What a Live Photo is and why you might want to edit it
A Live Photo is a video clip that plays when you press and hold the image on your iPhone or Mac — it captures about three seconds of motion around the moment you took the still picture. When you edit a Live Photo, you are choosing which frame becomes the main still image, adjusting the motion effect that plays when someone views it, or removing the video part entirely to turn it into a regular photo.
You edit a Live Photo when the moment you wanted is not the frame the camera chose as the default, when the motion effect is distracting, or when you want to share a still image without the video attached. The editing tools are built into the Photos app on iPhone and the Photos app on Mac — you do not need a separate program.
Key Takeaways
- Open the Live Photo in the Photos app, tap Edit, and look for the yellow circle icon at the bottom to access Live Photo controls.
- Drag the slider under the image to choose which frame becomes your main still photo — the one that shows when someone first sees it.
- Tap the yellow circle icon to turn off the motion effect and convert the Live Photo to a regular still image if you do not want the video part.
- On Mac, the same controls appear in the Photos app when you select a Live Photo and click Edit — the process is nearly identical to iPhone.
- Changes you make are saved to the original photo; you cannot undo them once you close the editor, so take a moment to review before you finish.
How to change which frame is the main image on iPhone
Open the Photos app and find the Live Photo you want to edit. Tap it to open it full-screen, then tap Edit in the upper right corner. The photo will open in the editing interface.
Look at the bottom of the screen. You will see a yellow circle icon with a play symbol inside it — that is the Live Photo control. Below that icon is a slider showing all the frames in the three-second clip. Drag your finger left or right across that slider to move through the frames. As you drag, you will see the image change to show you what each frame looks like.
When you reach the frame you want to be the main still image, stop dragging and lift your finger. That frame is now selected. Tap Done in the upper right to save the change. The photo will now show that frame as the main image when someone opens it.
How to turn off the motion effect on iPhone
Open the Live Photo in the Photos app, tap Edit, and look for the yellow circle icon at the bottom of the screen. That icon shows whether the motion effect is on or off. When the circle is yellow and filled in, the motion effect is active.
Tap the yellow circle icon once. It will turn gray and empty, which means the motion effect is now off. The Live Photo is now a regular still image — when someone views it, they will see only the single frame, not the video clip. Tap Done to save the change.
If you change your mind, tap Edit again, tap the gray circle icon to turn it back on, and tap Done. You can switch the motion effect on and off as many times as you want before you close the editor.
How to edit a Live Photo on Mac
Open the Photos app on your Mac and find the Live Photo you want to edit. Click it once to select it, then click Edit in the upper right corner of the window. The photo will open in the editing panel on the right side of the screen.
At the top of the editing panel, you will see a row of icons. Look for the one that looks like a circle with a play symbol — that is the Live Photo control. Click it to see the slider that shows all the frames in the clip. Drag the slider left or right to choose which frame you want as the main image.
To turn off the motion effect on Mac, click the same circle icon. It will change from yellow to gray, meaning the video part is now off. Click Done when you are finished. The changes save automatically to the original photo.
What happens if you want to undo an edit
Once you tap or click Done, the changes are saved to the original photo and cannot be undone through the Photos app. If you realize you made a mistake after closing the editor, you will need to edit the photo again and make a new choice.
If you have not yet closed the editor, you can tap or click Edit again to go back and make a different choice before you save. Some Mac users keep a backup of important photos before editing, though this is not required — you can always re-edit a Live Photo as many times as you want.
When to turn off the motion effect instead of choosing a different frame
Turn off the motion effect when you want to share the photo with someone who cannot view Live Photos, or when you are sending it to a platform that does not support video. Turning off the motion effect converts it to a regular still image that works everywhere.
Choose a different frame instead when the motion effect itself is useful — for example, if you captured someone mid-jump and want to show the movement — but the default frame is not the best moment. In that case, keep the motion effect on and just change which frame is the main image.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a Live Photo on my iPhone if I took it on my Mac?
Yes. Live Photos sync across your devices through iCloud, so a Live Photo taken on any Apple device can be edited on any other Apple device where you are signed into the same iCloud account. The editing tools work the same way on iPhone and Mac.
Does editing a Live Photo delete the original frames?
When you change which frame is the main image, the other frames are still there — the motion effect still plays all three seconds. When you turn off the motion effect, the video part is removed and only the still frame remains. You cannot get the video back after that without re-editing.
What if the frame I want is not in the slider?
The slider only shows frames from the three-second Live Photo clip. If the moment you want is not in those three seconds, you cannot get it by editing the Live Photo. In that case, you would need to use a different photo or take a new one.
Can I edit a Live Photo that someone sent me?
Only if they sent it as a Live Photo through iMessage or AirDrop. If they sent it through email or a messaging app that does not support Live Photos, it will have already been converted to a regular still image and you will not see the motion effect or the editing controls.