Twitter Is Testing a Button That Serves Up Ready-Made GIFs for Users

Twitter users may soon see more GIFs in their newsfeed, thanks to a dedicated button the company is quietly testing.

It appears the social network is currently working on a GIF button that would allow users to select from a pool of ready-made animated images, so it could be easily added to a tweet to help convey their current mood.

See also: GIF vs. JIF: You’re Probably Still Saying It Wrong

Various Twitter users have tweeted, naturally, that a dedicated GIF tool has popped up in between the photos and polls options on their mobile app. Twitter user Phil Pearlman, who was among the first to spot the update, told TechCrunch tapping the GIF button reveals a collection of GIFs that are trending or fall into certain mood categories.

However, the report noted that Pearlman and other Twitter users mysteriously lost the GIF button feature once the news started to circulate on the site.

The addition of a GIF tool wouldn’t come as a big surprise, considering how Facebook and Tumblr have added GIF integrations to its platforms. Twitter is likely partnering with a third-party provider to supply the GIFs, but the company declined to comment on the specifics of the rumor. However, a Twitter spokesperson did include a GIF in an email to Mashable to sum up its official response:

(Image: Twitter)

It’s also common for Twitter to test new features and design updates before tweaking or rolling it out to a larger user base. Experiments typically go out to a small, random pool of users.

But one thing is clear: Twitter users sure seem to be excited about the promise of more GIFs coming to the platform.

BONUS: GIF vs. JIF: You’re Probably Still Saying It Wrong