A Live Photo is a still photo paired with a short video. When you take one, your iPhone records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after the shutter, with sound, and stores the two together so Photos plays them as one item. Press and hold the photo to see it move.
How do Live Photos work?
With Live Photo turned on in the Camera app, your iPhone keeps recording a few moments around the one you capture. When you tap the shutter you get the usual still photo, plus the motion and sound from just before and just after it.
- Open Camera in Photo mode. Open the Camera app and stay in Photo mode.
- Turn Live Photo on. Make sure the Live Photo button is on.
- Hold still and tap the shutter. Hold the iPhone steady and tap the shutter button. It records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after.
- Play it in Photos. Open the photo in the Photos app, then press and hold the screen to play it.
You choose which frame is the still. In Photos, tap Edit, tap the Live Photo button, drag the white frame, then tap Make Key Photo and Done.
What is the Live Photo file format?
A Live Photo isn’t one file. It’s two, linked together:
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| The still | A normal photo, typically HEIC (a JPEG if your camera is set to Most Compatible) |
| The motion | A short QuickTime movie (.MOV) with the video and sound |
| The link | A matching content identifier stored in the metadata of both files |
Apple’s developer documentation describes the same split: a Live Photo is made of a photo resource and a paired video resource, and Photos checks the files and their metadata before it will treat them as a Live Photo. Getting that pairing right is what an app has to do when itcreates a Live Photo from a video.
How long is a Live Photo?
About 3 seconds: 1.5 seconds before the shutter and 1.5 seconds after. The camera can’t be set to record longer. Live Photos made from a video in an app can be longer, but 1–3 seconds is the safe range for a wallpaper. More inHow long can a Live Photo be?
Do Live Photos have sound?
Yes. Apple’s design guidelines describe Live Photos as capturing audio and extra frames before and after the photo, and Apple’s developer documentation refers to their “motion and sound”. Sound plays when you press and hold the photo in Photos.
How much space does a Live Photo take?
More than a regular photo, because it stores a video as well as a still. Early reports put it at about twice the size, but the real number depends on the scene and your camera settings. A 1–3 second Live Photo is still small next to the full video it came from.
Can you share a Live Photo to Android, Windows or Instagram?
Apple’s guidance is that where Live Photos aren’t supported, they should show as an ordinary still photo. In practice that means the motion often gets left behind:
- Mail. A Live Photo shared by Mail is sent as a still image.
- Send it as a still on purpose. Tap LIVE in the upper-left corner of the photo before you share, and only the still goes out.
- Windows. Recent versions of iCloud for Windows give you a JPEG or a MOV for each Live Photo, not a single moving item.
- Android and social apps. Support varies by app and version, and some show only the still. Check how the app handles Live Photos before you rely on it.
The reliable way to keep the motion is to send a video. In Photos, open the Live Photo, tap More, then Save as Video, and share that. Going the other way, you can turn clips from Instagram or TikTok into Live Photos.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Live Photo a photo or a video?
Both. It’s a still photo with a short video attached, and Photos shows them as one item. Share it as a still and the video part is left behind.
Can you turn a Live Photo into a video?
Yes. In Photos, open the Live Photo, tap More, then tap Save as Video. The video is saved as a new item and the original Live Photo stays in your library. See Live Photo to video.
Can you make a Live Photo from a video?
Not with the Photos app alone. You need an app that can create the still and the clip and save them together, such as AliveShot. Start with how to turn a video into a Live Photo.
Do edits and effects survive in other apps?
Not always. Apple notes that third-party editing apps might remove effects such as Loop, Bounce and Long Exposure, so apply them last.
What can I do with a Live Photo besides view it?
Set it as your Lock Screen wallpaper so it plays when you wake your iPhone (iOS 17 or later). Here’s how: Live Photo wallpaper.
By the AliveShot team · Last updated