GIFs under videos and Shorts
YouTube has started letting people post GIFs in comments in its mobile app. Viewers who have the feature can add an animated reaction under a regular video or a Short instead of typing a reply. The rollout is slow, though. 9to5Google reported that many people center around not having the feature, but seeing them posted by other users.
According to YouTube's announcement, any GIF posted will come from a library within the app. 9to5Google said it is unclear if users will be able to upload their own animated files. YouTube Premium does not appear to be required: the same outlet reported it isn't limited to Premium subscribers, it seems.
A November date in the developer docs
YouTube has not given a consumer launch date. TechRepublic pointed to a Sept. 30 YouTube Data API update stating that images and animated GIFs attached to comments will reach all users in November 2026. It also noted that the entry does not provide a device-by-device rollout schedule.
