How to make a gif into a live photo

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Live wallpapers might not be as trendy as they used to be when Apple initially introduced its Live Photos feature along with the iPhone 6s. But in case you wanted to turn your favorite movie into a moving background for your handset – there is an app for that.

While Apple does support moving wallpapers on its devices, users are expected to convert videos and animations to the company’s own Live Photo format. Available for free, intoLive is a nifty app for iOS that lets you effortlessly turn any video or GIF animation into a live wallpaper for your iPhone.

Here is how you can do that:

  • Download the app from the App Store here
  • Open intoLive and load up the clip of your choice
  • Find the right part of the footage and choose the duration for the Live Wallpaper
  • Save the video as a Live Photo

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Once you’ve done this, all you need to do is go to Settings and update your wallpaper with the Live Photo you’ve just generated.

In addition to this, the app also comes with its own editing tools in case users want to tweak the length and duration of their Live wallpapers.

How to make a gif into a live photo
How to make a gif into a live photo

One thing to keep in mind is that the free version of intoLive limits the duration for live wallpapers to five seconds. Those interested in making longer wallpapers can get the Pro iteration the app, which extends this option to up to 30 seconds.

In all fairness, the app has been around for at least a couple of years now – but it could still come in handy to those seeking to bring some more motion to their iPhone’s background. You can download intoLive from here.

Meanwhile, should you happen to find the video/GIF you want to set as your new Live wallpaper on Giphy – you can long-press the animation in question to save it directly as a Live Photo; that way you don’t have to rely on intoLive to do the same.

Want to learn how to make your own GIFs using the live photos on your iPhone? Here’s how to do it in just four easy steps.

You might think you’d need to download a third-party app or open up a GIF maker in your browser to create GIFs on an iPhone, but it’s actually an incredibly short and simple process. All you need is Apple’s own Shortcuts app and the live photo you want to animate.

From there, you can go on to send the GIF to your friends and family over your favourite messaging app or share it with your followers on Facebook and Twitter.

Read on to learn how to turn the live photos on your iPhone into GIFs.

What you’ll need: 

  • An iPhone with the Shortcuts app installed
  • A live photo

The Short Version 

  1. Open Shortcuts
  2. Tap Make GIF
  3. Select your live photo
  4. Tap Done to save the GIF

How to turn iPhone live photos into a GIF

  1. Step
    1

    Open the Shortcuts app

    How to make a gif into a live photo

    The app should come pre-installed on iOS, but if you can’t find it you should be able to download it again from the App Store.

    How to make a gif into a live photo

  2. Step
    2

    Tap Make GIF

    How to make a gif into a live photo

    If it isn’t on the first page, tap Gallery and search for the shortcut there.

    How to make a gif into a live photo

  3. Step
    3

    Select your live photo

    How to make a gif into a live photo

    You can choose it from your Recents folder or head into the Live Photos tab to see just you live images.

    How to make a gif into a live photo

  4. Step
    4

    Hit Done

    How to make a gif into a live photo

    That’s it! Your GIF will be automatically saved in your Photos.

    How to make a gif into a live photo

Troubleshooting

How do I take a live photo?

A live photo captures 1.5 seconds before a photo is taken, as well as 1.5 seconds after. You can take a live photo by opening the camera app on your iPhone and tapping the circle icon in the top right corner so that it turns yellow.

What else can I do with a live photo?

Open the live photo in your Photos and click LIVE in the top left corner to see what else you can do with a live photo. This includes looping the short video, bouncing it and creating a long exposure image.

How do I turn a GIF into a life picture?

Tap the three white dots to the bottom right of the GIF..
Tap Convert to Live Photo..
Tap Save as Live Photo (Full Screen) and Save as Live Photo (Fit to Screen).

Can a GIF be a live wallpaper?

About this app You can choose any GIF image file to set as your phone Live Wallpaper. This app is made to be simple and easy to operate. You don't need any special settings on your phone, as root for example. Your phone just need to be able to show Live Wallpapers.

How do I save a GIF as a Live wallpaper?

Go to Settings > Wallpaper > Choose New Wallpaper. Select “Live Photos” and then the live photo you just saved. Position the GIF how you want it and then tap “Set.” You can choose whether you want it to be on the Lock Screen, the Home Screen, or Both.

Can you have a GIF as a wallpaper iPhone?

You can set a GIF as the wallpaper for your iPhone's lock screen, but it won't animate like it does when looking at the image in the Photos app.