How to Use macOS Photos to Turn Live Photos into GIFs

Your iPhone shoots Live Photos, which capture video footage from before and after a still image, but while iOS can't turn those into GIFs on its own, your Mac can. All you need to do is open those image in the Photos app, which uses iCloud to sync images from your phone, and know about a couple of steps.

Before we dive in, you'll want to think about what kind of GIF you want. GIFs made using the Loop cycle show the footage over and over again, while those made with the Bounce effect play that footage forward, then in reverse and repeat. Here's how to turn Live Photos into GIFs in Photos for macOS:

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1. In the left menu, under Albums, select Live Photos.

2. Double click a Live Photo. Hover over an image to preview its motion.

3. Click Edit.

4. Click Live to open the motion menu.

5. Select an option. Bounce cycles the footage forwards and then in reverse and Loop shows the video chronologically, while Long Exposure doesn't convert to GIF. After you select an option, you'll see how the effect works for yourself.