How To Use Live Photos on iPhone: An Essential Guide
Apple Live Photos feature one of the most unique and exciting ways to capture images. Live Photos can be used in many different ways. You can use them as wallpaper for iPhone Lock Screens or share them with friends and family on social media.
This article will cover everything you need to know about Live Photos. We’ll also provide a guide on how to use Live Photos to start taking your own in no time.
What is Live Photo on iPhone?
Live Photos are a feature that was first introduced in the iPhone 6s and iOS 9. It allows you to capture not only a still image but also sound and motion. You can view the live photo by pressing and holding on to the photo in the camera roll. After that, you should see the photo come to life.
How does Live Photo work?
A Live Photo is a particular type of photo that captures 1.5 seconds before and after you press the shutter button. The effect is created by combining your still image with audio and video.
How to Take Live Photos on iPhone
Take Live Photos is similar to regular photos, but you need to do a few extra things.
Open the Camera app and tap on the “Live” icon ( The live icon appears as an animated circle on the screen. ) at the upper right of your screen. The icon will turn yellow, activating the Live Photo feature on your iPhone.
When you’re ready to take a photo, tap on the shutter button. You can take pictures with your iPhone typically and avoid camera shakes.
How to turn Live Photos off
Live Photos are turned on by default, but you can turn them off if you want.
- Go to Settings.
- Scroll down and tap on Camera.
- Tap Preserve Settings.
- Toggle off “Live Photos.”
How to Edit Live Photos
To edit the live photo, you’ll need to use an app that supports editing them. You can do this in the Photos app, which comes pre-installed on most Apple devices.
1. Open the Photos app.
2. Tap “Albums” in the bottom right corner, scroll down until you see Media Types, and tap “Live Photos.”
3. Once there, tap on the photo you want to edit; next, tap on “Edit” on your screen. Then, tap the Live Photos icon in the bottom left corner.
Now you can start playing around!
How to crop Live Photos
To crop your Live Photo,
- Open the Live Photo.
- Tap on “Edit” in the top right corner of your screen.
- Tap the Crop button in the bottom right corner.
- Tap and drag each corner to create a perfect rectangle around your subject.
- Tap Done at the bottom of your screen.
How to trim Live Photos
To trim your Live Photo,
- Open the Live Photo and tap the Edit button.
- Tap the Live Photos icon in the bottom left corner.
- Drag the handles around your timeline to select a section of the photo you want to keep.
- Once you’re done editing, tap “Done” in the bottom right corner of your screen to save changes.
Live Photo effects
There are several different effects you can apply to your Live Photo. To access them, open a Live Photo and tap the Live Photo icon at the top of your screen. Here’s what each effect does:
- Live: This is the default effect.
- Loop: Plays your Live Photo as a looping video.
- Bounce: This option plays your Live Photo forward and backward at the same time.
- Long Exposure: This effect creates a long exposure photo, which helps take pictures at night or in low-light situations.
- Off: Removes any effects applied to your Live Photo. (This option is available if you update your iOS device to version 16.)
How to change Live Photo to still
To turn your Live Photo into a still image,
For iOS 16:
- Open a Live Photo and tap the Live Photo icon at the top left.
- Choose Off from the list of effects.
For iOS 15 and earlier:
- Find a Live Photo in your photo library and tap the share icon.
- Tap Duplicate from the list of options.
- Tap Duplicate as Still Photo.
What is a key photo on iPhone?
A key photo is a still frame from the middle of a Live Photo. The still image appears when you tap on a Live Photo in your photo library.
How to select a frame from Live Photo
Open the Live Photo you want to change.
- Tap Edit.
- Tap the Live icon.
- The white point on the time frame indicates your current key photo. If you tap one of the still photos and then tap Make Key Photo, that image will become a new key photo.
- Tap Done to save your changes.
How To Set Live Photo As Wallpaper
To set a live photo as your lock screen, home screen, or both:
On iOS 16:
Method One:
1. Open the Settings and navigate to Wallpaper and tap it.
2. Tap Add New Wallpaper.
3. Tap Photos, and choose the live photo you want to use for your Wallpaper.
4. Tap Add button to make it the backdrop for your home screen.
Method Two:
- Open the Photos app, tap Albums, and then tap the album containing your live photo.
- Select a live photo from your album and tap Share.
- Tap Use as Wallpaper to set it as your Wallpaper.
On iOS 15 or earlier:
- Go to Settings, then Wallpaper.
- Tap Choose a New Wallpaper.
- Tap the Live Photos album, and pick a live photo from your Camera Roll.
- Tap the Set button to make the live photo your Wallpaper.
How to Share Live Photos
Sharing live photos is pretty easy with iOS 11 and later. You can share them directly from the Photos app or with your favorite social media.
To share a live photo in the Photos app:
- Select the Live Photo you want to share.
- Tap “Share” at the bottom of the screen and choose which app(s) you wish to send it to!
This method will not share the Live Photo; you can only share the still version if you want to share your Live Photos on Facebook, Messenger, or TikTok. Read how to post live photos on Facebook and TikTok for more details.
FAQs
How to transfer Live Photos from iPhone to Mac or PC
If you want to put your Live Photos on your computer, you can do so through a few different methods. You can sync them with iTunes, iCloud, AirDrop, or a third-party app like iMazing.
Using iTunes to transfer Live Photos from iPhone:
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable or Wi-Fi network.
Step 2: Open iTunes on your desktop and select the iPhone icon in the window’s top-left corner.
Step 3: Click “Photos” in the sidebar on the left side of your screen, then click “Sync Photos” at the top of your screen.
Step 4: Select “Selected albums,” then select “Live Photos” from the list of options.
Step 5: Click “Apply” and wait for your photos to sync.
Using iCloud to transfer Live Photos from iPhone:
- Open Settings and tap Photos.
- Turn on iCloud Photos by flipping the switch next to it.
Wait for all of your photos to upload. You’ll have to wait for a few minutes.
- Open the iCloud website on your desktop, then sign in with your Apple ID and password.
- Tap Photos; you can view all of your photos here.
Do Live Photos have sound?
Yes, live photos have sound. When you take a Live Photo, the Camera records the sound around you at the time of your image. It does this by using information from a microphone built into your phone.
However, if you want to mute the sound of your live photo, you can do so in the Photos app.
To mute your Live Photo,
- Open the Live Photo and tap Edit.
- Tap the Live Photo button.
- Tap the Mute icon to mute your Live Photo, or tap Unmute if you want to turn the sound back on.
Can you post Live Photos on Instagram?
Yes, you can post live photos on Instagram. However, the process differs depending on whether you’re posting a regular photo or creating an Instagram story. If you want to know more about how to post live photos on Instagram, read on for instructions.
How to make Live Photos longer
You can’t take photos or videos that are longer than 3 seconds. However, you can convert multiple Live Photos into a single animated gif or video.
For example, if you have three Live Photos, you can create an animated gif that’s 9 seconds long. For more information, please read our article on how to turn Live Photos into gifs on iPhone.
Why are my Live Photos blurry?
If your live photos are blurry, the culprit might be the movement of either your subject or yourself. Please make sure to hold the camera steady. If you move the phone too much while taking the photo, it may result in blurry pictures. In low light conditions, the shutter speed of your Camera might be too slow to capture a crisp image. Therefore, you should use a tripod or stand to keep the phone steady.
Conclusion
Live photos are fun and exciting, but they can also be a bit confusing. If you are new to Live Photos, hopefully, this article has helped clear up any confusion and answered your questions about live photos.
