GOOD TO KNOW
How to make a Live Photo from a video
Choose a small moment worth keeping, then choose the still frame that represents it. This guide explains the editing decisions, what the download contains, and the separate step of getting it into Photos.
Start with a video your browser can convert
Choose an MP4 or MOV file up to 50 MB. A standard H.264 MP4 is a useful starting point. The file extension alone does not tell you which video codec is inside it, and a browser that can play a file may still be unable to convert it.
Conversion runs on your device. Use a current browser with an available H.264 encoder; desktop Chrome or Edge is a practical first option. HEVC, HDR, and mobile-browser compatibility vary. If the tool reports an unsupported codec, try a standard H.264 copy rather than repeatedly submitting the same file.
Choose the right half-second to three seconds
You can select a short section from a longer video. Move the start point so the clip includes the movement you want, then set a length between 0.5 and 3 seconds. Leave a little room before and after the main action so it does not feel abruptly cut off.
A small gesture, a wave, or a change in expression often reads more clearly than a busy scene. Preview the selected section before converting. If the original camera moves a lot, try a quieter part of the recording.
Pick a cover that works as a still photo
The cover is the JPEG still in your download. Choose a frame within the selected clip, then check faces, motion blur, and framing. A good cover should make sense before anyone plays the movement.
The tool extracts the cover from the converted clip and records its position in the video. Your choice controls the generated cover; the way Photos displays an imported asset still depends on the import path and device.
Generate the files and check the preview
Generate your Live Photo files, then check both the cover and the moving preview. This version produces a silent H.264 MOV and a JPEG. Output is capped at a 1920-pixel longest edge, is not enlarged beyond the source, and may be slightly adjusted to even pixel dimensions.
The main download is a ZIP containing a .pvt directory package, a conversion-information file and import instructions. The package keeps a paired JPEG, MOV and manifest together. The image and video share an identifier. A plain JPEG + MOV ZIP is also available under individual files. Downloading either ZIP does not add an item to your photo library.
Treat importing into Photos as a separate step
For the iPhone package, extract the ZIP in Files, open the .pvt item, tap its name / down arrow at the top, and choose Save to Photos. This created one playable Live Photo in our iOS 26.5 simulator test. An iPhone tester also confirmed Live Photo import and press-and-hold motion playback. Read the import guide before testing.
When testing, check that Photos shows a single Live Photo with a LIVE indicator and that its motion plays. Playing the MOV in Files is only a video-playback check.
If the result is a still image or two separate items
First check that both files arrived intact. If only the JPEG was saved, you have the cover without its movement. If the image and MOV appear as two items, the import path may have treated them independently; this does not by itself prove that the files are malformed.
Keep the original download for comparison. Record the device, iOS version, transfer method, and exact result before trying another route. Lock-screen wallpaper behavior is a separate question and is not promised by this converter.
Keep your next little moment.
Choose a video, find a short clip, and pick its cover.
Make a Live Photo