How to Add the GIF Keyboard on iPhone

GIFs have become a staple of digital conversation — whether you're reacting to a friend's message or adding some personality to a group chat. The good news is that iPhones come with GIF search built directly into the keyboard through a feature called Gboard or Apple's native Emoji & Symbols panel, plus a dedicated GIF tool called #images. Getting it set up takes less than a minute, but a few variables affect exactly how it works for you.

What Is the GIF Keyboard on iPhone?

Apple doesn't use a separate "GIF keyboard" app in the traditional sense. Instead, GIF access on iPhone comes through two main paths:

• Apple's built-in #images feature — a GIF search tool built into iMessage
• Third-party keyboard apps — like Gboard (Google's keyboard) or GIPHY's dedicated keyboard, which add GIF browsing directly into your keyboard row

Both approaches work differently, and which one you'll want depends on where you're sending GIFs (iMessage only vs. any app) and how much you want to customize your keyboard experience.

How to Use Apple's Built-In GIF Search in iMessage 🎬

If you primarily text through iMessage, Apple already has GIF functionality baked in through the #images app, which lives in the iMessage app drawer.

Steps to access it:

1. Open the Messages app and start or open a conversation
2. Tap the App Store icon (the small "A" in a circle) to the left of the text field — this opens the iMessage app drawer
3. Look for the #images icon (it looks like a magnifying glass with a star or image icon)
4. If you don't see it, tap the three-dot "More" icon in the app drawer and look for #images in the list
5. Tap #images, search for a GIF, and tap to send

If #images isn't appearing in your drawer at all, it may need to be added:

1. Tap the More (•••) button at the end of the iMessage app strip
2. Tap Edit in the top right
3. Find #images under "More Apps" and toggle it on, or tap the + icon next to it

This method works exclusively inside iMessage — it won't appear in Instagram DMs, WhatsApp, or other messaging apps.

How to Add a Third-Party GIF Keyboard (Works Across All Apps)

If you want to send GIFs from any app — not just iMessage — a third-party keyboard is the better path. The most commonly used options are Gboard and GIPHY's keyboard.

Setting Up a Third-Party Keyboard

Step 1: Download the keyboard app Search the App Store for your preferred keyboard (Gboard, GIPHY Keyboard, or similar). Download and install it like any other app.

Step 2: Add it as a keyboard in Settings

1. Open Settings
2. Tap General
3. Tap Keyboard
4. Tap Keyboards
5. Tap Add New Keyboard
6. Find and select your downloaded keyboard from the list (e.g., "Gboard")

Step 3: Grant Full Access (if prompted) Most third-party keyboards will ask for Full Access — this allows the keyboard to function properly, including GIF search. Be aware that enabling Full Access means the keyboard developer can technically see what you type, so consider whether you're comfortable with that for a given keyboard app.

Step 4: Switch to the keyboard while typing

1. Open any messaging app
2. Tap into the text field to bring up the keyboard
3. Press and hold the globe icon (🌐) at the bottom left of the keyboard
4. Select your third-party keyboard from the popup

Once switched, you'll typically find a GIF button directly on the keyboard toolbar.

Comparing Your Two Main Options

Factors That Affect Your Experience 📱

Not every iPhone user will have the exact same setup, and a few variables shape how this all works in practice:

iOS version — The iMessage app drawer and #images feature have evolved over different iOS releases. On older iOS versions, the interface and available apps may look slightly different. Keeping iOS updated generally ensures the most complete feature set.

Default keyboard vs. switching — Third-party keyboards on iPhone require you to manually switch keyboards using the globe icon. Unlike Android, iOS doesn't let a third-party keyboard fully replace the default without that extra step. Some users find this seamless; others find it disruptive mid-conversation.

App compatibility — Some apps (especially banking or secure apps) block third-party keyboards entirely for security reasons. In those cases, iOS falls back to the Apple keyboard automatically.

How often you send GIFs — If GIFs are an occasional thing in iMessage conversations, #images is more than enough. If you're sending GIFs regularly across multiple platforms — Slack, Instagram, WhatsApp, iMessage — a dedicated third-party keyboard eliminates a lot of friction.

Storage and performance — Third-party keyboard apps add a small footprint to your device. On older iPhones with limited storage or RAM, this is worth factoring in.

A Note on GIF Quality and Libraries

Different tools pull from different GIF databases. Apple's #images uses Tenor as its primary source. Gboard also uses Tenor. GIPHY's keyboard, naturally, pulls from GIPHY's own library. The content available — and how well the search works — varies between these sources, so the "best" library is genuinely subjective depending on the types of GIFs you're searching for.

Whether the built-in iMessage option is enough or a system-wide keyboard makes more sense ultimately comes down to your own messaging habits, which apps you use most, and how much you care about privacy trade-offs when granting Full Access to third-party keyboards.