Live Photos
Live Photo to GIF
Turn an iPhone Live Photo into a looping GIF that plays anywhere — converted locally in your browser, no upload.
Decoded and converted locally with WebCodecs — nothing is uploaded.
To turn a Live Photo into a GIF, AirDrop it to your computer and drop the .MOV half above — frames are decoded with WebCodecs in your browser, and nothing is uploaded. Pick the width and frame rate before converting; GIFs are silent and limited to 256 colours, so shorter and smaller usually looks better.
Honest limits
- Needs a browser with WebCodecs (current Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox); HEVC clips also depend on OS codecs.
- GIF output is silent and limited to 256 colours.
- Drop the .MOV half of the pair — a still HEIC alone contains no motion.
Need more than a browser can do? Desktop browsers go further than phones — and Media Moana converts at scale on hosted infrastructure.
How it works
Drop the .MOV file
AirDrop the Live Photo to your computer first — the motion lives in the .MOV half of the pair.
Tune the GIF
Pick width and frame rate; the clip is decoded frame by frame locally with WebCodecs.
Download the GIF
A looping GIF, ready for any chat, doc or forum — never uploaded anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is this safe? Do my photos get uploaded?
No upload happens — ever. Live Photo conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly. Your files never leave your device, nothing is stored on any server, and the tool even keeps working if you go offline after the page loads. That's also why there are no file size limits, no queues and no sign-up.
How do I get the Live Photo off my iPhone?
AirDrop or transfer the photo to your computer — when a Live Photo leaves the Photos app it travels as a pair: a .HEIC still plus a .MOV video clip. Drop the .MOV here (the still isn't needed for the GIF). If you only see a .HEIC/.JPG, the share path you used dropped the video part — AirDrop and 'Export Unmodified Original' keep it.
Why GIF instead of a video file?
GIF autoplays and loops everywhere without a tap — chat apps, GitHub READMEs, docs, forums, slides. The trade-off: GIFs are limited to 256 colours, carry no sound, and weigh more per second than video. If you want full quality and small size, use the Live Photo to Video tool and get an MP4 instead.
Can I control the GIF's size and smoothness?
Yes — pick the output width and frame rate before converting. Smaller width and ~10–15 fps keep GIFs reasonably sized; full-width 30 fps GIFs of a 3-second clip can get huge, so preview and adjust.
Which browsers can convert Live Photos?
Any browser with WebCodecs video support — current Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox all qualify. Live Photo clips are usually HEVC-encoded, and HEVC decoding additionally depends on your operating system's codecs; if a clip can't be decoded you get a clear error and nothing is uploaded. H.264 clips from older iPhones decode everywhere.
Is there a file size or quantity limit?
There is no hard limit. Server-based converters cap uploads because your files consume their bandwidth and CPU; here decoding the video happens on your machine, so the only practical limit is your device's memory. Desktop browsers comfortably handle very large files and big batches.