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How to use live photos on iPhone
We’ll help you bring your fave new memories to life with Live Photos.
Capture and relive special moments with iPhone’s clever Live Photos feature. It records 1.5 seconds before and after you press the shutter, saving 3 seconds of time. That means you can capture movement or expression changes you might otherwise miss. Keep scrolling and we’ll show you how easy it is.
How to turn live photos on and off
- Open your camera and put it in photo mode
- Tap the 6 circles on the top right – this is the Live Photo icon
- Yellow = on
- White with a slash = off
Your iPhone will remember the last setting you used, so if you love this feature and use it all the time, it’ll be ready whenever you open your camera.
If you want to toggle it on permanently:
Go to settings → Camera → Preserve settings → Turn Live Photo on or off
Choosing the best frame
What good is saving loads of memories if the angle’s off or someone blinked? With Live Photo, you can choose a key still image from the 3-second recording.
Here’s how:
- Open photos and tap a Live Photo
- Tap Edit and the Live Photo icon at the bottom
- Scroll through the frames and stop on the one you like best
- Tap Make Key Photo and press done – now you’ve got a stunning still image, ready to print or set as a background
Turning Live Photos into Videos or Loops
Save a live photo as a video
- Open photos and tap a Live Photo
- Choose the Share icon – this looks like a box with an arrow
- Tap Save as Video
Use built-in Live Photo effects
- Choose a Live Photo and swipe up
Pick the effect you like best:
Loop – repeats the clip continuously, like a GIF
Bounce – plays back and forward on repeat
Long exposure – blends movement over time
Tips for better live photos
- Hold still after pressing the shutter to stop it being shaky.
- Keep Live Photo off when you’re taking a pic of text or documents.
- Live Photos work best when you’re photographing kids or pets, for group photos (so everyone looks good), and natural movement, like trees, water, and candles.
When not to use live photos
- When you’re running out of storage – they take up more room than a normal picture.
- For a sports shot or any rapid movement – it just won’t catch the moment right.
- If you’re taking photos of products or a screenshot, still images work better.
