Live Photos and what they capture
What gets recorded
Apple says that with Live Photos your iPhone records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take a picture. So a Live Photo can hold a screen glimpsed as you raised the phone, or a person who walked into view. Apple's pages we could read don't say whether it records sound, so check how yours plays back before you share it. The key photo is the one you see in your grid, and you can choose a different one when you edit.
Live Photo is on by default, and Apple says the Camera turns it back on by itself after you switch it off. To turn it off for a shot, open Camera and tap the Live Photo button. A slash through the icon means it's off. To keep your choice, go to Settings, then Camera, then Preserve Settings, and make sure Live Photo is on.
What people see when you share one
- Messages on an iPhone or iPad: the person taps the photo, then presses and holds to see it move.
- Messages on a Mac: it plays once when they double-click it, and again if they click LIVE.
- Mail: Apple says it's sent as a still image.
- Other apps: Apple warns that editing a Live Photo in a third-party app may remove effects you applied.
How to send just the still
Open the photo, tap Share, and before you choose where to send it, tap LIVE in the upper-left corner. Apple says this sends only the still image. It's the safe habit for pictures you post or send to people you don't know well, and for a private picture, such as a document or a screen.
You can also turn Live Photo off while editing: open the photo, tap Edit, then tap the LIVE button at the top of the screen. Do that before sharing if you want the picture without the motion.
If you want one that's private
- Don't use Live Photo to photograph a document. It records extra seconds you don't need. Turn it off first.
- Play it back first. See what else it caught before you share it.
How FirstHour helps
When you move a Live Photo into the Vault, the Vault keeps the picture as you see it, not the motion. FirstHour tells you so on the apply screen. The motion stays with the original in Photos. If you tell iPhone to remove the original, the motion goes to Recently Deleted for 30 days. If you say no, the original, motion included, stays in Photos.
FirstHour looks through pictures for private details. It doesn't check videos, and it can't tell you what a Live Photo caught in its extra seconds.
Questions
Does sharing a Live Photo share my location?
Apple says that with Location Services on for Camera, each photo carries its location, and people you share with may be able to see it. Apple's page doesn't mention Live Photos specifically, so treat them the same way. In the Share Sheet, tap Options and turn off Location. Here's the full guide.
Can I keep the picture and lose the motion?
Yes. Apple says you can tap LIVE at the top of the screen while editing to turn Live Photo off, or tap LIVE before you share to send only the still.
Sources
- Take and edit Live Photos, Apple Support
- Manage location metadata in Photos, Apple Support