diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index d3b71d3c..1fd4d1aa 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ default_partitions = tools/WLED_ESP32_4MB_1MB_FS.csv
 lib_deps =
   https://github.com/lorol/LITTLEFS.git
   https://github.com/pbolduc/AsyncTCP.git @ 1.2.0
+  bitbank2/AnimatedGIF@^1.4.7
+  pixelmatix/GifDecoder@^1.1.0
   ${env.lib_deps}
 
 
diff --git a/wled00/FX.cpp b/wled00/FX.cpp
index f5fefd5b..2db036e8 100644
--- a/wled00/FX.cpp
+++ b/wled00/FX.cpp
@@ -4189,6 +4189,16 @@ uint16_t mode_washing_machine(void) {
 static const char _data_FX_MODE_WASHING_MACHINE[] PROGMEM = "Washing Machine@!,!;;!";
 
 
+/*
+  Image effect
+  Draws a .gif image from filesystem on the matrix/strip
+*/
+uint16_t mode_image(void) {
+  renderImageToSegment(SEGMENT);
+  return FRAMETIME;
+}
+static const char _data_FX_MODE_IMAGE[] PROGMEM = "Image@;;;12";
+
 /*
   Blends random colors across palette
   Modified, originally by Mark Kriegsman https://gist.github.com/kriegsman/1f7ccbbfa492a73c015e
@@ -7734,6 +7744,8 @@ void WS2812FX::setupEffectData() {
   addEffect(FX_MODE_DANCING_SHADOWS, &mode_dancing_shadows, _data_FX_MODE_DANCING_SHADOWS);
   addEffect(FX_MODE_WASHING_MACHINE, &mode_washing_machine, _data_FX_MODE_WASHING_MACHINE);
 
+  addEffect(FX_MODE_IMAGE, &mode_image, _data_FX_MODE_IMAGE);
+
   addEffect(FX_MODE_BLENDS, &mode_blends, _data_FX_MODE_BLENDS);
   addEffect(FX_MODE_TV_SIMULATOR, &mode_tv_simulator, _data_FX_MODE_TV_SIMULATOR);
   addEffect(FX_MODE_DYNAMIC_SMOOTH, &mode_dynamic_smooth, _data_FX_MODE_DYNAMIC_SMOOTH);
diff --git a/wled00/FX.h b/wled00/FX.h
index 19b1fc4a..045e3fc1 100644
--- a/wled00/FX.h
+++ b/wled00/FX.h
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@
 #define FX_MODE_CHUNCHUN               111
 #define FX_MODE_DANCING_SHADOWS        112
 #define FX_MODE_WASHING_MACHINE        113
-// #define FX_MODE_CANDY_CANE             114  // removed in 0.14!
+#define FX_MODE_IMAGE                  114  // was Candy Cane
 #define FX_MODE_BLENDS                 115
 #define FX_MODE_TV_SIMULATOR           116
 #define FX_MODE_DYNAMIC_SMOOTH         117 // candidate for removal (check3 in dynamic)
diff --git a/wled00/fcn_declare.h b/wled00/fcn_declare.h
index c67fdbf3..72d589d4 100644
--- a/wled00/fcn_declare.h
+++ b/wled00/fcn_declare.h
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
  * All globally accessible functions are declared here
  */
 
+#include "FX.h"
+
 //alexa.cpp
 #ifndef WLED_DISABLE_ALEXA
 void onAlexaChange(EspalexaDevice* dev);
@@ -103,6 +105,14 @@ void onHueConnect(void* arg, AsyncClient* client);
 void sendHuePoll();
 void onHueData(void* arg, AsyncClient* client, void *data, size_t len);
 
+//image_loader.cpp
+bool fileSeekCallback(unsigned long position);
+unsigned long filePositionCallback(void);
+int fileReadCallback(void);
+int fileReadBlockCallback(void * buffer, int numberOfBytes);
+int fileSizeCallback(void);
+bool renderImageToSegment(Segment &seg);
+
 //improv.cpp
 enum ImprovRPCType {
   Command_Wifi = 0x01,
@@ -140,7 +150,6 @@ void handleIR();
 #include "ESPAsyncWebServer.h"
 #include "src/dependencies/json/ArduinoJson-v6.h"
 #include "src/dependencies/json/AsyncJson-v6.h"
-#include "FX.h"
 
 bool deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId = 0);
 bool deserializeState(JsonObject root, byte callMode = CALL_MODE_DIRECT_CHANGE, byte presetId = 0);
diff --git a/wled00/image_loader.cpp b/wled00/image_loader.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b26f6fe1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wled00/image_loader.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+#include "GifDecoder.h"
+#include "wled.h"
+
+File file;
+char lastFilename[34] = "/";
+GifDecoder<64, 64, 12, true> decoder;
+bool gifDecodeFailed = false;
+long lastFrameDisplayTime = 0, currentFrameDelay = 0;
+
+bool fileSeekCallback(unsigned long position) {
+  return file.seek(position);
+}
+
+unsigned long filePositionCallback(void) {
+  return file.position();
+}
+
+int fileReadCallback(void) {
+  return file.read();
+}
+
+int fileReadBlockCallback(void * buffer, int numberOfBytes) {
+  return file.read((uint8_t*)buffer, numberOfBytes);
+}
+
+int fileSizeCallback(void) {
+  return file.size();
+}
+
+bool openGif(const char *filename) {
+  file = WLED_FS.open(filename, "r");
+
+  if (!file) return false;
+  return true;
+}
+
+Segment* activeSeg;
+uint16_t gifWidth, gifHeight;
+uint16_t fillPixX, fillPixY;
+
+void screenClearCallback(void) {
+  activeSeg->fill(0);
+}
+
+void updateScreenCallback(void) {}
+
+void drawPixelCallback(int16_t x, int16_t y, uint8_t red, uint8_t green, uint8_t blue) {
+  // simple nearest-neighbor scaling 
+  int16_t outY = y * activeSeg->height() / gifHeight;
+  int16_t outX = x * activeSeg->width()  / gifWidth;
+  // set multiple pixels if upscaling
+  for (int16_t i = 0; i < (activeSeg->width()+(gifWidth-1)) / gifWidth; i++) {
+    for (int16_t j = 0; j < (activeSeg->height()+(gifHeight-1)) / gifHeight; j++) {
+      activeSeg->setPixelColorXY(outX + i, outY + j, red, green, blue);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// renders an image (.gif only; .bmp and .fseq to be added soon) from FS to a segment
+bool renderImageToSegment(Segment &seg) {
+  if (!seg.name) return false;
+  activeSeg = &seg;
+
+  if (strncmp(lastFilename +1, seg.name, 32) != 0) {
+    Serial.println("segname changed");
+    strncpy(lastFilename +1, seg.name, 32);
+    gifDecodeFailed = false;
+    if (strcmp(lastFilename + strlen(lastFilename) - 4, ".gif") != 0) {
+      //DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Image file not found or not a .gif"));
+      gifDecodeFailed = true;
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (file) file.close();
+    Serial.print("opening gif: ");
+    Serial.println(openGif(lastFilename));
+    if (!file) { gifDecodeFailed = true; return false; }
+    decoder.setScreenClearCallback(screenClearCallback);
+    decoder.setUpdateScreenCallback(updateScreenCallback);
+    decoder.setDrawPixelCallback(drawPixelCallback);
+    decoder.setFileSeekCallback(fileSeekCallback);
+    decoder.setFilePositionCallback(filePositionCallback);
+    decoder.setFileReadCallback(fileReadCallback);
+    decoder.setFileReadBlockCallback(fileReadBlockCallback);
+    decoder.setFileSizeCallback(fileSizeCallback);
+    Serial.println("Starting decoding");
+    if(decoder.startDecoding() < 0) { gifDecodeFailed = true; return false; }
+    Serial.println("Decoding started");
+  }
+
+  if (gifDecodeFailed) return false;
+  if (!file) { gifDecodeFailed = true; return false; }
+
+  if((millis() - lastFrameDisplayTime) > currentFrameDelay) {
+    decoder.getSize(&gifWidth, &gifHeight);
+    fillPixX = (seg.width()+(gifWidth-1)) / gifWidth;
+    fillPixY = (seg.height()+(gifHeight-1)) / gifHeight;
+    Serial.println("decoding frame");
+    int result = decoder.decodeFrame(false);
+    if (result < 0) { gifDecodeFailed = true; return false; }
+    currentFrameDelay = decoder.getFrameDelay_ms();
+    lastFrameDisplayTime = millis();
+  }
+  return true;
+}
\ No newline at end of file