Now You Can Add GIF Stickers To Your Instagram Stories (And OMG Are They Adorable)

I can find a Lady Gaga or Lorelai Gilmore GIF to express almost any emotion, so the news that GIFs are coming to Instagram is beyond. If you're wondering how to use GIF stickers in Instagram stories, I've got all of the deets to make your Instagram GIPHY dreams come true. In an update that will be hitting users phones starting on Jan. 23, users should be able to share animated GIFs to all photos and videos, transforming their documented moments and making them even more sharable and memorable than they already are.

Because, sometimes you just really need a GIF to get your point across — whether that point is a cute puppy, an awkward dancing animal, a bursting firework, or even an eye roll. According to Instagram, the search function will allow users to get super specific about their GIF needs, from browsing the GIFs that are trending, GIFs that are relevant to pop culture, and GIFs that fit your particular ~mood~. If you want to get your GIF on right freakin' now, here's the quick and dirty about how to add GIPHYs to your Instagram stories so you can be the Insta envy of all your friends.

Update Your App

First thing's first: make sure you're operating on the newest version of Instagram. You should be able to go to your App Store to update. For good measure, once you've updated, force quit the app and restart it.

Open Instagram Stories

Open your Instagram Stories the way you usually would, by going to your feed and swiping left. Once you're there, take a picture or video.

Tap The Smiley Face Icon

On the top right is the smiley face icon where you can find stickers and emojis — that's where you'll also find GIFs in the new update.

Hit The "GIF" Button & Search For A GIF

if the app is updated, you'll see the "GIF" option on the second row. Tap that, and you should be able to search GIPHY for an appropriate GIF — like sunglasses, hats, eyes, lips, ears, and more, to layer over faces. If you want to add a touch of moodiness to your IG story, search "Effects" to find GIFs like sparklers, fire, confetti, glitter, and more.

Customize Your GIFs

You can also give your story some pop by searching "Peekers" for GIF stickers that will pop up and disappear.

"Peekers" are ideal for adding a little extra to things like landscape stories. If words are your jam, but you still want to use GIF stickers, simply search "Word Art" to find stickers with phrases like "Happy Birthday," "OMG," "LOL," "Bye," etc. You can also you can add theme-based GIF stickers to your IG stories to celebrate birthdays and other big events that deserve some extra props.

Post Your Work Of Art

Et voilà! You're a GIF Sticker master.

It's hard to think there was ever a time when GIFs weren't part of our every day. However, the first GIF was created just 20 years ago when web developer John Woodell found a way to convert videos into what's known as a graphics interchange format, or GIF. Woodell is credited with creating one of the first GIFs to go viral, the iconic dancing baby, according to Arch Daily. And, while social media takes a lot of flack for the dumbing down of our culture, things like GIFs actually return you to a childlike state when everything was new and fun. And, according to an article by Google's Abigail Posner in Fast Company, GIFs can also help your brain create new pathways.

"The visual web frees us to return to this childlike state, where we can adventure through a whole array of different, seemingly unrelated images and clips — be they old, new, from a world away or own backyard — sparking our all-important synapses, and helping us come up with new combinations and ideas so easily." Basically, things like dancing babies and cats taking baths are beneficial to your brain, so adding GIFs to your IG stories will not only make you feel good, it could also make you smarter. #TheMoreYouKnow.