Google may soon allow users to convert ChromeOS screen recordings into GIFs – Times of India

Google started allowing users to save screen recordings on their ChromeOS devices in 2021. ChromeOS users can easily record their screen’s content with a similar option and interface that helps them to take a screenshot. Moreover, Google also let users choose between recording the entire Chromebook screen, a single window, or a manually-selected part of the display. Now, a new report claims that Google is testing a new option to save ChromeOS screen recordings by turning them into animated GIFs. This change will also make it easier for users to share their screen recordings with others.
ChromeOS screen recordings new format: Importance
Currently, ChromeOS enables users to save screen recordings in WebM format. This comparatively new format is not only optimised for the web but is also designed to occupy less amount of storage. Since WebM is relatively new, some apps don’t fully support the format. This can turn out to be a problem for ChromeOS users as they will be unable to share a recording with a friend or family member.

ChromeOS screen recordings: What may change
According to a report by 9to5Google, the ChromeOS team is exploring the possibility of adding support for GIF recordings. The GIF-animated image format has been around for a long time now and is easier to share as they are supported by almost all apps and devices.
The only disadvantage of using GIF, instead of WebM to save screen recordings on ChromeOS will be the size of the file (GIF creates larger files). However, for short recordings, this could be an appropriate tradeoff for convenience.

As per the report, the development of this feature has begun recently and it will take some time before the developers add GIF screen recording support on Chromebooks. Moreover, it will take even longer to reach the end-user with a stable update.
Meanwhile, ChromeOS users can also convert their screen recordings from WebM to GIF with the free tools that are available online. Yet, having a built-in option will be more convenient for the users.