Adding Giphy to Slack takes three steps and takes about two minutes

Giphy is a search engine for animated GIFs. Slack has built Giphy into its messaging platform so you can search for and post GIFs without leaving the app. To turn it on, open Slack on your computer or phone, go to your workspace settings, find the Apps section, search for Giphy, and click Add to Slack. You will see a permissions screen asking Giphy to connect to your workspace — click Authorize. After that, you can search for GIFs directly from the message box.

The feature works the same way on desktop, web browser, and mobile. Once Giphy is connected to your workspace, every person in that workspace can use it. You do not need to add it separately for each channel or each person.

Key Takeaways

  • Giphy connects to Slack through the Apps section of your workspace settings, and the process takes about two minutes.
  • After you authorize Giphy, you search for GIFs using the slash command /giphy followed by what you want to find, or by clicking the plus icon next to the message box.
  • GIFs you post appear in the channel for everyone to see, and Slack stores them in your message history.
  • Giphy is free and does not require a separate account if you already use Slack.
  • You can disable Giphy for your workspace at any time through the same Apps settings menu.

How to find and install Giphy in Slack

Open Slack and go to your workspace name in the top left corner. Click it and select Settings and administration, then click Manage apps. In the search box at the top, type Giphy and press Enter. The official Giphy app will appear — it shows a colorful rainbow logo. Click on it.

You will see a page that says "Add to Slack" in a green button. Click that button. Slack will show you a permissions screen that lists what Giphy can do in your workspace — it can post messages and search for content. Click Authorize to confirm. After that, Giphy is active in your workspace and ready to use.

If you are on a phone, the steps are the same but the menu locations are slightly different. Tap your workspace name at the top, scroll down to Settings and administration, tap Manage apps, search for Giphy, and tap Add to Slack.

Searching for and posting a GIF in a channel or direct message

To search for a GIF, type a message as normal. Next to the message box, you will see a plus icon (on desktop) or a paperclip icon (on mobile). Click or tap it and select GIF from the menu. A search box will appear. Type what you want to find — for example, "celebration" or "confused cat" — and press Enter. Giphy will show you a grid of matching GIFs.

Click or tap the GIF you want to post. It will appear in the message box. You can add text before or after the GIF if you want, or just click Send to post the GIF alone. The GIF will appear in the channel or direct message for everyone to see, and it will stay in your message history.

You can also use the slash command method. Type /giphy followed by a space and what you want to find — for example, /giphy dancing — and press Enter. Giphy will show you results the same way. Both methods work equally well; use whichever feels faster to you.

What happens when you post a GIF and how others see it

When you post a GIF, Slack displays it as a full-size animated image in the channel or direct message. Other people in that conversation can see it when ready. They can react to it with emoji, reply to it, or share it to another channel. The GIF stays in the message history, so people can scroll back and see it later.

Giphy GIFs are hosted on Giphy's servers, not on Slack's servers. This means Slack does not store the actual image file — it stores a link to the image on Giphy. If Giphy removes a GIF from its library, the image may no longer appear in your message history, though this is rare.

Turning off Giphy if you do not want it in your workspace

If your workspace administrator decides Giphy should not be available, they can remove it. Go to Settings and administration, click Manage apps, search for Giphy, and click the app. On the app page, click the three-dot menu in the top right and select Remove from workspace. After that, no one in the workspace can search for or post GIFs using Giphy.

Individual users cannot turn off Giphy for themselves — only the workspace administrator can remove it for everyone. If you personally do not want to use Giphy, you straightforward do not have to search for GIFs. Other people in the workspace can still use it.

Why Giphy is built into Slack and what it means for your messages

Slack added Giphy because GIFs are a common way people communicate in chat. Instead of making you leave Slack to find a GIF on the web and then paste a link, Giphy lets you search and post without switching apps. This keeps conversations flowing faster.

When you use Giphy in Slack, you are connecting Slack to a third-party service. Giphy can see that you searched for certain GIFs and that you posted them in your workspace. If you have concerns about what data Giphy collects, you can read Giphy's privacy policy on their website. Your workspace administrator can also disable Giphy if your organization has privacy or security rules that prevent using third-party services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Giphy account to use Giphy in Slack?

No. Giphy works through Slack without requiring a separate Giphy account. When you authorize Giphy in Slack, you are giving Slack permission to connect to Giphy's search engine on your behalf.

Can I search for GIFs on my phone the same way as on desktop?

Yes. The process is identical — tap the paperclip icon, select GIF, type what you want to find, and tap the GIF you want to post. The search results and posting work the same way on all devices.

What if I post a GIF by accident and want to delete it?

Click or tap the three dots next to the message containing the GIF and select Delete message. The GIF will be removed from the channel and no one will be able to see it. You can also edit the message to remove the GIF and replace it with text.

Can my workspace administrator see what GIFs I search for?

Your workspace administrator cannot see your individual searches. They can see GIFs that you post in channels, because those are part of the message history. Direct message GIFs are only visible to the people in that conversation.

Does Giphy cost money to use in Slack?

No. Giphy is free for Slack workspaces of any size. Slack does not charge for the Giphy integration, and Giphy does not charge you to search or post GIFs.