GIF over 5 MB: why Steam won’t take it and how to shrink it
Steam does not accept artwork files over 5 MB, and GIFs grow fast because every frame is a whole picture. Usually a slightly shorter clip and a lower frame rate are enough.
Step by step
- Let Showcase Maker fit it
Add the GIF or video, choose the showcase type and create the files. Every finished GIF is fitted under 5 MB: the encoder looks for the best quality that still fits, starting from the original frames each time.
- Shorten the clip
Each second adds frames. A 3–6 second loop is plenty for a showcase. The “Loop” tool cuts a short piece of a video and makes the joint seamless.
- Lower the frame rate
15 frames per second looks smooth on a profile and is about half the size of 30. Set it under “Quality and format”.
- Keep the width Steam shows
A wider file than the showcase (630 px Featured, 506 + 100 px Artwork, 150 px per Workshop part) only adds weight. Tall GIFs for long showcases carry more pixels per frame, so give them fewer frames.
- Compress a finished GIF
If the GIF is already made, the “GIF Optimizer” tab reduces colours and adds lossy compression, with a before/after comparison (Pro).
Common questions
Will the quality drop?
A little: fewer colours or frames. Showcase Maker always starts from the original frames, so it never compresses an already compressed GIF again.
Steam rejects a GIF that is under 5 MB
The upload trick also needs the file to end with a particular byte (HEX 21). Files from Showcase Maker already have it; GIFs from other editors often do not.
Do the five Workshop parts stay in sync?
Yes. They are encoded as one group with the same frames, so they play together.