ChatGPT can now make GIFs: what’s new in Images 2.6 and how to try it
OpenAI's Images 2.6 lets ChatGPT create animated GIFs, generate images 50% faster and save reference photos. It's rolling out to every plan. Here's what's new and how to make your first GIF.
ChatGPT can now make animated GIFs. OpenAI released Images 2.6 on November 4, 2026, adding GIF creation, 50% faster image generation, and a new way to save reference images of yourself, your pets or your characters. It’s rolling out to every ChatGPT plan, including the free one. Here’s what’s new and how to try it.
What’s new in ChatGPT Images 2.6?
- GIF creation: turn characters, mascots, product photos, sketches, reactions and storyboards into short animated loops.
- 50% faster: OpenAI says images are generated about twice as fast as before.
- Saved image references: save photos of yourself, your pets or your characters, and reuse them later without uploading them again.
- Better consistency: characters, products and brand details should stay the same across several rounds of edits.
According to TestingCatalog, Images 2.6 is rolling out globally in ChatGPT and Codex on desktop, mobile and web, and is available “across every subscription tier.”
Images 2.6 lets you turn a single picture into a short animated loop, right inside ChatGPT.
How to make a GIF in ChatGPT
OpenAI hasn’t published a detailed step-by-step guide, but making a GIF works like any other image request. Here’s a simple way to try it:
- Open ChatGPT on the web or in the app. Make sure the app is updated, since the feature is still rolling out.
- Start with an image. Upload a photo or sketch, or ask ChatGPT to create a character first.
- Ask for a GIF. Be clear about the movement. For example: “Turn this cat drawing into a looping GIF where it waves its paw.”
- Refine it. Ask for changes like “make it slower,” “add a blinking animation” or “keep the background still.”
- Download the GIF and share it in chats, on social media or on your website.
Tips for better GIFs:
- Describe one simple action (waving, jumping, spinning) rather than a whole scene.
- Use a clear subject on a simple background.
- Mention whether it should loop smoothly.
OpenAI hasn’t shared limits on GIF length, frame count or how many you can make per day. Free users may hit usage limits sooner than paid users. Paid users should also know that, from December, ChatGPT and Codex will share one usage allowance. Read our article on ChatGPT and Codex usage limits.
Saved image references: what they are
This feature lets you save reference images, for example a photo of yourself, your dog or a cartoon character, so ChatGPT can use them in new images without you uploading them every time. That’s useful for things like consistent characters in a comic, or product photos for a small business.
Privacy tip: think carefully before saving photos of yourself or other people. Only upload images you’re comfortable storing with OpenAI, and don’t save photos of others without their permission.
What’s new for developers (API)
The update also comes to developers as GPT-Image-2.6, with two model options:
- Flare: built for speed and clean layouts like posters and product images. At low quality, it can create an image in as little as six seconds.
- Sunburst: built for detail and consistency across multiple edits.
Other API additions:
- Image markup: mark specific areas of an image to change, as in ChatGPT
- SVG export: vector graphics for websites, apps and print
- Complexity setting: low for quick edits, medium or high for detailed scenes
Check OpenAI’s pricing page for current API prices.
How does it compare?
AI image tools are competing hard. Canva has its own AI image generator, which we covered in our Canva Craft guide, and Google just made its Gemini Omni video model cheaper and able to make longer clips. ChatGPT’s advantage is that GIFs now sit inside the same chat you already use for writing and research.
What it means for you
- For everyday users: a fun, easy way to make reaction GIFs, birthday animations and stickers.
- For creators and small businesses: quick animated product shots and mascots for social media.
- For everyone: AI images and animations are getting harder to tell apart from real ones. Our guide on how to tell if an image is AI-generated can help.
Frequently asked questions
Can ChatGPT make GIFs?
Yes. With Images 2.6, released on November 4, 2026, ChatGPT can turn images, characters and sketches into short animated GIF loops.
Is ChatGPT GIF creation free?
According to reports, Images 2.6 is rolling out across every ChatGPT plan, including free. Free users may have lower usage limits.
What are Flare and Sunburst?
They are two versions of OpenAI’s GPT-Image-2.6 model for developers. Flare focuses on speed, and Sunburst focuses on detail and consistency across edits.
How fast is ChatGPT Images 2.6?
OpenAI says it is about 50% faster than before. In the API, the Flare model can produce a low-quality image in as little as six seconds.
