Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Live photos have separated into photos and videos

What can I do to reunite my photos that have separated into photos and 3-second movies?

Posted on Apr 17, 2021 7:11 PM

Reply
Question marked as Apple recommended

Try to reimport the video and the still frame together. But before you reimport, you have to delete all traces of the split pair from the Photos Library. A Live Photo may appear as a pair of a video and still frame for two possible reasons:

  1. If there is already a still image of the video. For example, if you imported your photos with My Photo Stream, you cannot import it as a Live Photo, because the duplicate detection will prevent the import of the paired Live Photo.
  2. Or, if the Live Photo has been created by a third-party application and is not fully compatible with your current system version.

To fix the broken pairs, (if possible) try the following:

  • Select the video clip and the still frame together and use "File > Export > Export unmodified Original". You may be seeing an additional XMP or AAE file with metadata and effects Keep them as well.
  • Check the exported video and image files, if they are readable with Preview and QuickTime Player.
  • Now delete the original files from Photos. Search for all files with the same filename, if there are duplicates. Delete all duplicate versions. empty the Recently Deleted album.
  • If you are using iCloud Photos, wait, until the deleted Live Photos has vanished from al synced devices.
  • Now reimport the video and the still frame together.

If you are lucky, the two files can now be combined again as a Live Photo.


If the videocomponent is no longer compatible with your current system version, convert it to a different format, that will play in QuickTime Player. I used Into Live Pro on my iPhone to turn the video again into a Live Photo.




Posted on Apr 18, 2021 12:08 AM

1 reply
Question marked as Apple recommended

Apr 18, 2021 12:08 AM in response to Chasm

Try to reimport the video and the still frame together. But before you reimport, you have to delete all traces of the split pair from the Photos Library. A Live Photo may appear as a pair of a video and still frame for two possible reasons:

  1. If there is already a still image of the video. For example, if you imported your photos with My Photo Stream, you cannot import it as a Live Photo, because the duplicate detection will prevent the import of the paired Live Photo.
  2. Or, if the Live Photo has been created by a third-party application and is not fully compatible with your current system version.

To fix the broken pairs, (if possible) try the following:

  • Select the video clip and the still frame together and use "File > Export > Export unmodified Original". You may be seeing an additional XMP or AAE file with metadata and effects Keep them as well.
  • Check the exported video and image files, if they are readable with Preview and QuickTime Player.
  • Now delete the original files from Photos. Search for all files with the same filename, if there are duplicates. Delete all duplicate versions. empty the Recently Deleted album.
  • If you are using iCloud Photos, wait, until the deleted Live Photos has vanished from al synced devices.
  • Now reimport the video and the still frame together.

If you are lucky, the two files can now be combined again as a Live Photo.


If the videocomponent is no longer compatible with your current system version, convert it to a different format, that will play in QuickTime Player. I used Into Live Pro on my iPhone to turn the video again into a Live Photo.




Live photos have separated into photos and videos

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.