How to save a Live Photo as a video on iPhone
Open the Live Photo in Photos, tap the More button in the top-right corner and tap Save as Video. You get a short video you can share anywhere, and the Live Photo stays as it is.
Turn a Live Photo into a video
- Open Photos. To see only Live Photos, tap Collections, scroll to Media Types and tap Live Photos.
- Tap the Live Photo you want to open it.
- Tap the More button in the top-right corner, then tap Save as Video.
Apple says the new video shows up in the Recently Saved album, and the original stays in your Live Photos album. You can also find it by tapping Library, then the Sort and Filter button, then Sort by Recently Added.
Share the video
- Open the video in Photos.
- Tap the Share button.
- Choose how to send it, such as Messages, Mail or AirDrop, or an app you’ve installed.
To share several at once, tap Select in a grid of photos, tap each one, then tap the Share button.
Why turn it into a video
- To send it to someone without an iPhone. Apple suggests a video for sharing with people who aren’t on Apple devices. Mail always sends a Live Photo as a still.
- To post it where videos play. Apps and services that don’t support Live Photos get only the still; a video keeps the motion. For Instagram, see how to post a Live Photo on Instagram.
- To join several together. Apple suggests iMovie for combining videos made from Live Photos.
- To make a GIF instead. That’s a different route; see how to make a GIF on iPhone.
On a Mac
In Photos on a Mac, open the Live Photo and choose File, Export, Export Unmodified Original. Apple says this exports it as a short video. For a GIF instead, set it to Bounce first and choose Export GIF.
It works for tadas too
Every tada you save from Tada is a real Live Photo in Photos, so the same Save as Video steps turn it into a video for friends on other phones. Tada starts from any photo in your camera roll: tap Make it Live, pick a photo, choose how it moves and tap Save. Breathe and Puff are free and made on your phone in about a second.
Going the other way, from a video to a Live Photo, needs another app. See how to make a video a Live Photo.
Questions
Does saving as a video delete the Live Photo?
No. Apple says the video is saved separately, in Recently Saved, and the Live Photo stays in your Live Photos album.
Why does my Live Photo arrive as a still photo?
Devices and services that don’t support Live Photos get a still photo, and Mail always sends a still. Save it as a video first and send the video.
Can I turn the video back into a Live Photo?
Not in the Photos app. Turning a video into a Live Photo takes another app, such as TikTok or a video-to-Live-Photo converter.
Sources: iPhone User Guide: Edit Live Photos on iPhone · Apple Support: How to turn a Live Photo into a video on your iPhone · Apple Support: Take and edit Live Photos · iPhone User Guide: Share photos and videos on iPhone · iPhone User Guide: Locate photos and videos by media type · iPhone User Guide: Find recently saved photos and videos on iPhone · Photos User Guide for Mac: Export a Live Photo as an animated GIF