Program to display animated .gif file

July 30, 2011 6:16 PM

Is there a program that would allow me to display an animated .gif on a Windows desktop? I envision it as looking similar to Windows' Slide Show widget, with a simple border, but with the ability to display the animated image file.
posted by SpacemanStix to computers & internet (5 answers total)

Internet Explorer, bundled with Windows, can play them by default. You may have to right click on the image file and select Open With, then find the Internet Explorer shortcut. That doesn't match your aesthetic requirement, if that is really important after all. Check out IrfanView as a decent all around image viewer alternative.
posted by sprocket87 at 7:54 PM on July 30, 2011

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, there are various ways to display them in general. As you surmised, I'm also interested in the aesthetic component. I have the file that I'd like to display somewhat permanently within a picture frame of sorts on my desktop.
posted by SpacemanStix at 8:06 PM on July 30, 2011

Ah, thanks for the clarification. I'm on my phone and can't think of any decent image viewers that would fit the bill from am aesthetic point of view from the top of my head.

Then again, using a web browser like IE would actually give you as much aesthetic control as you like, if this is to be a permanent picture frame like you describe. Just make a basic web page with the visual frame you like and embed the gif, then view the page full screen and voila! Kinda hacky but it gives you full control over the appearance.

But somehow I doubt this is what you're looking for ;)
posted by sprocket87 at 8:16 PM on July 30, 2011

I don't mind a hack like that, although in this case, I'm hoping to have it in the corner of the desktop, off to the side. Full screen wouldn't quite do it. One thought was that if there is a image viewer that you could display borderless (and getting rid of the UI, etc.), that might work.
posted by SpacemanStix at 8:19 PM on July 30, 2011

Okay, I found a program that seems to do exactly what I wanted. Thanks for helping me talk it through.
posted by SpacemanStix at 8:55 PM on July 30, 2011