How to Convert Video to Optimized GIF Locally on macOS Using FFmpeg

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A developer has shared a local, privacy-friendly method for converting videos to GIFs on macOS using FFmpeg, installed via the Homebrew package manager. A simple single-pass FFmpeg command converted a 15-second 1080p clip into a 25.1 MB GIF, far too large for easy sharing. The optimized two-step approach — first generating a custom 256-color palette, then using it to render the GIF at reduced frame rate and resolution — shrank the same clip to just 2.5 MB. The entire process took around nine seconds on an Apple Silicon Mac mini, roughly three times longer than the single-pass method but yielding a file over ten times smaller. Key tips include keeping frame rate at or below 20 fps and scaling down resolution, as these two factors have the greatest impact on final file size.

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