OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Boomerang Maker
Make a Ping Pong Video Loop From Up to 4 Seconds
OneTask is free, with no sign-up, and built by one person.
If this tool saved you time, a coffee helps keep new ones coming.
How the Boomerang Maker works
This boomerang maker turns a short moment from any video into a clip that plays forwards, then backwards, then forwards again. Pick a start, choose up to 4 seconds, set how many bounces, press Render and download. It runs entirely in your browser, with no app to install.
Instagram made the boomerang famous in 2015: a burst of frames that plays forwards and then in reverse, so a clink of glasses, a hair flip or a jump into a pool bounces back and forth. The effect only needs a second or two of motion, which means almost any video on your phone or laptop has a boomerang hiding in it.
How the boomerang maker works
The tool captures every frame of your chosen section at 30 frames per second and keeps them in memory as JPEGs. It then builds one "bounce": the frames from first to last, followed by the frames from last back to first. The very first and last frames are not repeated, so the turn at each end is seamless rather than a stutter. That bounce is repeated as many times as you choose and recorded as a 30 fps video.
How long the boomerang will be
One bounce lasts almost exactly twice the section length.
| Section | 1 bounce | 3 bounces | 5 bounces |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 s | 0.9 s | 2.8 s | 4.7 s |
| 1 s | 1.9 s | 5.8 s | 9.7 s |
| 1.5 s | 2.9 s | 8.8 s | 14.7 s |
| 2 s | 3.9 s | 11.8 s | 19.7 s |
| 4 s | 7.9 s | 23.8 s | 39.7 s |
Instagram's own boomerangs are about 1 second of action bounced to roughly 4 seconds. Stories need at least 3 seconds, so for a 1-second moment choose 2 or more bounces.
Picking the moment
- One clear motion works best: a toss, a splash, a high five, a spin, a door opening.
- Short is better. Between 0.5 and 1.5 seconds keeps the snap of the effect. Longer sections feel like a slow rewind.
- A steady camera makes the subject's motion the star. Handheld shake bounces too.
Tips and pitfalls
Scrub the source preview to find the start. The player above the options shows the time; type that into Start.
Want it as a GIF? Download the boomerang, then run it through the video to GIF tool with the full length. A short boomerang makes a very tidy looping GIF.
On a website it can loop forever. Use <video autoplay muted loop playsinline> and one
bounce is enough, because the player repeats it.
There is no sound. A boomerang's audio would play forwards and backwards too, which rarely sounds good, so the output is silent.
How to read the result
The stats show the section used, the number of bounces, the finished length and the file size.
FAQ
How do I make a boomerang from a video I already have?
Drop the video in, set the start to just before the action, keep the length around 1 to 1.5 seconds, choose 3 bounces and press Render. The tool captures that moment and loops it forwards and backwards into a new file.
Why is the length limited to 4 seconds?
Every frame is held in memory while the boomerang is built, and a boomerang works best short. Four seconds at 30 fps is 120 frames, which every device can handle and is already long for the effect.
Does the boomerang have sound?
No. The output is silent, because sound played forwards and backwards in turns is rarely wanted. Add music in the app you post with if you want some.
Is the video uploaded to make the boomerang?
No. The frames are captured and encoded by your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server, so personal clips stay private.
See also: all Video & Screen tools, Images, Audio, PDF, SVG, Simulations & Screensavers, Generative Art, Chart Makers, 3D Model Viewers, Drawing Pads, Mockups & 3D Making, Diagram Makers, 3D Science, Tracker Music.
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