How to Download Pinterest GIFs (as Real GIFs, Not Videos)

A practical guide, works on phone and desktop, no app needed.

Quick Answer: Download Pinterest GIFs

To download a Pinterest GIF as a real GIF file, copy the pin link, paste it into Pinterest downloader, choose the GIF format option, and download. One honest warning first: many pins labeled “GIF” on Pinterest are actually short looping videos, if your download comes back as an MP4, that’s what the pin really was. Details below.

What you’ll need

• A phone or computer with any modern browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, all fine)
• The link to the GIF pin you want to save

Step 1: Copy the pin link

From the Pinterest app: open the pin, tap the share icon, and choose Copy link.

From a browser: open the pin and copy the address from the address bar. Both pinterest.com/pin/… links and pin.it short links work.

Step 2: Paste the link and choose the GIF format

1. Go to downloadpins.com in your browser.
2. Paste the pin link into the box and tap Download.
3. You’ll see a preview with the available format options. Choose GIF (not MP4) and download the file.
4. The GIF saves to your usual downloads location, the Downloads folder in Files on iPhone, or Files → Downloads on Android, or your computer’s Downloads folder.

Why some “GIFs” download as MP4 instead

This is the single most common confusion, and it’s not a bug in the downloader. Pinterest hosts a lot of its animated content as short looping video files even when the pin looks and behaves like a GIF. If the pin’s underlying file is a video, the honest result is an MP4, converting it to a GIF anyway would balloon the file size and strip quality for no reason.

As a rule of thumb: true GIFs on Pinterest are usually older pins or simple animations; newer animated pins are almost always MP4s in a GIF costume. If you specifically need a GIF file (for a platform that only accepts GIFs), pick pins that resolve to the GIF format option.

Troubleshooting GIF downloads

“I chose GIF but got an MP4”

The pin’s source file is a video, not a GIF, see the section above. Use the MP4 as-is; it loops the same way and is much smaller than a converted GIF would be.

“The GIF won’t play in my gallery”

Some gallery apps show the first frame of a GIF as a still image. Open the file in your browser or a dedicated image viewer to confirm it animates. On iPhone, open it from Files; on Android, open it once from the Files app.

“The GIF file is huge”

Real GIFs are inefficient, a few seconds of animation can be several megabytes, ten or twenty times the size of the same clip as MP4. That’s the format, not a problem with your download. If size matters (sending in a chat app, for example), the MP4 version is the better choice.

“My messaging app won’t send it”

Chat apps cap attachment sizes, and big GIFs blow past those caps fast. Send the smaller MP4 version instead, or trim the GIF’s length first. Most recipients can’t tell the difference.

“The link says the pin can’t be resolved”

Make sure you copied a single pin link (pinterest.com/pin/…), not a board, profile, or search page. Private pins, secret-board pins, and deleted pins can’t be downloaded by any tool, that’s a Pinterest limitation, not a bug.

Downloading Pinterest videos and images too

GIFs are one format the downloader handles, the same steps work for videos and still images. Device-specific walkthroughs are available for iPhone and Android, and there’s a dedicated guide for images guide.

A note on what you save

Downloading is easy; using what you download well is the part people forget. Save GIFs for personal use, reactions, reference, mood boards. If you plan to repost someone’s work, credit them and check the pin’s original source first. Creators upload to Pinterest to be found, and a link back is the least the download costs you.

Frequently asked questions

How do I download a Pinterest GIF as a GIF and not a video?

Copy the pin link, paste it into the downloader, and choose the GIF format option. If only MP4 is offered, the pin’s source file is genuinely a video, that’s what Pinterest hosts, not a downloader limitation.

Why is the GIF file so much bigger than the video version?

The GIF format stores every frame as an image with no real video compression, so it’s inherently large. The same animation as MP4 is typically a tenth of the size. Use GIF only when you specifically need the format.

Can I get a GIF with sound?

No, the GIF format has no audio track at all. If the animation has sound you want to keep, download the MP4 version instead.

What’s the difference between a Pinterest GIF and a video pin?

On screen, often nothing, both loop silently. Under the hood, a true GIF is an image file and a video pin is an MP4. The downloader shows you which one the pin actually is via the format options.

Do GIFs download in full quality?

You get the file Pinterest serves, at its original resolution. The downloader doesn’t upscale or recompress, what you see in the preview is what you get.

Is it legal to download Pinterest GIFs?

Saving GIFs for personal use is generally fine, but reposting or commercial use of someone else’s content without permission can infringe copyright. When in doubt, credit the creator and link to the original pin.