Blinkies are small, animated GIF graphics that usually display a short phrase, name, or mood — often surrounded by sparkles, borders, or colorful patterns. They became popular in the early days of the web as a fun way to show personality online.
Typically around 150×20 pixels, blinkies are designed to be eye-catching without taking up much space. Their looping animations and bold text made them a favorite decoration for profiles, blogs, and forums.
Blinkies rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongside personal websites, guestbooks, and message boards. People used them to share feelings, support causes, decorate signatures, and express creativity long before social media reactions existed.
Today, blinkies are enjoyed by longtime web fans and new creators discovering retro web aesthetics for the first time.
Ready to make your own? MyBlinkie has two free makers to choose from. Design something completely your own in the new Studio, or personalize one of our classic animated templates.
Create a blinkie from scratch! Choose your text, font, size, border shape, animated border, colors, and background effects. Make one animated GIF or a matching set.
Prefer the original MyBlinkie experience? Browse our animated blinkie templates, choose a favorite, and personalize it with your own text, font, and color.
Blinkies are perfect for profiles, blogs, forums, digital scrapbooks, or anywhere animated GIFs are allowed.
New here? See our step-by-step blinkie guides →
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