Use case
Documentation and tutorial GIFs readers can actually follow
A short loop next to each step shows exactly where to click, right where people are reading.
How to · 3 steps
Step by step
- 1
Record the whole task once
Go slower than feels natural; Tidy up cuts the hesitations.
- 2
Annotate and split
Add a numbered step or arrow on each control, then press S between steps.
- 3
Export one GIF per step
Export each clip separately sizes each GIF for your docs tool.
One step per GIF
Readers can’t pause a GIF, so keep each one to a single action, 3–8 seconds, under the sentence it illustrates. Hold the end state for a second: that’s the frame they compare with their screen.
Readable in the docs column
Docs show images 650–900 px wide; a full-screen capture squeezed into that is unreadable.
- Record a smaller window, or crop to the panel in use.
- Zoom into small dropdowns and toggles.
- Export at the column width; wider just gets scaled down.
- Write each step so it works without the GIF, and add alt text.
| Platform | Max GIF size | Lazygif preset |
|---|---|---|
Notion | 5 MB | 800px · 15 fps · ≤ 4.6 MB |
Confluence | 100 MB | 800px · 15 fps · ≤ 9.2 MB |
Intercom articles | 104 MB | 650px · 15 fps · ≤ 4.6 MB |
Zendesk Help Center | 20 MB | 800px · 15 fps · ≤ 9.2 MB |
Medium | 25 MB | 800px · 15 fps · ≤ 4.6 MB |
FAQ
Questions, answered
Should documentation use GIFs or videos?
GIFs for single steps people follow along with; video for overviews, narration or anything over about 15 seconds.
What’s the GIF size limit in Notion?
5 MB per file on the Free plan. The Notion preset targets that.
What frame rate should tutorial GIFs use?
10–15 fps: smooth for UI, and small enough for several GIFs on one page.
Related
Keep going
- Bug reports“It doesn’t work” becomes a five-second loop of exactly what happened. Record it, blur what shouldn’t be shared, and paste it in the ticket.
GitHub issues & PRs · 10 MB - Changelogs & release notesA five-second loop next to each entry says more than the paragraph above it. Keep the set consistent and the page light.
GitHub issues & PRs · 10 MB - Screen recorderRecord your screen and get a clean GIF, right in your browser. Free, no watermark, nothing uploaded.
GitHub issues & PRs · 10 MB - Crop GIFCrop a GIF to square, 16:9, 4:5 or 9:16, or drag your own crop. Free, no watermark, nothing uploaded.
LinkedIn · 5 MB
Make your first GIF now.
Record your screen or drop in a video. Free, no watermark, nothing uploaded.