Apple’s Live Photos have been around for a while. They capture a few seconds before and after you tap the shutter, essentially creating a three-second video with sound that you can use as a video or a photo.
By recording a short snippet of video and audio, Live Photos bring your snapshots to life. But sometimes that background chatter or surprise noise isn’t what you want saved with your photo. So, do Live Photos actually have sound, and if so, can you remove it?
Do Live Photos Have Sound?
Yes, Live Photos capture both video and sound. When you tap the shutter on your screen, your iPhone saves 1.5 seconds of footage and audio before and after you take your shot. This means that when you hold down on a Live Photo, you’ll not only see a short video but also hear whatever was happening at the time, whether it’s gossip, music, or an awkward sneeze.
Can you edit or remove the sound from a Live Photo?
Absolutely. Apple gives you the option to mute or unmute the sound from a Live Photo directly in the Photos app. You can’t edit the sound in the same way you’d edit a video (such as trimming or adjusting volume levels), but you can toggle it off if you don’t want to include it when viewing or sharing the photo.
How to turn off sound in a Live Photo
If you want to mute a Live Photo, you can do it within your iPhone’s Photos app. Here’s how:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone and find the Live Photo you want to edit.
- Tap the Edit icon at the bottom of the screen (three stacked lines with small circles on them).
- In the editing screen, choose Live at the bottom.
- Tap the speaker icon in the upper left.
- Tap the speaker to mute or unmute the sound.
- Tap Done to save your changes.
Once muted, your Live Photo will still display as intended, only without the sound.
How to mute or unmute Live Photos before sharing
If you’d rather not permanently mute a Live Photo, you can choose to send a photo with the Live capabilities turned off. That means it will send as a still photo without sound instead of a short video. Here’s how to do it:
- In the Photos app, select the Live Photo you want to share.
- Tap the Share icon (square with an arrow) and choose the recipient or where you want to share it.
- Toggle off Live Photos in the upper left corner of the photo. Your photo will now be sent as a still photo without sound.
Do Live Photos take up more storage with sound?
Yes, Live Photos consume more storage than regular still images because they contain both video and audio content. While the sound itself doesn’t add a lot of space to the file, the short video clip does. Multiply that across hundreds (or thousands) of Live Photos, and you’ll notice your iPhone’s storage filling up quickly.
CleanMy®Phone is a great solution for freeing up storage without deleting your Live Photos. Simply convert them all into still images in CleanMy®Phone’s Organize Module. With just a few taps, you can declutter your photo library while keeping all of your images intact.
FAQs about Live Photos and sound
Can I add sound back after removing it from a Live Photo?
Yes. If you mute a Live Photo within the Photos app, the sound isn’t permanently deleted; it’s just muted. You can easily go back into the editing screen, tap the speaker icon again, and the original audio will return.
Can I trim or edit the sound in a Live Photo?
No. Unlike videos, Live Photos don’t have editing options for sound. You can only toggle the audio on or off.
Can Live Photos be turned into videos with sound?
Yes. You can export a Live Photo as a video directly from the Photos app. When you do this, it will include both the motion and the original sound (as long as it’s unmuted).
Do Live Photos take up a lot more space than still photos?
Yes, they take up more storage because each one contains a short video clip with sound. Over time, this can add up to many gigabytes of space. That’s why converting them to stills is a smart way to save room without deleting them altogether.
Will muting a Live Photo also mute it when I share it?
Yes. If you mute a Live Photo in the Photos app, it will remain muted when you share it unless you go back in and unmute it before sending.
Live Photos are a unique way to capture a moment with sound. But sometimes, you may not want that audio track included. Fortunately, your iPhone makes it simple to mute or unmute Live Photos right in the Photos app or before sharing them.
And if storage space is a concern, tools like CleanMy®Phone make it easy to convert Live Photos to stills and reclaim valuable space without losing your favorite memories.
