To save a Live Photo as a video on iPhone, you don't need an app — the Photos app does it:
- Open the Live Photo in Photos.
- Tap the ••• (More) button in the top-right corner.
- Tap Save as Video.
A normal video is added to your library, with the sound included. You can share it anywhere a video works: WhatsApp, Instagram, Android phones, email or a Windows PC.
Screens from the Photos app on iOS 26.5.
Why a Live Photo needs converting
A Live Photo is two files that Photos shows as one: a still photo and a short MOV clip (about 3 seconds), linked by shared metadata. Inside Apple's apps that pairing just works. Outside them — on Android, in most chat apps, on Windows — only the still survives, so the motion disappears. Saving it as a video turns the moving part into an ordinary video file that every device can play.
On iPhone: Save as Video
1. Open the Live Photo
In Photos, open the Live Photo you want to turn into a video. Live Photos show LIVE in the top-left corner. If you don't see it, the photo was taken with Live turned off, and there's no motion to save.
2. Tap ••• and choose Save as Video
Tap the ••• (More) button in the top-right corner, then Save as Video. On older versions of iOS the same option is in the Share menu.
3. Find the video in your library
The new video is added to your library and the Live Photo itself stays untouched. If the Live Photo recorded sound, the video keeps it.
On a Mac: export the original
- Open the Live Photo in Photos on your Mac.
- Choose File → Export → Export Unmodified Original.
- Pick a folder. You get two files: the still (HEIC or JPG) and the motion as a .MOV video.
The .MOV is the video. It plays in QuickTime and most players; if a website or Windows app wants MP4, convert it with our Live Photo to video converter.
On Windows, Android or from iCloud.com
When Live Photos leave Apple devices, they usually arrive in one of two shapes:
- A HEIC and a MOV with the same name — for example from iCloud for Windows or an AirDrop to a Mac. The MOV is already the video.
- A single .livp file — what you often get when you download a Live Photo from iCloud.com in a browser. It's a package that holds both halves.
Drop either into the Live Photo to video converter. It takes the motion out of the .livp (or the MOV from the pair) and converts it to an MP4 with the sound kept, right in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
FAQ
Why don't I see Save as Video? The photo isn't a Live Photo, or Live was turned off for it — check for the LIVE badge. A Live Photo that's still downloading from iCloud may also need a moment before the option works.
Does the video keep the sound? Yes. Save as Video keeps the audio the Live Photo recorded.
How long is the video? About 3 seconds — the length of the Live Photo's motion.
Can I make it loop or bounce? Yes. Tap LIVE in the top-left corner and choose Loop or Bounce. Photos then plays it as a looping clip.
Can I turn it into a GIF instead? Yes — save it as a video first, then use Live Photo to GIF.
Can I go the other way and turn a video into a Live Photo? Not with the Photos app. That needs an app that writes a real Live Photo into your library; see how to turn a video into a Live Photo. Liveify does it on your iPhone, and your first 2 Live Photos are free.
Get Liveify on the App Store