Whether it's a cozy miniature fireplace or a cute dancing kitten, an animated GIF seldom fails to entertain. One way to enjoy a GIF animation is to play it on your computer. If you use Windows Vista, you may have trouble doing that because its Photo Gallery program does not support the animated GIF format. However, you don't have to install a new operating system to view animated GIFs once you discover how to make them play in Vista.
GIF Format
- Not all GIFs are animated. Image files come in various formats including JPEG, PNG and GIF. A GIF is a compressed file that can only display 256 colors. Web site owners often use these GIFs to display graphics that require few colors, such as line art logos and cartoons. An animated GIF is nothing more than a GIF that contains multiple images. A software program capable of reading one of these files creates the illusion of motion when the animated GIF plays.
Animated GIFS in Vista
- Windows Media Center, also included with Vista, can’t play Animated GIFS either, but Internet Explorer can handle the job. This is possible because modern browsers must be able to play animated GIF files to support Web pages that use them. To play an animated GIF in Internet Explorer, launch the browser and click "File." Click "Browse," then double-click one of the GIF files you see in the file selection window that appears. Clicking "OK" plays the selected animated GIF in your browser on a new Web page.
Tips
- Find animated GIF files faster in Internet Explorer's file selection window by clicking the drop-down arrow above the Open button and choosing "Image Files." Windows Explorer filters the file list and displays only the image files located on your hard drive. You can also drag an animated GIF file from a folder onto any open page in Windows Explorer. The browser will navigate away from the current Web page and display the GIF. You can even add an animated GIF to your Favorites menu just as you would any other Web page. Adding GIFs to favorites is an excellent way to make them available from a single, handy location.
Desktop Animation Without Using GIFS
- If you own Windows Vista Ultimate and would like to add motion to your Vista desktop background, use Windows Update to download and install DreamScene. This free add-on, part of the Vista Ultimate Extras package, makes it possible for you to use any video as your computer's wallpaper. Add your favorite movies to DreamScene, or enjoy the ones that come with it. Videos run in a perpetual loop so your desktop is always in motion, even when you are not working.
