- Live Photos are still photos that turn into videos when you "activate" them on your iPhone or iPad.
- You can take Live Photos by enabling them in the Camera app.
- Live Photos only work on Apple devices — on non-Apple devices, they'll just be still photos.
Technology has come a long way over the past couple of decades. All but gone are the days of disposable cameras, Polaroids, or even point-and-shoot models — these days, most of us just whip out our phones and tap a button.
If you have an iPhone or iPad, you've also got access to Live Photos.
Live Photos are like still photos, but when you hold your finger down on them, they "activate" and play a few seconds of video and sound. They're like GIFs with sound, and are a fun treat when you're looking back at your photos later. But they'll only work on Apple devices, and if you try to play them elsewhere, they'll just be still photos.
Here's how to take, view, and edit Live Photos on an iPhone or iPad.
Quick tip: To take a Live Photo, you'll need an iPhone 6s or later, an iPad (5th generation) or later, an iPad Air (3rd generation), an iPad mini (5th generation), or any iPad Pro from 2016 or later.
If you're not sure what iPhone or iPad you have, check out our articles on how to tell what iPhone model you're using or what iPad model you're using.
How to take a live photo on an iPhone or iPad
1. From your iPhone or iPad's home screen, open the Camera app.
2. Make sure that Live Photos are turned on by tapping the icon that looks like a bullseye. On a new iPhone, it'll be at the top of the screen.
If the Live Photo icon is colored yellow, that means it's enabled. If it's white with a line slashed across it, it's off. You can enable or disable Live Photo at any time by tapping the icon.
On iPhone 11 and newer models, when you tap the Live Photos icon you'll also be given an "Auto" option. This will let your iPhone decide whether or not to take a Live Photo based on how much movement it sees.
3. Aim your phone at whatever you want to take a photo of and tap your shutter button as normal. You can also use filters like a normal photo.
You'll be able to find your Live Photo in your camera roll.
How to edit a live photo on an iPhone or iPad
You can give your Live Photo various effects.
1. Open your device's Photos app and select the Live Photo you want to edit.
2. With the Live Photo open, swipe up to reveal a list of Effects options.
3. Under Effects, you can choose to keep the Live Photo as is or use a few different options:
- Loop, which will play the Live Photo in an endless video loop.
- Bounce, which will cause your Live Photo to bounce back and forth.
- Long Exposure, which will blend every frame of the Live Photo together into one shot.
4. Save your effect simply by exiting out of the photo — no need to do anything else. You can, however, change the effect at any time by following the same steps outlined above.
You can also change the Live Photo's "Key Photo" — the image that appears when your Live Photo is still — and trim the Live Photo's video.
1. Open the Live Photo and tap Edit in the top-right corner.
2. At the bottom of the page, tap the Live Photo icon.
3. A slider will appear with every frame from the Live Photo. Slide the white window to pick a new Key Photo, or use the arrows on the edges to trim the Live Photo.
How to turn off live photos on iPhone or iPad
If you want to turn off Live Photos — maybe you just want to take a good still photo without worrying about the video portion — doing so is easy.
When you open the Camera app, you can turn off Live Photos by tapping the icon so it has a slash through it.
If you want to turn off Live Photos permanently, so they don't default to being turned on every time you take a photo:
1. Open the Settings app and select the Camera option.
2. Tap Preserve Settings, and make sure the Live Photo switch is turned on.
William Antonelli Tech Reporter for Insider Reviews William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at wantonelli@businessinsider.com. Read more Read less 
Jennifer Still Jennifer is a writer and editor from Brooklyn, New York, who spends her time traveling, drinking iced coffee, and watching way too much TV. She has bylines in Vanity Fair, Glamour, Decider, Mic, and many more. You can find her on Twitter at @jenniferlstill. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnpJqwqXvLoq2eZaCdvLW7jKKnoaeemg%3D%3D