Save a Live Photo as a video
A Live Photo plays only where Live Photos are supported. Exporting it as an MP4 makes the motion usable in a chat, a website, or on an Android phone — at the cost of a few seconds of length and one re-encode.
What the export gives you
A Live Photo contains a still and a short motion track. Exporting to video keeps only the motion track and writes it as a normal MP4 file:
- H.264 video — the format almost every phone, browser and chat app can play.
- The original audio, when the motion clip has some.
- No Live Photo metadata — that is the point. The file becomes a plain video instead of a photo that only some apps understand.
- About three seconds — the length is set by the Live Photo format, not by the export.
Why H.264 and not the original file
A Live Photo’s motion is often HEVC, which is efficient but not universally playable — Android phones, some browsers and a number of chat apps refuse it. Exporting re-encodes the clip as H.264 so it plays broadly.
The trade-off is honest: the exported file is re-encoded, not the original bitstream. For sending a memory to family or posting it online, that is the right trade. If you need the untouched original, export the unmodified Live Photo from Photos or iCloud instead.
Three steps in the Convert tab
- Open Convert → Live Photo to Video.
- Choose the Live Photo. The app reads the motion part from the photo library.
- Save the video. The H.264 MP4 is written to Photos; share it from there.
When a video is the wrong choice
A video cannot be set as a Live Wallpaper, does not show a cover frame in the photo grid, and loses the press-and-hold interaction. If the destination is an iPhone photo library, keep the Live Photo and share it with AirDrop or iMessage instead. Use the video export for places that only accept ordinary files.
Questions
Is the sound kept?
Yes, when the Live Photo’s motion clip has audio. The export keeps that track.
Why is the video only three seconds?
Because a Live Photo is about three seconds. The export cannot invent extra footage.
Does the quality drop?
The clip is re-encoded to H.264 for compatibility, so it is not bit-for-bit identical to the original HEVC track. For sharing and playback it is the practical choice.
Is it free?
Yes. The conversion runs on the device, needs no account and uses no credits.
Can I do this without an iPhone?
The app is iOS-only. Any device can play the exported MP4 once you have it.
Can I convert it back afterwards?
Yes — the Video to Live Photo direction in the same tab rebuilds a Live Photo from a video.