Live Photos are a fantastic feature on iPhones that bring your still images to life with motion and sound. However, these dynamic photos are not universally compatible and can be tricky to share outside of the Apple ecosystem. If you’re wondering How Do You Turn A Live Photo Into A Video, you’re in the right place. Converting your Live Photos to video format makes them easily shareable on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even with friends who don’t own iPhones. This guide will walk you through several straightforward methods to convert your Live Photos into videos, ensuring you can share your memories with everyone.
Why Convert a Live Photo to Video?
Before we dive into the methods, let’s understand why you might want to convert a Live Photo to a video in the first place.
- Wider Compatibility: Videos are universally accepted across different devices and social media platforms. Live Photos, while great within the Apple world, are not natively supported everywhere. Converting to video ensures everyone can view your moving images.
- Easier Sharing: Sharing a video is much simpler than sharing a Live Photo with non-Apple users. Video files can be sent via any messaging app, email, or uploaded to any video-sharing platform.
- Creative Editing: Once in video format, you gain more flexibility in editing. You can add music, text overlays, filters, and even combine multiple Live Photos into a longer video montage.
- Archiving and Backup: While iCloud effectively stores Live Photos, converting them to video can be a useful backup strategy, ensuring accessibility even if Live Photo technology evolves or changes in the future.
Methods to Convert Live Photos to Videos
Fortunately, converting Live Photos to videos is a simple process, and there are several ways to do it, depending on your needs and preferences.
1. Using the Built-in iOS Photos App
The most convenient way to convert a Live Photo to a video is directly within your iPhone’s Photos app. Apple has made this process incredibly user-friendly.
Steps:
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Open the Photos App: Launch the Photos application on your iPhone or iPad.
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Select Your Live Photo: Navigate to your albums and find the Live Photo you wish to convert. Tap on it to open it in full screen.
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Tap the Share Button: Look for the Share icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen (it looks like a square with an arrow pointing upwards). Tap this button.
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Scroll and Select “Save as Video”: In the share sheet that appears, scroll down through the options until you find “Save as Video”. Tap on “Save as Video.”
Placeholder image for Share button in iOS Photos App. In a real article, a screenshot of the actual button would be used.
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Video Saved: The Photos app will convert your Live Photo to a video and save it as a new video file in your “Recents” album (or the album where the original Live Photo is located). The original Live Photo remains unchanged.
This method is quick, easy, and doesn’t require any third-party apps. It’s perfect for a fast conversion when you want to share a Live Photo as a video immediately.
2. Using Third-Party Apps for More Options
While the built-in method is convenient, third-party apps offer more advanced features and customization options for converting Live Photos to videos. These apps can be particularly useful if you want to:
- Trim the Video Length: Control the start and end points of the video extracted from the Live Photo.
- Adjust Video Resolution and Quality: Choose different video output settings.
- Add Filters or Effects: Enhance the video with creative filters and effects.
- Convert to GIFs: Many apps also allow you to convert Live Photos to GIFs, which can be great for social media.
Popular Apps for Live Photo to Video Conversion:
- Lively: A dedicated app specifically for converting Live Photos to GIFs and videos. It offers simple editing tools and easy sharing options.
- Motion Stills (by Google): While primarily designed for stabilizing and creating GIFs from Motion Photos (Google’s equivalent of Live Photos), Motion Stills can also export Live Photos as videos.
- IntoLive: This app is popular for creating Live Photo wallpapers, but it also excels at converting Live Photos to videos and GIFs with various editing tools.
- Video Converter Apps: General video converter apps like “Video Converter & Video Editor” (available on the App Store) often support Live Photo conversion as part of their broader feature set.
General Steps for Using a Third-Party App:
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Download and Install an App: Choose an app from the App Store and install it on your iPhone.
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Grant Photos Access: When you first launch the app, it will likely ask for permission to access your Photos library. Grant the necessary permissions.
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Import Your Live Photo: Navigate within the app to import the Live Photo you want to convert. Apps usually have a clear “Import” or “+” button.
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Select “Convert to Video” (or similar): Look for the option to convert to video. The exact wording may vary depending on the app.
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Customize Settings (Optional): If the app offers customization, you can adjust settings like video resolution, trim length, or add filters.
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Export or Save the Video: Tap on the “Export,” “Convert,” or “Save” button to finalize the conversion and save the video to your Camera Roll or the app’s library.
Placeholder image for a generic app interface. In a real article, a screenshot from one of the suggested apps would be used.
3. Using Online Converters (Less Recommended)
While online converters exist that claim to convert Live Photos to videos, this method is generally not recommended for several reasons:
- Privacy Concerns: Uploading your personal photos to a website carries potential privacy risks.
- File Size Limits: Online converters often have limitations on file size, which might be problematic for Live Photos.
- Quality Loss: Conversion quality can be unpredictable and may result in lower-quality videos compared to using native or dedicated apps.
- Inconvenience: It’s less convenient than using built-in features or apps, requiring you to upload and download files.
If you still consider using an online converter, proceed with caution and choose reputable websites. Search online for “Live Photo to video converter online” to find options, but always prioritize privacy and security.
Tips for Best Video Conversion Results
To ensure you get the best possible video from your Live Photo conversion:
- Start with High-Quality Live Photos: The quality of the original Live Photo directly affects the video output. Make sure your Live Photos are well-lit and in focus.
- Choose the Right Method: For simple conversions, the built-in iOS method is perfect. For more control and features, explore third-party apps. Avoid online converters unless absolutely necessary.
- Consider Video Resolution: If you need a specific video resolution (e.g., for Instagram Stories or specific platforms), check if your chosen method allows you to adjust this setting. Most apps offer resolution options.
- Experiment with Editing: Once you have your video, don’t hesitate to use video editing apps to further enhance it. Add music, text, or filters to make your video even more engaging.
Conclusion
Converting Live Photos to videos opens up a world of sharing possibilities and creative potential. Whether you choose the simplicity of the built-in iOS Photos app or explore the advanced features of third-party applications, transforming your Live Photos into video format is a straightforward process. Now you can easily share those special moments with everyone, regardless of the devices they use. So go ahead and turn your Live Photos into captivating videos and relive those memories in motion!
