diff --git a/src/components/MediaPreview.tsx b/src/components/MediaPreview.tsx
index acd4b313fb..542e546c42 100644
--- a/src/components/MediaPreview.tsx
+++ b/src/components/MediaPreview.tsx
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ export function Embed({
   } else if (e.type === 'video') {
     return (
       <Outer style={style}>
-        <VideoItem thumbnail={e.view.thumbnail} alt={e.view.alt} />
+        {e.view.presentation === 'gif' ? (
+          <GifItem thumbnail={e.view.thumbnail} alt={e.view.alt} />
+        ) : (
+          <VideoItem thumbnail={e.view.thumbnail} alt={e.view.alt} />
+        )}
       </Outer>
     )
   } else if (
@@ -81,11 +85,29 @@ export function ImageItem({
   alt,
   children,
 }: {
-  thumbnail: string
+  thumbnail?: string
   alt?: string
   children?: React.ReactNode
 }) {
   const t = useTheme()
+
+  if (!thumbnail) {
+    return (
+      <View
+        style={[
+          {backgroundColor: 'black'},
+          a.flex_1,
+          a.aspect_square,
+          {maxWidth: 100},
+          a.rounded_xs,
+        ]}
+        accessibilityLabel={alt}
+        accessibilityHint="">
+        {children}
+      </View>
+    )
+  }
+
   return (
     <View style={[a.relative, a.flex_1, a.aspect_square, {maxWidth: 100}]}>
       <Image
@@ -103,7 +125,7 @@ export function ImageItem({
   )
 }
 
-export function GifItem({thumbnail, alt}: {thumbnail: string; alt?: string}) {
+export function GifItem({thumbnail, alt}: {thumbnail?: string; alt?: string}) {
   return (
     <ImageItem thumbnail={thumbnail} alt={alt}>
       <View style={[a.absolute, a.inset_0, a.justify_center, a.align_center]}>
@@ -125,22 +147,6 @@ export function VideoItem({
   thumbnail?: string
   alt?: string
 }) {
-  if (!thumbnail) {
-    return (
-      <View
-        style={[
-          {backgroundColor: 'black'},
-          a.flex_1,
-          a.aspect_square,
-          {maxWidth: 100},
-          a.justify_center,
-          a.align_center,
-          a.rounded_xs,
-        ]}>
-        <PlayButtonIcon size={24} />
-      </View>
-    )
-  }
   return (
     <ImageItem thumbnail={thumbnail} alt={alt}>
       <View style={[a.absolute, a.inset_0, a.justify_center, a.align_center]}>
@@ -157,7 +163,7 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     paddingHorizontal: 6,
     paddingVertical: 3,
     position: 'absolute',
-    right: 5,
+    left: 5,
     bottom: 5,
     zIndex: 2,
   },
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/Gif.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/Gif.tsx
index 0a455b546e..21211e3b33 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/Gif.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/Gif.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import {useRef, useState} from 'react'
 import {
-  Pressable,
   type StyleProp,
   StyleSheet,
   TouchableOpacity,
@@ -17,60 +16,13 @@ import {useAutoplayDisabled} from '#/state/preferences'
 import {useLargeAltBadgeEnabled} from '#/state/preferences/large-alt-badge'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
 import {Fill} from '#/components/Fill'
-import {Loader} from '#/components/Loader'
+import {MediaInsetBorder} from '#/components/MediaInsetBorder'
 import * as Prompt from '#/components/Prompt'
 import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
-import {PlayButtonIcon} from '#/components/video/PlayButtonIcon'
 import {IS_WEB} from '#/env'
 import {GifView} from '../../../../../modules/expo-bluesky-gif-view'
 import {type GifViewStateChangeEvent} from '../../../../../modules/expo-bluesky-gif-view/src/GifView.types'
-
-function PlaybackControls({
-  onPress,
-  isPlaying,
-  isLoaded,
-}: {
-  onPress: () => void
-  isPlaying: boolean
-  isLoaded: boolean
-}) {
-  const {_} = useLingui()
-  const t = useTheme()
-
-  return (
-    <Pressable
-      accessibilityRole="button"
-      accessibilityHint={_(msg`Plays or pauses the GIF`)}
-      accessibilityLabel={isPlaying ? _(msg`Pause`) : _(msg`Play`)}
-      style={[
-        a.absolute,
-        a.align_center,
-        a.justify_center,
-        !isLoaded && a.border,
-        t.atoms.border_contrast_medium,
-        a.inset_0,
-        a.w_full,
-        a.h_full,
-        {
-          zIndex: 2,
-          backgroundColor: !isLoaded
-            ? t.atoms.bg_contrast_25.backgroundColor
-            : undefined,
-        },
-      ]}
-      onPress={onPress}>
-      {!isLoaded ? (
-        <View>
-          <View style={[a.align_center, a.justify_center]}>
-            <Loader size="xl" />
-          </View>
-        </View>
-      ) : !isPlaying ? (
-        <PlayButtonIcon />
-      ) : undefined}
-    </Pressable>
-  )
-}
+import {GifPresentationControls} from '../VideoEmbed/GifPresentationControls'
 
 export function GifEmbed({
   params,
@@ -120,8 +72,6 @@ export function GifEmbed({
       style={[
         a.rounded_md,
         a.overflow_hidden,
-        a.border,
-        t.atoms.border_contrast_low,
         {backgroundColor: t.palette.black},
         {aspectRatio},
         style,
@@ -139,10 +89,11 @@ export function GifEmbed({
             right: -2,
           },
         ]}>
-        <PlaybackControls
+        <MediaInsetBorder />
+        <GifPresentationControls
           onPress={onPress}
           isPlaying={playerState.isPlaying}
-          isLoaded={playerState.isLoaded}
+          isLoading={!playerState.isLoaded}
         />
         <GifView
           source={params.playerUri}
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/GifPresentationControls.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/GifPresentationControls.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aaeaf742d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/GifPresentationControls.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import {Pressable, StyleSheet, View} from 'react-native'
+import {msg, Trans} from '@lingui/macro'
+import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
+
+import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
+import {Fill} from '#/components/Fill'
+import {Loader} from '#/components/Loader'
+import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
+import {PlayButtonIcon} from '#/components/video/PlayButtonIcon'
+
+export function GifPresentationControls({
+  onPress,
+  isPlaying,
+  isLoading,
+}: {
+  onPress: () => void
+  isPlaying: boolean
+  isLoading?: boolean
+}) {
+  const {_} = useLingui()
+  const t = useTheme()
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <Pressable
+        accessibilityRole="button"
+        accessibilityHint={_(msg`Plays or pauses the GIF`)}
+        accessibilityLabel={isPlaying ? _(msg`Pause`) : _(msg`Play`)}
+        style={[
+          a.absolute,
+          a.align_center,
+          a.justify_center,
+          a.inset_0,
+          a.w_full,
+          a.h_full,
+          {zIndex: 2},
+        ]}
+        onPress={onPress}>
+        {isLoading ? (
+          <View style={[a.align_center, a.justify_center]}>
+            <Loader size="xl" />
+          </View>
+        ) : !isPlaying ? (
+          <PlayButtonIcon />
+        ) : undefined}
+      </Pressable>
+      {!isPlaying && (
+        <Fill
+          style={[
+            t.name === 'light' ? t.atoms.bg_contrast_975 : t.atoms.bg,
+            {
+              opacity: 0.2,
+              zIndex: 1,
+            },
+          ]}
+        />
+      )}
+      <View style={styles.gifBadgeContainer}>
+        <Text style={[{color: 'white'}, a.font_bold, a.text_xs]}>
+          <Trans>GIF</Trans>
+        </Text>
+      </View>
+    </>
+  )
+}
+
+const styles = StyleSheet.create({
+  gifBadgeContainer: {
+    backgroundColor: 'rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.75)',
+    borderRadius: 6,
+    paddingHorizontal: 4,
+    paddingVertical: 3,
+    position: 'absolute',
+    left: 6,
+    bottom: 6,
+    zIndex: 2,
+  },
+})
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx
index ecc36dc33b..bb72a6c687 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {Play_Filled_Corner0_Rounded as PlayIcon} from '#/components/icons/Play'
 import {SpeakerVolumeFull_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as UnmuteIcon} from '#/components/icons/Speaker'
 import {MediaInsetBorder} from '#/components/MediaInsetBorder'
 import {useVideoMuteState} from '#/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoVolumeContext'
+import {GifPresentationControls} from '../GifPresentationControls'
 import {TimeIndicator} from './TimeIndicator'
 
 export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
@@ -50,12 +51,14 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
     throw new Error(error)
   }
 
+  const isGif = embed.presentation === 'gif'
+
   return (
     <View style={[a.flex_1, a.relative]}>
       <BlueskyVideoView
         url={embed.playlist}
         autoplay={!autoplayDisabled && !isWithinMessage}
-        beginMuted={autoplayDisabled ? false : muted}
+        beginMuted={isGif || autoplayDisabled ? false : muted}
         style={[a.rounded_sm]}
         onActiveChange={e => {
           setIsActive(e.nativeEvent.isActive)
@@ -82,25 +85,35 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
         }
         accessibilityHint=""
       />
-      <VideoControls
-        enterFullscreen={() => {
-          videoRef.current?.enterFullscreen(true)
-        }}
-        toggleMuted={() => {
-          videoRef.current?.toggleMuted()
-        }}
-        togglePlayback={() => {
-          videoRef.current?.togglePlayback()
-        }}
-        isPlaying={isPlaying}
-        timeRemaining={timeRemaining}
-      />
+      {isGif ? (
+        <GifPresentationControls
+          onPress={() => {
+            videoRef.current?.togglePlayback()
+          }}
+          isPlaying={isPlaying}
+          isLoading={false}
+        />
+      ) : (
+        <VideoPresentationControls
+          enterFullscreen={() => {
+            videoRef.current?.enterFullscreen(true)
+          }}
+          toggleMuted={() => {
+            videoRef.current?.toggleMuted()
+          }}
+          togglePlayback={() => {
+            videoRef.current?.togglePlayback()
+          }}
+          isPlaying={isPlaying}
+          timeRemaining={timeRemaining}
+        />
+      )}
       <MediaInsetBorder />
     </View>
   )
 }
 
-function VideoControls({
+function VideoPresentationControls({
   enterFullscreen,
   toggleMuted,
   togglePlayback,
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx
index add2a7afb4..1c554621ed 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerWeb({
   active: boolean
   setActive: () => void
   onScreen: boolean
-  lastKnownTime: React.MutableRefObject<number | undefined>
+  lastKnownTime: React.RefObject<number | undefined>
 }) {
   const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const videoRef = useRef<HTMLVideoElement>(null)
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerWeb({
     throw error
   }
 
-  const hlsRef = useHLS({
+  const {hlsRef, loop} = useHLS({
     playlist: embed.playlist,
     setHasSubtitleTrack,
     setError,
@@ -64,11 +64,12 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerWeb({
             style={{width: '100%', height: '100%', objectFit: 'contain'}}
             playsInline
             preload="none"
-            muted={!focused}
+            muted={embed.presentation === 'gif' || !focused}
             aria-labelledby={embed.alt ? figId : undefined}
             onTimeUpdate={e => {
               lastKnownTime.current = e.currentTarget.currentTime
             }}
+            loop={loop}
           />
           {embed.alt && (
             <figcaption
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerWeb({
           onScreen={onScreen}
           fullscreenRef={containerRef}
           hasSubtitleTrack={hasSubtitleTrack}
+          isGif={embed.presentation === 'gif'}
         />
       </div>
     </View>
@@ -192,29 +194,6 @@ function useHLS({
     },
   )
 
-  const flushOnLoop = useNonReactiveCallback(() => {
-    if (!Hls) return
-    if (!hlsRef.current) return
-    const hls = hlsRef.current
-    // the above callback will catch most stale frags, but there's a corner case -
-    // if there's only one segment in the video, it won't get flushed because it avoids
-    // flushing the currently active segment. Therefore, we have to catch it when we loop
-    if (
-      hls.nextAutoLevel > 0 &&
-      lowQualityFragments.length === 1 &&
-      lowQualityFragments[0].start === 0
-    ) {
-      const lowQualFrag = lowQualityFragments[0]
-
-      hls.trigger(Hls.Events.BUFFER_FLUSHING, {
-        startOffset: lowQualFrag.start,
-        endOffset: lowQualFrag.end,
-        type: 'video',
-      })
-      setLowQualityFragments([])
-    }
-  })
-
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!videoRef.current) return
     if (!Hls) return
@@ -242,20 +221,6 @@ function useHLS({
     hls.attachMedia(videoRef.current)
     hls.loadSource(playlist)
 
-    // manually loop, so if we've flushed the first buffer it doesn't get confused
-    const abortController = new AbortController()
-    const {signal} = abortController
-    const videoNode = videoRef.current
-    videoNode.addEventListener(
-      'ended',
-      () => {
-        flushOnLoop()
-        videoNode.currentTime = 0
-        videoNode.play()
-      },
-      {signal},
-    )
-
     hls.on(Hls.Events.FRAG_LOADED, () => {
       BandwidthEstimate.set(hls.bandwidthEstimate)
     })
@@ -293,17 +258,65 @@ function useHLS({
       hlsRef.current = undefined
       hls.detachMedia()
       hls.destroy()
+    }
+  }, [playlist, setError, setHasSubtitleTrack, videoRef, handleFragChange, Hls])
+
+  const flushOnLoop = useNonReactiveCallback(() => {
+    if (!Hls) return
+    if (!hlsRef.current) return
+    const hls = hlsRef.current
+    // `handleFragChange` will catch most stale frags, but there's a corner case -
+    // if there's only one segment in the video, it won't get flushed because it avoids
+    // flushing the currently active segment. Therefore, we have to catch it when we loop
+    if (
+      hls.nextAutoLevel > 0 &&
+      lowQualityFragments.length === 1 &&
+      lowQualityFragments[0].start === 0
+    ) {
+      const lowQualFrag = lowQualityFragments[0]
+
+      hls.trigger(Hls.Events.BUFFER_FLUSHING, {
+        startOffset: lowQualFrag.start,
+        endOffset: lowQualFrag.end,
+        type: 'video',
+      })
+      setLowQualityFragments([])
+    }
+  })
+
+  // manually loop, so if we've flushed the first buffer it doesn't get confused
+  const hasLowQualityFragmentAtStart = lowQualityFragments.some(
+    frag => frag.start === 0,
+  )
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!videoRef.current) return
+
+    // use `loop` prop on `<video>` element if the starting frag is high quality.
+    // otherwise, we need to do it with an event listener as we may need to manually flush the frag
+    if (!hasLowQualityFragmentAtStart) return
+
+    const abortController = new AbortController()
+    const {signal} = abortController
+    const videoNode = videoRef.current
+    videoNode.addEventListener(
+      'ended',
+      () => {
+        flushOnLoop()
+        videoNode.currentTime = 0
+        const maybePromise = videoNode.play() as Promise<void> | undefined
+        if (maybePromise) {
+          maybePromise.catch(() => {})
+        }
+      },
+      {signal},
+    )
+    return () => {
       abortController.abort()
     }
-  }, [
-    playlist,
-    setError,
-    setHasSubtitleTrack,
-    videoRef,
-    handleFragChange,
-    flushOnLoop,
-    Hls,
-  ])
+  }, [videoRef, flushOnLoop, hasLowQualityFragmentAtStart])
 
-  return hlsRef
+  return {
+    hlsRef,
+    loop: !hasLowQualityFragmentAtStart,
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx
index d918d3f99c..e7c7514a7f 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/web-controls/VideoControls.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {Play_Filled_Corner0_Rounded as PlayIcon} from '#/components/icons/Play'
 import {Loader} from '#/components/Loader'
 import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
 import {IS_WEB_MOBILE_IOS, IS_WEB_TOUCH_DEVICE} from '#/env'
+import {GifPresentationControls} from '../../GifPresentationControls'
 import {TimeIndicator} from '../TimeIndicator'
 import {ControlButton} from './ControlButton'
 import {Scrubber} from './Scrubber'
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ export function Controls({
   fullscreenRef,
   hlsLoading,
   hasSubtitleTrack,
+  isGif,
 }: {
   videoRef: React.RefObject<HTMLVideoElement | null>
   hlsRef: React.RefObject<Hls | undefined | null>
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ export function Controls({
   fullscreenRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>
   hlsLoading: boolean
   hasSubtitleTrack: boolean
+  isGif: boolean
 }) {
   const {
     play,
@@ -287,6 +290,16 @@ export function Controls({
     ((focused || autoplayDisabled) && !playing) ||
     (interactingViaKeypress ? hasFocus : hovered)
 
+  if (isGif) {
+    return (
+      <GifPresentationControls
+        isPlaying={playing}
+        isLoading={showSpinner}
+        onPress={onPressPlayPause}
+      />
+    )
+  }
+
   return (
     <div
       style={{
diff --git a/src/lib/api/index.ts b/src/lib/api/index.ts
index 20f0745d69..083c587b3b 100644
--- a/src/lib/api/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api/index.ts
@@ -354,6 +354,8 @@ async function resolveMedia(
       alt: videoDraft.altText || undefined,
       captions: captions.length === 0 ? undefined : captions,
       aspectRatio,
+      presentation:
+        videoDraft.video.mimeType === 'image/gif' ? 'gif' : 'default',
     }
   }
   if (embedDraft.media?.type === 'gif') {
diff --git a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
index 8c34d2a51d..1c2f6c209d 100644
--- a/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/composer/Composer.tsx
@@ -2290,22 +2290,40 @@ function VideoUploadToolbar({state}: {state: VideoState}) {
 
   let text = ''
 
+  const isGif = state.video?.mimeType === 'image/gif'
+
   switch (state.status) {
     case 'compressing':
-      text = _(msg`Compressing video...`)
+      if (isGif) {
+        text = _(msg`Compressing GIF...`)
+      } else {
+        text = _(msg`Compressing video...`)
+      }
       break
     case 'uploading':
-      text = _(msg`Uploading video...`)
+      if (isGif) {
+        text = _(msg`Uploading GIF...`)
+      } else {
+        text = _(msg`Uploading video...`)
+      }
       break
     case 'processing':
-      text = _(msg`Processing video...`)
+      if (isGif) {
+        text = _(msg`Processing GIF...`)
+      } else {
+        text = _(msg`Processing video...`)
+      }
       break
     case 'error':
       text = _(msg`Error`)
       wheelProgress = 100
       break
     case 'done':
-      text = _(msg`Video uploaded`)
+      if (isGif) {
+        text = _(msg`GIF uploaded`)
+      } else {
+        text = _(msg`Video uploaded`)
+      }
       break
   }
 
diff --git a/src/view/com/composer/videos/VideoPreview.tsx b/src/view/com/composer/videos/VideoPreview.tsx
index 84cb1dba75..9736bd5844 100644
--- a/src/view/com/composer/videos/VideoPreview.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/composer/videos/VideoPreview.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React from 'react'
+import {useRef} from 'react'
 import {View} from 'react-native'
 import {Image} from 'expo-image'
 import {type ImagePickerAsset} from 'expo-image-picker'
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export function VideoPreview({
   clear: () => void
 }) {
   const t = useTheme()
-  const playerRef = React.useRef<BlueskyVideoView>(null)
+  const playerRef = useRef<BlueskyVideoView>(null)
   const autoplayDisabled = useAutoplayDisabled()
   let aspectRatio = asset.width / asset.height