Canbari
← GIF Tools

Reverse a GIF for Rewinds and Boomerang Loops

Original GIF Settings

Ready
Original GIFUpload a GIF to reverse

How do you play a GIF backwards?

Play an animated GIF backwards or make a boomerang that combines forward and reverse playback. Adjust the speed and check where the loop begins and ends before processing. A normal reverse changes frame order; a boomerang also adds a return pass. Use this for a rewind effect or a repeating motion that returns to its starting position.

Cost: Free to use. File size and usage limits apply.

How to reverse a GIF

  1. Upload one GIF

    Click Choose file or drop a GIF on the preview area. Animated and single-frame GIFs up to 200 MB work. GIFs you uploaded or created in other GIF tools are listed under Uploads, so you don't need to upload them again.

  2. Pick a mode

    In the panel below the preview, choose Reverse, Boomerang or Reverse Boom. The preview keeps playing your original GIF; the reversed version appears there once the job has finished.

  3. Change the speed only if you need to

    The speed starts at 1x, which keeps the original timing. Drag the slider (0.25x to 4x in steps of 0.25) or type a value from 0.05x to 20x into the box next to it.

  4. Leave Optimize result on

    The Optimize result switch in the 1. Settings card is on by default. It keeps every frame and the timing, so you can leave it on.

  5. Reverse and download

    Click Reverse GIF. When the job is done, the preview plays the result and the result card shows its file size. Click Download to save it. Adjust takes you back to the original with your settings kept; New GIF opens the file picker. The result also stays under Uploads for the other GIF tools.

Modes and speed explained

Reverse
Plays all frames in the opposite order. The frame count and the dimensions in px stay the same. Use it for rewind and "undo" effects, such as spilled coffee flowing back into the cup.
Boomerang
Plays the GIF forward, then backward, so the motion ends where it started and the loop has no jump. At the same speed, the result has nearly twice as many frames and runs nearly twice as long. The extra frames can increase file size, but the change depends on the animation and its new compression.
Reverse Boom
The same round trip in the other direction: backward first, then forward, so the GIF opens on its final frame. Frame count and duration are the same as with Boomerang.
Speed (slider and box marked x)
Changes how long each frame is shown, and every frame is kept. At 0.5x a frame shown for 100 ms is shown for 200 ms; at 2x it is shown for 50 ms. A 4-second GIF plays in about 2 seconds at 2x unless some delays reach the tool's minimum of 20 ms per frame. Once that floor is reached, a higher factor cannot shorten those delays further.
Optimize result
On by default. After reversing, it runs a lossless optimisation pass over the finished GIF that trims the file size while keeping all frames, the timing and the size in px. For bigger savings, lower the colour count or the dimensions in Optimize GIF.

What happens to timing, loops and colours

Every frame takes its own delay with it to its new position. If all frames have the same or nearly the same delay, as in GIFs converted from video, the timing looks unchanged. If your GIF pauses somewhere, the pause stays on the same picture: a hold on frame 3 of 12 is still a hold on that picture, which is now frame 10. A GIF that pauses on its final frame pauses on its opening frame after reversing.

The loop setting of the original is kept: an endlessly looping GIF keeps looping, and a GIF set to play once or a fixed number of times keeps that setting.

The GIF is re-encoded with one shared palette of up to 256 colours for the whole animation. When the original colours fit that palette, they can remain unchanged. Some encoders give each frame its own palette to fit in more colours, for example for photographic content. Mapping those frames to a shared palette can shift colours and introduce fine dithering patterns. File size depends on the images and the new encoding, so compare the result with the original even for a plain reverse.

Transparent areas stay transparent, the dimensions don't change and no watermark is added.

Formats and limits

Input formats
GIF, animated or single-frame. To play an MP4 or another video backwards, use Reverse Video.
Output format
GIF with the same dimensions and loop setting as the original
Maximum file size
200 MB per GIF
Files per job
1
Processing
On our servers with FFmpeg, not in your browser. A job can run for up to 15 minutes.
Watermark
None
Storage
Uploads and results are deleted automatically after 48 hours for guests and after 30 days for free accounts. Paid plans can keep files longer.

Frequently asked questions

Can I undo a reversed GIF?

Yes. Reversing never changes your upload: the original stays under Uploads until it expires. You can also run the reversed GIF through Reverse at 1x again, which restores the original frame order and timing.

Why is my reversed GIF larger than the original?

Boomerang and Reverse Boom contain nearly twice as many frames, which can increase file size. A plain reverse can also grow when separate frame palettes are replaced with one shared palette and dithering. The size change depends on the original animation and its new compression; check the downloaded file. To cut the size, open the result in Optimize GIF; it is already listed under Uploads.

Does speeding up a reversed GIF drop frames?

No. Speed changes how long each frame is shown, so every frame stays in the GIF. Slowing down stretches those delays. When speeding up, the tool keeps a minimum delay of 20 ms per frame. A higher factor cannot shorten a frame's delay once it reaches that floor.