What Motion Photo Does and Why You Might Want to Disable It
Motion Photo is a feature that captures a short video clip — usually about three seconds — before and after you take a still photograph. When you take a picture, your phone records movement and sound around that moment, then saves both the still image and the video together. On Android devices (particularly Google Pixel phones), this feature is called Motion Photo. On iPhones, the equivalent is called Live Photo.
Motion Photo uses extra storage space because it stores video data alongside your regular photos. If you rarely look at these video clips, or if you want to reduce how much storage your photos take up, turning off Motion Photo prevents your phone from recording those extra seconds. This also means your camera app will respond slightly faster when you take pictures, since your phone is doing less work in the background.
The steps to disable this feature differ between Android and iPhone, and the exact location of the setting depends on which phone model and operating system version you have. Both processes take less than a minute.
Key Takeaways
- Motion Photo on Android and Live Photo on iPhone both record video around the moment you take a still picture, using extra storage space.
- On Android phones, the Motion Photo toggle is usually in the Camera app settings, accessed through a gear icon or menu button.
- On iPhones, Live Photo is controlled from the Camera app itself — look for a circular icon with concentric circles at the top of the screen.
- Turning off this feature does not delete existing Motion Photos or Live Photos already on your phone; it only stops new ones from being created.
- You can turn the feature back on at any time using the same steps, so there is no permanent consequence to disabling it.
How to Turn Off Motion Photo on Android Devices
Open the Camera app on your Android phone. Look for a settings icon — usually a gear symbol — somewhere on the screen. On most Android phones, this icon appears in the top corner or along the bottom edge of the camera viewfinder. Tap it to open the Camera settings menu.
Scroll through the settings list until you find an option labeled "Motion Photo," "Motion Photos," or sometimes "Video Stabilization" (depending on your phone model). When you find it, tap the toggle switch next to it to turn it off. The toggle will change color or appearance to show it is now disabled. Close the settings menu by tapping the back arrow or tapping outside the menu, and you are done.
If you cannot find a settings icon in your Camera app, try opening the Camera app and then opening your phone's main Settings menu. Go to Apps or Applications, find Camera, and look for a Motion Photo setting there. Some older Android phones store this setting in the main device settings rather than inside the Camera app itself.
How to Turn Off Live Photo on iPhone
Open the Camera app on your iPhone. At the top of the screen, you will see several icons. Look for a circular icon with concentric circles inside it — this is the Live Photo button. It usually appears near the top center or top right of the screen. Tap this icon once.
When Live Photo is turned on, the icon appears in color or with a filled-in appearance. When you tap it, the icon will change to show that Live Photo is now off — it will typically appear grayed out or outlined only. Once the icon shows it is off, close the Camera app. Live Photo is now disabled, and your iPhone will take regular still photos without recording the video clip.
You can toggle Live Photo on and off as many times as you want, even between individual photos. If you want to turn it back on later, straightforward tap the same circular icon again until it shows the on state.
What Happens to Photos You Already Took
Turning off Motion Photo or Live Photo does not affect any photos or videos you have already taken. All existing Motion Photos and Live Photos remain on your phone exactly as they are, with both the still image and the video clip intact. You can still view them, share them, or delete them as usual.
If you want to delete Motion Photos or Live Photos to free up storage space, you can do this through your Photos app. On Android, open the Photos app, find the Motion Photo you want to remove, tap and hold it, and select Delete. On iPhone, open the Photos app, find the Live Photo, tap Edit, and then tap Delete to remove it. Deleting the photo removes both the still image and the video clip together.
Turning Motion Photo Back On If You Change Your Mind
If you decide later that you want to use Motion Photo or Live Photo again, the process is identical to turning it off. On Android, open the Camera app, tap the settings icon, find Motion Photo, and toggle it back on. On iPhone, open the Camera app and tap the circular concentric-circles icon until it shows the on state.
There is no penalty or complication to turning the feature on and off multiple times. Your phone does not need to be restarted, and no settings need to be reset. You can change this setting whenever you want based on what you are doing at that moment.
Storage Impact and Camera Performance
Each Motion Photo or Live Photo takes up roughly two to three times the storage space of a regular still photo, depending on your phone model and the length of the video clip. If you take many photos, disabling this feature can noticeably reduce how much space your photos use on your phone. This means you can store more photos before your phone storage becomes full.
Turning off Motion Photo also makes your camera app slightly more responsive. Since your phone is no longer recording video in the background, the camera can focus and capture images a fraction of a second faster. For most people this difference is barely noticeable, but if you take photos in quick succession, you may notice the camera responds more quickly without Motion Photo enabled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off Motion Photo for just some photos, not all of them?
On iPhone, yes — you can toggle Live Photo on and off between individual shots. On Android, the Motion Photo setting applies to all photos you take until you change it. If you want some Motion Photos and some regular photos, you would need to toggle the setting on and off in the Camera app settings each time you switch.
Will turning off Motion Photo affect my video recording?
No. Motion Photo and video recording are separate features. Disabling Motion Photo only stops the short video clips from being captured alongside still photos. You can still record regular videos using your phone's video mode.
Does disabling Motion Photo save battery?
Slightly. Since your phone is doing less processing work when you take photos, battery drain is marginally reduced. The difference is usually small — most people will not notice a significant change in battery life — but it is a minor benefit of disabling the feature.
What if I do not see a Motion Photo setting in my Camera app?
Some older Android phones or certain manufacturers do not include Motion Photo as a feature. If you cannot find the setting after checking both the Camera app and your main device Settings, your phone likely does not support this feature. You can still take regular photos normally.
Can I share a Motion Photo with someone who has an older phone?
Yes, but they will only receive the still image, not the video clip. When you share a Motion Photo through most messaging apps or email, the recipient gets the regular photo file. The video portion does not transfer unless you specifically share it as a separate video file.