Choosing a GIPHY API Key in Mattermost: Your Own Key or the Built-in Default

Applies to: Mattermost Server (self-hosted, all currently supported versions)

Symptoms: You are unsure which GIPHY API key to use or what to enter in the GIPHY API Key setting.

🛑 Problem

Mattermost uses GIPHY to power the built-in GIF picker. When configuring the GIF integration, administrators are often uncertain about the GIPHY API Key field: whether a key is required, what value to enter, and what happens if the field is left blank.

There is no obligation to supply a key. The field is optional, and the behavior differs depending on whether you provide your own key or leave it empty.

✅ Solution

You have two valid choices for the GIPHY API Key setting. Both result in a working GIF picker.

Option 1: Use Your Own GIPHY API Key

Enter a key from your own GIPHY application. Navigate to System Console > Integrations > GIF (GIPHY), set Enable GIF Picker to true, and enter your key in the GIPHY API Key field. The underlying config key is:

ServiceSettings.GiphySdkKey

To set it via config.json instead:

"ServiceSettings": {
    "EnableGifPicker": true,
    "GiphySdkKey": "your-giphy-api-key"
}

Obtain a key by creating an app in the GIPHY Developer Dashboard.

⚠️ Important: When you use your own key, all GIF usage counts against your GIPHY application. You are responsible for monitoring that application's rate limits, quotas, and any content-rating or terms-of-service constraints GIPHY applies to it. If your key hits its limit or is revoked, the GIF picker stops working for your users.

Option 2: Leave the Field Blank to Use the Built-in Mattermost Key

Clear the GIPHY API Key field (leave it empty) and save. When the value is blank, the server falls back to a default GIPHY key that Mattermost owns and compiles into the server binary at build time (via the MM_GIPHY_SDK_KEY build flag). No key value is required for GIFs to function; this is the default, out-of-the-box behavior.

⚠️ Important: With this option you rely on the Mattermost-owned key and do not manage a GIPHY application yourself. This is the simplest choice if you do not have a reason to track or control GIPHY usage on your own account.

Additional Resources

For more information, see:

Manage GIFs (GIPHY) - Mattermost Documentation