Support
GIF Giver is a fast little GIF picker for your Mac menu bar and for Apple Messages on iPhone. Search millions of GIFs, keep your favorites, and drop them anywhere. If something isn't behaving, this page will get you unstuck.
Get help
Can't find your answer below? Email us — we read every message and typically reply within a couple of business days. Please include your device (Mac or iPhone), your macOS or iOS version, and a short description of what happened.
Email: wjsigmon@gmail.com
Web: willsigmon.media
FAQ & troubleshooting
How does “Choose GIF to Copy” work?
On the Mac, choose Choose GIF to Copy from the macOS Services menu. Pick a GIF, then press Cmd + V to paste it into the active app.
GIF Giver copies your selection to the clipboard. It does not request Accessibility permission, monitor input, or control another app.
How do I search, copy, drag, and use the hotkey?
Open GIF Giver from its menu bar icon, or press the global hotkey Cmd + Opt + G from anywhere. Then:
- Search: start typing in the search box, or browse Trending and the category rows. Your own favorites, recents, and collections rank above web results.
- Copy: click a GIF (or right-click → Copy) to place it on your clipboard, then paste it into any app. You can copy as an animated GIF file, a direct GIF link, or the provider page link.
- Drag & drop: press and drag a GIF straight out of the window into Messages, Mail, Slack, a document — anywhere that accepts images. Animation is preserved.
- Choose GIF to Copy: choose it from Services, select a GIF, then press Cmd + V to paste it.
How do I control mature content and the max rating?
On iPhone and iPad, GIF Giver search is family-safe. There is no mature-content setting.
On Mac, results are capped at PG-13 unless you turn on "Include mature content (18+)" in Settings. Once that's enabled you can raise the maximum content rating up to R. Ratings run G → PG → PG-13 → R. Turn the toggle back off at any time to return to the family-safe PG-13 default.
Do my favorites and collections sync across devices in 1.0.1?
No. New favorites, recents, collections, and settings stay on the device where you make them. On iPhone and iPad, the companion app and Messages extension share the same-device library through Apple's App Group.
Version 1.0.1 neither reads nor writes iCloud library or settings data. Any KVS data left by an older release remains untouched under your Apple Account. The developer cannot access your local library. Durable private CloudKit synchronization is planned for a future update.
Do I need an account or a login?
No. GIF Giver has no account, no sign-in, and no sign-up of any kind. Just open it and start browsing — nothing to create, nothing to remember.
Where do the GIFs come from?
GIF content and search results are provided by GIPHY and Klipy, two third-party GIF services, and the app shows the required "Powered by GIPHY & Klipy" attribution. GIF Giver works out of the box with no setup or keys required.
How do I use GIF Giver inside Apple Messages on iPhone?
On iPhone, GIF Giver runs as an iMessage app:
- Open a conversation in Messages.
- Tap the apps icon next to the text field, then choose GIF Giver from the app drawer.
- Browse Trending, Favorites, or Recents, search, star GIFs you want to keep, and tap a GIF to insert it.
If you don't see it, swipe through the app drawer or tap the ••• / Edit button in Messages to make sure GIF Giver is enabled.
How do I reset or clear the cache?
GIF Giver caches thumbnails and recent results so browsing stays fast. On Mac, open Settings → Advanced and choose Clear GIF Cache. This only removes temporary cached data — your device-local favorites and collections remain intact. If the app ever feels stuck, quitting and reopening it (plus clearing the cache) resolves most hiccups.
What about my privacy?
GIF Giver is built to need as little of your data as possible: no tracking, no advertising, no analytics, and no account. Search terms are sent only to fetch results in real time and aren't tied to your identity. For the full details, read the Privacy Policy.