)

    Type the Name, Age and Message, then Add photos and clips if you have them.

  3. Check it is set to GIF

    GIF is already chosen and Format is Square 1:1. Story 9:16 also works if you will post it as a Story.

    The Export video sheet with GIF selected: Small, Medium (selected) or Large, First 4 s (selected) or All 11 s, the note The GIF uses the first 4 seconds, 20 frames a second, loops forever, no sound, about 5.0 MB, and the Export GIF button (enlarge image)

    Choose GIF for a silent loop: pick a size and how much of the video it uses, and the sheet estimates the file size.

  4. Export and send

    Press Export video, then choose GIF, then Download video to save it, or Share on a phone to send it to a chat.

Happy birthday GIF ideas

  • Candles on a cake with their name piped across it: the classic, and right for anyone.
  • Balloons that rise and pop to show the age underneath.
  • Fireworks over the name, for someone who deserves a bit of noise, even a silent one.
  • Confetti and a big number for a milestone such as an 18th or a 50th.
  • Something silly for a friend, from the funny happy birthday designs.
  • A line of wishes appearing word by word, from the animated birthday wishes.

GIF or video: which to send

Send a GIF when

  • it is going into a busy group chat or a comment thread, where people scroll past quickly;
  • you want it to play on repeat without anyone pressing play;
  • sound would be unwelcome, at work for example.

Send an MP4 when

  • you want the Happy Birthday tune or your own song with it;
  • it is longer than a few seconds, or has photos and clips in it;
  • it is going to a Story or Status, where a video looks sharper.

GIFs have no sound and work best short and simple, so a design with lots of photos is better as a video. The happy birthday video page covers the MP4 side.

Keeping a GIF small and sharp

GIFs get large quickly, and chat apps shrink or refuse big files. A square design with a few bold colours and a short loop stays small and crisp. Long messages, photos and gradients all add weight; if a GIF looks blotchy, choose a simpler design or send it as an MP4.

Happy birthday GIFs: questions

Is the birthday GIF free?

Yes. Making and downloading a GIF is free, with no watermark and no account.

Can I put a name on a happy birthday GIF?

Yes. Type it into Name and it is drawn into every frame. The GIF with name page has more on getting names to read well.

Does a GIF have sound?

No. GIF files can’t carry sound. For the Happy Birthday tune, choose Video (MP4) and press Export video instead.

Will the GIF loop?

Yes. The GIF plays from start to finish and starts again, for as long as it is on screen.

What shape should a birthday GIF be?

Square 1:1 suits chats and comments best. Choose Story 9:16 under Format if it is going in a Story.

Is my GIF uploaded anywhere?

No. It is made by your browser on your phone or computer and only goes where you send it.