How to Turn Any Video into a Live Photo on Your iPhone

Live Photos, introduced by Apple with the iPhone 6s, capture a short, 1.5-second video clip before and after you take a photo, adding a touch of motion and sound to your memories. While iPhones capture Live Photos natively, you might have older videos or videos from other sources that you wish were Live Photos. Fortunately, there are several ways to convert existing videos into Live Photos on your iPhone. This article will guide you through the process using various methods, providing detailed steps and troubleshooting tips.

Why Convert Videos to Live Photos?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s understand why you might want to convert a video to a Live Photo:

* **Adding Life to Old Videos:** Breathe new life into cherished memories by converting old videos into Live Photos.
* **Creating Unique Wallpapers:** Use your converted Live Photos as animated wallpapers on your iPhone’s lock screen.
* **Sharing with Friends and Family:** Share your dynamic Live Photos with others, adding an extra layer of engagement to your content.
* **Creative Expression:** Explore new creative possibilities by manipulating and editing your videos as Live Photos.

Method 1: Using the IntoLive App (Recommended)

IntoLive is a popular and user-friendly app available on the App Store specifically designed for creating Live Photos from videos and GIFs. It offers a free version with basic features and a premium version with advanced editing tools.

**Steps:**

1. **Download and Install IntoLive:**
* Open the App Store on your iPhone.
* Search for “IntoLive.”
* Tap “Get” to download and install the app.
* Once installed, tap “Open” to launch the app.

2. **Grant Permissions:**
* IntoLive will request access to your Photos library. Tap “Allow Access to All Photos” to grant the necessary permissions. This allows the app to access your videos.

3. **Select Your Video:**
* In the IntoLive app, you’ll see a list of videos from your Photos library. Tap on the video you want to convert into a Live Photo.

4. **Trim and Edit (Optional):**
* The app provides basic trimming tools to shorten the video if needed. Use the sliders at the beginning and end of the timeline to adjust the video’s duration. Keep in mind that Live Photos are typically short (around 3 seconds).
* You can also add filters, adjust the speed, or add text and stickers (some features may require the premium version).

5. **Choose Repeat or Fit to Screen:**
* Below the video timeline, you’ll see options for “Repeat” and “Fit to Screen.”
* **Repeat:** This option loops the video to create the Live Photo effect. It’s ideal for shorter videos that you want to play continuously.
* **Fit to Screen:** This option adjusts the video to fit the screen’s aspect ratio, which might result in some cropping.

6. **Set the Cover Photo:**
* The cover photo is the static image that will be displayed before the Live Photo animates. You can choose any frame from the video as the cover photo by dragging the timeline cursor to the desired frame. Tap the “Make” button (usually located at the top right corner of the screen).

7. **Select Repeat Type and Save:**
* After tapping “Make,” IntoLive will present you with options for the repeat type. Choose between “No Repeat,” “Repeat 2x,” “Repeat 3x,” “Repeat 4x,” or “Repeat 5x.” The more repeats, the longer the Live Photo will play.
* Select your desired repeat option and tap “Save Live Photo.”

8. **Save as Live Photo (Live Photo – Save as Live Photo):**
* You’ll be presented with a screen to save the video. Tap on “Save as Live Photo (Live Photo – Save as Live Photo).” This action will save the generated Live Photo to your Photos library.

9. **Verify in Photos App:**
* Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
* Navigate to the “Live Photos” album or browse through your recent photos.
* Find the Live Photo you just created. Press and hold on the photo to see it animate and confirm that it was successfully converted.

**Troubleshooting Tips for IntoLive:**

* **Video Not Showing Up:** Ensure that IntoLive has permission to access your Photos library. Go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and make sure IntoLive is enabled.
* **Live Photo Not Animating:** Make sure you’re pressing and holding on the photo in the Photos app to activate the animation. Also, confirm that Live Photos are enabled in your iPhone’s settings (Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings > Live Photo).
* **Quality Issues:** The free version of IntoLive might have limitations on video quality. Consider upgrading to the premium version for higher-resolution output.
* **App Crashing:** If the app is crashing, try restarting your iPhone or reinstalling IntoLive.

Method 2: Using the Video to Live App

“Video to Live” is another app available on the App Store designed explicitly for converting videos into Live Photos. It’s a straightforward alternative to IntoLive, offering a similar set of features with a slightly different interface.

**Steps:**

1. **Download and Install Video to Live:**
* Open the App Store on your iPhone.
* Search for “Video to Live.”
* Tap “Get” to download and install the app.
* Once installed, tap “Open” to launch the app.

2. **Grant Permissions:**
* Video to Live will also request access to your Photos library. Tap “Allow Access” to grant the necessary permissions.

3. **Select Your Video:**
* In the Video to Live app, tap the “+” button to add a video. Choose the video you want to convert from your Photos library.

4. **Trim and Edit (Optional):**
* Like IntoLive, Video to Live provides basic trimming tools to adjust the video’s duration. Use the sliders to trim the beginning and end of the video.

5. **Adjust Playback Speed (Optional):**
* The app may offer options to adjust the playback speed of the video, which can affect the overall Live Photo effect.

6. **Choose Cover Photo:**
* Select a frame from the video to use as the cover photo. Drag the timeline to the desired frame and tap the “Set as Cover” button.

7. **Save as Live Photo:**
* Tap the “Save” button (usually represented by a downward-pointing arrow or a floppy disk icon).

8. **Select Save Options (Important):**
* Pay close attention to the save options. Video to Live might offer different quality settings or options to loop the video. Make sure to select the option that saves the result as a genuine Live Photo, which will typically be indicated by “Live Photo” or a similar term.

9. **Verify in Photos App:**
* Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
* Find the Live Photo you just created and press and hold on it to see it animate.

**Troubleshooting Tips for Video to Live:**

* **Incorrect Save Settings:** The most common issue is saving the video in the wrong format. Double-check that you’re selecting the option to save it as a Live Photo and not just a regular video.
* **App Not Responding:** If the app becomes unresponsive, try closing it and reopening it. If the problem persists, restart your iPhone.
* **Low-Quality Output:** Experiment with different quality settings in the app to find the best balance between file size and visual quality.

Method 3: Using a GIF Converter App (Indirect Method)

While not a direct video-to-Live Photo conversion, this method involves converting the video to a GIF and then using an app like IntoLive or Video to Live to convert the GIF into a Live Photo. This method can be useful if you encounter compatibility issues with certain video formats.

**Steps:**

1. **Convert Video to GIF:**
* Download a video-to-GIF converter app from the App Store. Popular options include “GIF Maker,” “ImgPlay,” and “Giphy Cam.”
* Open the converter app and select the video you want to convert.
* Trim the video to the desired length (GIFs are typically short).
* Adjust the GIF quality and frame rate settings (higher quality and frame rate will result in a larger file size).
* Save the video as a GIF to your Photos library.

2. **Convert GIF to Live Photo:**
* Follow the steps outlined in Method 1 (Using the IntoLive App) or Method 2 (Using the Video to Live App) to convert the GIF into a Live Photo.
* Select the GIF from your Photos library in the IntoLive or Video to Live app.
* Adjust the settings as needed and save it as a Live Photo.

**Advantages of Using a GIF Converter:**

* **Compatibility:** This method can handle a wider range of video formats, as most converter apps support common video types.
* **Control Over GIF Settings:** You have more control over the GIF’s quality, frame rate, and loop settings.

**Disadvantages of Using a GIF Converter:**

* **Loss of Quality:** Converting a video to a GIF can result in some loss of quality, especially if you use low-quality settings.
* **Extra Step:** This method involves an extra step compared to directly converting the video to a Live Photo.

Method 4: Using Shortcuts App (Advanced Users)

The Shortcuts app, pre-installed on iPhones, allows you to create custom workflows to automate tasks. While more complex, you can create a shortcut to convert videos to Live Photos. This method is recommended for users comfortable with the Shortcuts app.

**Creating the Shortcut:**

1. **Open the Shortcuts App:**
* Locate and open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.

2. **Create a New Shortcut:**
* Tap the “+” button in the top right corner to create a new shortcut.

3. **Name Your Shortcut:**
* Tap the three dots (•••) at the top right to name your shortcut (e.g., “Video to Live Photo”) and choose an icon and color.

4. **Add Actions:**
* Use the search bar at the bottom to find and add the following actions in this order:
* **Select Photos:** This action allows you to choose the video from your Photos library.
* **Encode Media:** This action converts the video. Configure the settings as follows:
* Set “Media Type” to “Image.”
* Set “Image Format” to “JPEG.”
* Enable “Keep Metadata.”
* **Base64 Encode:** This action encodes the image data. Set “Separator” to “None.”
* **Text:** Add a Text action. In the text field, paste the following JSON template:

{“assetIdentifier”:””,”filename”:”LivePhoto.JPG”,”isFavorite”:false,”isHidden”:false,”location”:{},”creationDate”:null,”duration”:3.0,”photoData”:”DATA_HERE”,”videoData”:””}

* **Replace Text:** Add a Replace Text action. Configure it as follows:
* Text: `DATA_HERE`
* Replace With: `Base64 Encoded` (This will automatically use the output from the Base64 Encode action).
* **Get Variable:** Add a Get Variable action. Select “Shortcut Input” as the variable.
* **Base64 Encode:** Add another Base64 Encode action. Set “Separator” to “None.”
* **Replace Text:** Add a Replace Text action. Configure it as follows:
* Text: `”videoData”:””`
* Replace With: `”videoData”:”BASE64_VIDEO_DATA”`
* **Replace Text:** Add another Replace Text action. Configure it as follows:
* Text: `BASE64_VIDEO_DATA`
* Replace With: `Base64 Encoded` (This will automatically use the output from the second Base64 Encode action)
* **JSON to Dictionary:** Add a ‘JSON to Dictionary’ action. This action will convert the created JSON text into a dictionary object.
* **Create Live Photo:** Add a Create Live Photo action. Set ‘Photo’ to ‘Photo Data’ and ‘Video’ to ‘Video Data’.
* **Save to Photo Album:** Add a Save to Photo Album action. Choose the specific album if you want, otherwise, it saves to your main album.

5. **Run the Shortcut:**
* Tap the Play button (triangle) at the bottom of the screen to test the shortcut.
* You’ll be prompted to select a video from your Photos library. Select the video you want to convert.

6. **Verify in Photos App:**
* Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
* Find the Live Photo you just created and press and hold on it to see it animate.

**Explanation of the Shortcut Actions:**

* **Select Photos:** Allows the user to pick a video from their photo library.
* **Encode Media:** This action prepares the video for conversion, turning the video into a JPEG image.
* **Base64 Encode:** Converts the image data into a Base64 string, a format suitable for inclusion in a JSON structure. This is done twice, once for the cover photo and again for encoding the video.
* **Text:** Holds a JSON template that defines the structure of a Live Photo.
* **Replace Text:** This action replaces placeholder text in the JSON template with the encoded image data.
* **JSON to Dictionary:** This action converts the constructed JSON string into a dictionary object, which is a structured data format that the ‘Create Live Photo’ action can understand.
* **Create Live Photo:** This action constructs the Live Photo using the provided photo and video data.
* **Save to Photo Album:** Saves the newly created Live Photo to your photo album.

**Troubleshooting Tips for the Shortcuts App:**

* **Shortcut Not Working:** Double-check that you’ve added all the actions in the correct order and configured them correctly.
* **Permissions Issues:** Ensure that the Shortcuts app has access to your Photos library. Go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and make sure Shortcuts is enabled.
* **Complex Errors:** If you encounter complex errors, try breaking down the shortcut into smaller steps to isolate the problem. Use the “Show Result” action to inspect the output of each action and identify where the shortcut is failing.

**Modifying the Shortcut:**

* **Adjusting Duration:** You can modify the duration of the Live Photo by changing the `”duration”:3.0` value in the Text action. However, keep in mind that longer durations might result in larger file sizes and slower processing.
* **Adding More Actions:** You can add more actions to the shortcut to perform additional tasks, such as adding filters or watermarks.

Method 5: Using Online Video Editors (Not Recommended)

Some online video editors claim to be able to convert videos to Live Photos, but these methods are generally not recommended due to concerns about privacy, security, and the quality of the output. Online editors often require you to upload your video to their servers, which could potentially expose your data to risks. Additionally, the conversion process might be slow and the resulting Live Photo might not be of high quality.

If you choose to use an online video editor, proceed with caution and only use reputable websites with strong security measures. Always read the terms of service and privacy policy carefully before uploading your video.

Key Considerations Before Converting

Before you start converting videos to Live Photos, keep these important considerations in mind:

* **Video Length:** Live Photos are typically short (around 3 seconds). Longer videos will need to be trimmed before conversion. Aim for capturing the most important moment within that short timeframe.
* **Video Quality:** The quality of the original video will affect the quality of the Live Photo. Use high-resolution videos for the best results.
* **File Size:** Live Photos can be larger than regular photos due to the additional video data. Be mindful of storage space on your iPhone.
* **Storage:** Converting a lot of videos to Live Photos will consume significant storage space. Regularly offload Live Photos to external storage or cloud services to free up space on your iPhone.
* **Battery Life:** Playing Live Photos can consume more battery life than viewing regular photos. Be mindful of your battery usage, especially when using Live Photos extensively as wallpapers.

Benefits of Live Photos

Beyond the simple appeal of adding motion to your memories, Live Photos provide several benefits:

* **Capture Fleeting Moments:** Live Photos capture a split-second before and after the actual photo, often revealing unexpected expressions, movements, or sounds that you might have missed otherwise.
* **Create Engaging Wallpapers:** Use your Live Photos as animated wallpapers on your iPhone’s lock screen, adding a dynamic touch to your device.
* **Share Memories More Vividly:** Share Live Photos with friends and family to bring your memories to life and create a more immersive viewing experience.
* **Explore Creative Editing Options:** Apple provides editing tools for Live Photos, allowing you to trim the video, change the key photo, and add effects like Loop, Bounce, and Long Exposure.

Conclusion

Converting videos to Live Photos on your iPhone is a simple way to add a touch of magic to your memories. Whether you choose to use the IntoLive app, the Video to Live app, a GIF converter, or the Shortcuts app, the steps outlined in this article will guide you through the process. Remember to consider video length, quality, and file size before converting, and explore the creative editing options available for Live Photos. With a little effort, you can transform your ordinary videos into extraordinary Live Photos that you can cherish and share for years to come. Experiment with these methods to find the one that best suits your needs and enjoy the added dimension that Live Photos bring to your visual storytelling.