13 Tips For Using Live Photos On iPhone

Live Photos on your iPhone capture more than just a moment; they bring your memories to life with a 3-second video clip that includes sound. Here are 13 tips to help you get the most out of this feature.

1. Take a Live Photo on iPhone

To take a Live Photo, open the Camera app and ensure that the "Live Photos" icon at the top of the screen is turned on. This icon looks like three concentric circles; if it has a line through it, tap it to enable Live Photos. With the feature enabled, tap the Shutter button to capture a live photo. Remember to hold your device still for a couple of seconds before and after pressing the shutter to get the best results.

2. Play Live Photos on iPhone

To play a Live Photo, open it in the Photos app. You'll see "Live" in the top-left corner of the photo. Long-press on the live photo to play it. This will bring the photo to life, showing the 3-second video clip with sound.

3. Find All Live Photos on iPhone

Finding all your Live Photos can be a bit tricky, but Apple provides a dedicated folder for them. Open the Photos app, tap on the "Albums" tab at the bottom, and scroll down to "Live Photos" under the Media Types section. This will display all your Live Photos in one place.

4. Add Effects to Live Photos

You can add fun effects to your Live Photos to make them more engaging. Open the live photo, tap the "Live" button at the top, and select from the available effects: Loop, Bounce, or Long Exposure. Loop turns your Live Photo into a video loop, Bounce makes it rock back and forth, and Long Exposure creates a beautiful effect capturing time and movement.

5. Change the Key Photo of a Live Photo

Sometimes, the key photo (the still image displayed when you first view the Live Photo) might not be the best frame. To change it, open the live photo, tap the "Edit" button, and then tap the "Live Photo" icon at the bottom. Use the slider to select the desired frame and tap "Make Key Photo" to save the changes.

6. Trim a Live Photo

If you want to shorten your Live Photo, you can trim it. Open the live photo, tap the "Edit" button, and then tap the "Live Photo" icon. Drag the slider at the ends to trim the live photo, keeping the portion you want to keep within the yellow slider. Tap "Done" to save the trimmed photo.

7. Mute a Live Photo

If you prefer to mute the audio of a Live Photo, you can do so while editing. Open the live photo, tap the "Edit" button, and then tap the "Live Photo" icon. Tap the volume icon to mute the audio. This can be useful if the audio is distracting or if you want to share the photo without sound.

8. Edit a Live Photo

Editing a Live Photo is similar to editing a regular photo. Open the live photo, tap the "Edit" button, and use the various editing tools to adjust brightness, contrast, and more. However, be aware that if you edit your Live Photo in a third-party app, you might lose any Live Photo effects you've applied.

9. Convert Live Photo to Video

To convert a Live Photo into a video, open the live photo, tap the "Share" icon, and select "Save as Video." This will save the Live Photo as a video file, which you can then share or use in other apps.

10. Combine Multiple Live Photos in a Video

You can combine multiple Live Photos into a single video. Open the Photos app, select the Live Photos you want to combine, and use the "Slideshow" feature or a third-party app to create a video. This is a great way to create a montage of your favorite moments.

11. Convert a Live Photo to a Still Image

If you want to convert a Live Photo into a still image, open the live photo and tap the "Share" icon. Select "Duplicate" and then choose "Duplicate as Still Photo" to create a still image copy of the Live Photo.

12. Convert a Live Photo to GIF

To convert a Live Photo into a GIF, open the live photo and tap the "Share" icon. Select "Save as GIF" or use a third-party app to convert the Live Photo into a GIF format. This is useful for sharing on platforms that don't support Live Photos.

13. How to Disable Live Photos

If you want to turn off Live Photos temporarily or permanently, you can do so from the Camera app. Tap the "Live Photos" icon at the top of the screen to turn it off temporarily. For permanent disablement, go to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings and ensure that the switch next to Live Photo is turned off.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Live Photo?
A Live Photo is a 3-second video clip that includes sound, captured 1.5 seconds before and after you take a photo.
How do I share Live Photos?
You can share Live Photos via Messages, Mail, or social media. However, if the recipient doesn't have an Apple device, you may need to convert the Live Photo to a video or still image first.
Do Live Photos take up more storage?

Yes, Live Photos take up more storage space than regular photos because they include video and audio.

Can I use Live Photos on older devices?
Live Photos are available on iPhone 6s and later, iPad (5th generation) and later, iPad Air (3rd generation) and later, iPad mini (5th generation) and later, and iPad Pro models from 2016 or later.