Facebook finally, finally, finally lets you put GIFs in comments
That sweet reaction GIF finally has a place on Facebook.
After a months-long test of the feature, the social network announced that it's finally rolling out support for GIFs in Facebook comments.
Beginning today, anyone can add a GIF to a Facebook comment using a new GIF button that appears alongside the emoji picker. Much like the GIF button in Facebook Messenger, the new GIF comments are sourced from Facebook's GIF partners, including Giphy, Tenor, and Disney.
Importantly, there are a few limitations. Though you can search for GIFs using the feature's built-in search, adding a specific GIF you have in mind may be a bit more difficult. You can't upload your own GIFs or post GIFs via a URL like you can with a normal Facebook post.
Facebook has a complicated history with GIFs. The social network supported GIF uploads in early versions of the service but discontinued it more than a decade ago. In 2015, Facebook reversed course and added support for GIF links via Giphy or other sources and added a GIF button to its Messenger.
Despite the restrictions, though, Facebook's GIF features remain hugely popular. Facebook users exchanged nearly 13 billion GIFs on Messenger in 2016 alone, according to the company, which works out to about 25,000 GIFs each minute.
Topics Facebook Social Media
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
