Live Photos are a unique photo format supported by the camera app on the iPhone and iPad. When it is enabled, the camera records 1.5 seconds video before and after the actual photo is captured. They are all combined together to create the Live Photo, which can be previewed by long pressing on the display on the iPhone or iPad. Some websites and services support Live Photos, however, in many cases, they need to be converted to other formats for sharing. Here is how you can convert Live Photos into GIF, video or still, right from your iPhone or iPad.
Convert Live Photos to Video
Starting with iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, Apple added a new feature to the Photos app which lets users save a Live Photo as a video. This removes the need to download a third-party app to export as a video.
- Go to Photos app and tap on a Live Photo to open it
- Tap on the share button
- Scroll down and tap on 'Save as Video'
If you have applied an effect like loop, bounce or long exposure, to your Live Photo, the 'save as video' option will not appear anymore. You can remove it by changing the effect back to Live.
Convert Live Photos to GIF
iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 do not have a built-in feature to export Live Photos as GIFs. Luckily, this is where the Shortcuts app steps in. You can search the Shortcuts gallery to download a shortcut, which exports your selected Live Photo as a GIF.
- Open the Shortcuts app and tap on Gallery
- Search for 'Live Photo to GIF'
- Tap on the Shortcut and then tap Add Shortcut to install it. Or just click on this link to go to it directly.
- Go to My Shortcuts and tap on 'Live Photo to GIF'. This will open a list of your last 20 Live Photos. Tap on any of them to convert into GIF. The GIF can be saved to Photos, Files or shared using any other app.
Convert Live Photos to Still Images
So you have captured a Live Photo but don't want to share its video content with someone. You might just want to share a still photo which has no audio or additional background story. Here is what you should do:
- Open Photos app and tap on the Live Photo that you want to use. Tap on Edit on the top right.
- Tap on the Live Photos icon on the bottom toolbar.
- Scroll on the scrubber to select the still that you want to create. This gives you the flexibility to go forward or backward in time and fix your photo. It is useful in situations where someone accidentally moved or closed their eyes.
- Once you select the right still frame, tap on the 'Make Key Photo' option.
- Tap on the live button on the top. It should turn from yellow to colorless. Click Done and your Live Photo will have turned into a static photo now.
You can also undo these steps if you want to go back to the dynamic photo.
Whether you want to share GIFs on WhatsApp, upload videos to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or share them in other apps, the above methods should help you get more out of Live Photos and create some beautiful memories.
You can also try some third-party apps to modify and share your Live Photos:
- Google’s Motion Stills App Allows You To Customize Default Frame Of Live Photos
- Instagram Now Supports Live Photos And Wide Color Capture
- WhatsApp for iOS Now Lets You Send Live Photos & Short Videos as GIFs
- Google Photos Update Allows It To Convert Live Photos Into GIFs On iOS
- Lively Is A Free App For Converting Live Photos Into GIFs / Videos
