The quickest way to add a GIF on Snapchat

To add a GIF to a Snapchat message, open a chat or start a new one, tap the paperclip icon at the bottom left of the compose box, select "GIF," search for what you want, and tap the result to send it. The whole process takes about ten seconds once you know where the button is.

Snapchat pulls GIFs from Giphy, a database owned by Meta (which also owns Instagram and Facebook). When you search for a GIF, Snapchat sends your search term to Giphy's servers. Giphy logs what people search for, which helps them understand what content is popular — and also builds a record of your interests that can be tied to your Snapchat account.

Key Takeaways

  • GIFs on Snapchat come from Giphy, and your search terms are logged by both Snapchat and Giphy when you look for one.
  • The paperclip icon at the bottom of the compose box is where you find the GIF option — it is not in the camera or sticker menus.
  • Snapchat stores a record of which GIFs you send and to whom, even though the message itself disappears after it is viewed.
  • You can turn off personalized ads in Snapchat settings, but this does not prevent Giphy from collecting your search data.

Where your GIF searches go

When you search for a GIF on Snapchat, three parties see that search: you, Snapchat, and Giphy. Snapchat logs the search as part of your account activity. Giphy logs it as part of their analytics. Both companies can use that data to build a profile of your interests — what you find funny, what you are thinking about, what you search for when you think nobody is watching.

Giphy's privacy policy states they use search data to improve their service and to show you targeted ads. Snapchat does the same. If you search for "cat fails" fifty times, both companies now know you are interested in cat content, and they can use that to decide which ads to show you. This is not unique to GIFs — the same thing happens when you search for anything on any platform — but it is worth knowing that a casual search leaves a trail.

How to find the GIF button if you cannot see it

The paperclip icon appears at the bottom left of the message compose box, next to the text field where you type. If you do not see it, make sure you are in a one-on-one chat or group chat, not on the Stories or Discover pages. The icon only shows up when you are composing a message to send to a person or group.

On older versions of Snapchat, the GIF button was sometimes in a different place or labeled differently. If your Snapchat looks different from the steps described here, update the app from your phone's app store. Snapchat changes its layout frequently, and an outdated version may not have the current button placement.

What Snapchat keeps after you send a GIF

The GIF itself disappears from the chat after the person views it, just like a regular Snapchat message. But Snapchat's servers keep a record that you sent that GIF, to whom, and when. This data is part of your account history and can be used to build a profile of your behavior and interests over time.

If you read your Snapchat data using the "read My Data" tool in settings, you will see a list of the GIFs you have sent. This list is not visible to other users, but it exists in Snapchat's database. Law enforcement can request this data with a warrant, and Snapchat will hand it over. Snapchat also shares certain data with advertisers and third-party partners, though they do not share the specific GIFs you sent — they share aggregated information about your interests.

Controlling what ads you see after searching for GIFs

Snapchat's ad preferences menu lets you turn off personalized ads, but this does not stop the company from collecting your search data. It only stops them from using that data to target ads to you specifically. Your searches are still logged and still visible to Giphy.

To adjust your ad preferences, open Snapchat, tap your profile icon, tap the settings gear, scroll to "Ads," and tap "Ads Preferences." From there you can see which interest categories Snapchat has assigned to you based on your activity, and you can remove some of them. Removing an interest does not delete your search history — it just tells Snapchat not to use that interest to pick ads for you.

Why GIFs are different from stickers and filters

Stickers and filters are stored on Snapchat's own servers. GIFs come from an outside company (Giphy), which means your search goes to two places instead of one. Filters are also generated by Snapchat or user creators, so Snapchat controls what is available. GIFs are pulled from Giphy's massive library, which includes content from across the internet.

This matters because Giphy has its own privacy policy and its own data practices, separate from Snapchat's. If you care about limiting how many companies have access to your search history, using stickers instead of GIFs keeps your searches within Snapchat only. If you use GIFs, you are sharing your search terms with both Snapchat and Giphy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send a GIF without Snapchat knowing what I searched for?

No. Every search you make goes through Snapchat's servers before reaching Giphy, so Snapchat always sees what you search for. You can limit what they do with that information by turning off personalized ads, but the search itself is still logged.

Do my friends see what GIF I searched for, or just the GIF itself?

Your friends only see the GIF you send, not your search term. But Snapchat and Giphy both see the search term on their end. The person receiving the message cannot tell whether you searched for "funny cat" or scrolled through Giphy's trending section and picked one at random.

What happens if I delete a GIF from my chat history?

Deleting a message from your chat removes it from your view, but Snapchat's servers still have a record that you sent it. Snapchat keeps this data as part of your account history. Deleting the message from your phone does not delete it from Snapchat's database.

Is there a way to search for GIFs without Giphy collecting the data?

Not through Snapchat. Snapchat's GIF feature is built into Giphy's service, so using it means Giphy sees your search. If you want to avoid Giphy's data collection, you would need to use a different messaging app that does not integrate with Giphy, or avoid using the GIF feature altogether.