Twitter: GIFs on DM (Direct Message) show up as black screen, can't save them
I am having a problem trying to see and save a GIF image. As you know, if you click on a GIF on Twitter, you will just get a black screen. The problem is easy to solve by using a 3rd party site like EZGIF. But what if the image was uploaded to DM?
I have a GIF file that was given to me through Direct Message, and just like before, I get a black screen. However, because the post was sent to me privately, I have no idea how to save it. Unlike public posts, Direct Messages do not have a singular link that EZGIF can detect (eg. public posts have the "status" word in the URL, DMs do not), The only way I can now see GIFs of any kind on Twitter is to see them in my mobile device, an Apple iPod Touch or iPod Mini, but as far as I know, none of them allow me to save the GIF, only view it.
How can I see a GIF file that is on my DM, and save it while overcoming the dreaded Twitter glitch?
All Replies (7)
Is this the method you're using:
https://ezgif.com/help/saving-gifs-from-twitter
I don't think the GIF/video should be black in Firefox in the first place. That's odd.
In their example, they reference this tweet:
https://twitter.com/YahooTech/status/641234556025184256
Yours doesn't show the video playing, just a black rectangle?
If you right-click the black area, does your context menu have the Copy Video Location option? If it does, you can paste that into the video-to-GIF converter at
https://ezgif.com/video-to-gif
If not, well, maybe we can solve the video not playing issue.
Is Twitter the only site where videos don't play?
That is correct, just the black rectangle.
I actually do not have the "Copy Video Location" option when I right-click it.
And it's just Twitter.
EDIT: I had my sister sent me an example (censored for privacy). Here's what it looks like before, then after:
Modified by no1wammy
If you right-click the black area, or Shift+right-click it, what kind of context menu do you get? I'm attaching an example.
Save Page As... Save Page To Pocket Send Page To Device (continues) View Background Image Select All View Page Source View Page Info Inspect Element Take A Snapshot NoScript AdBlocker Ultimate
I know for a fact neither of the plugins are at fault. I loaded Firefox in Safe Mode prior to submitting this post, and the same problems occurred even with Safe Mode.
EDIT: Whoops, misread your original post. It's the same thing as what you posted.
Modified by no1wammy
After the EDIT, I'm not completely certain what you see. It sounds as though you get the "video" menu even when the video won't play? I don't know why it won't play; possibly some anti-autoplay feature is kicking in. But if you do get the video menu, hopefully you have Copy Video Location for the workaround.
Yes, I was able to find it. But that would mean saving the file and sending it to EZGIF for conversion, and I honestly would prefer avoiding the hassle. There has to be an easier way, but it seems like Twitter will never accommodate for Firefox users.
On a side note: I tried Opera, and it too was hampered by the same Twitter bug. I refuse to do Chrome because the last time I tried using that app, my computer crashed.
I don't think you need to save the file first. What I did for testing was:
right-click > Copy Video Location
Then paste the address into their converter page at https://ezgif.com/video-to-gif
I still don't know why the video doesn't play for you automatically or when you click the black area.