diff --git a/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx b/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx
index 9f276a166..4601e9e88 100644
--- a/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx
+++ b/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import {
   Edge,
 } from '@atlaskit/pragmatic-drag-and-drop-hitbox/closest-edge';
 import { useAtom } from 'jotai';
+import { useClientConfig } from '../../../hooks/useClientConfig';
 import { HexColorPickerPopOut } from '../../../components/HexColorPickerPopOut';
 import { BgSwatch as BgSwatchStyle } from './BgSwatch.css';
 import { Page, PageContent, PageHeader } from '../../../components/page';
@@ -2581,6 +2582,8 @@ function Messages() {
   );
   const [autoTranslate, setAutoTranslate] = useSetting(settingsAtom, 'autoTranslate');
   const [gifPickerEnabled, setGifPickerEnabled] = useSetting(settingsAtom, 'gifPickerEnabled');
+  // No Giphy key in this build's config: the switch can't show a GIF button.
+  const gifAvailable = !!useClientConfig().gifApiKey;
   const translationSupported = chromeTranslationEngine.isSupported();
   const selectedTargetLang = isSupportedTargetLang(translateTargetLang)
     ? normalizeLang(translateTargetLang)
@@ -2686,9 +2689,18 @@ function Messages() {
       <SequenceCard className={SequenceCardStyle} variant="SurfaceVariant" direction="Column">
         <SettingTile
           title="GIF Picker"
-          description="Every search term (and your IP address) is sent directly to Giphy, not through your homeserver. Off by default."
+          description={
+            gifAvailable
+              ? 'Every search term (and your IP address) is sent directly to Giphy, not through your homeserver. Off by default.'
+              : "GIF search isn't set up for this version of the app (no Giphy key in its configuration), so there is no GIF button even when this is on."
+          }
           after={
-            <Switch variant="Primary" value={gifPickerEnabled} onChange={setGifPickerEnabled} />
+            <Switch
+              variant="Primary"
+              value={gifPickerEnabled && gifAvailable}
+              onChange={setGifPickerEnabled}
+              disabled={!gifAvailable}
+            />
           }
         />
       </SequenceCard>