I tried to import live photos from my iPone14 Pro to my Mac M1 mini (both running latest software) several times today but all I get is a still photo in the Mac's Photo Library. I have hundreds of functioning live photos in the live photos folder in the Albums section of Photos on my Mac, but none since last summer. Anyone help me restore the ability to get live phots from my iPhone to my Mac? Thanks.
Mac mini (M1, 2020)
The Live Photos are a pair of a high resolution still frame and a short video clip with the animation.
When you transfer them from the iPhone to the Mac, you have to import the video clip and the still frame at the same time, and then Photos can combine them again to a Live Photo.
You can either transfer them using a USB connection and import from the iPhone this way (if the iPhone is not syncing with iCloud Photos) or letting them sync to the Mac with iCloud Photos.
But all this will not work properly, if you already have imported the still frames without the video component, for example from My Photo Stream, which will only transfer the still frame. Then the duplicate detection in Photos will prevent Photos from importing the pair of the still frame and the video together as a Live Photo. You would have to remove the still frames from the Photos Library and recently Deleted (or lonely video components, if you only imported the video) before you try to reimport the pairs combined to import the Live Photos properly.
The Live Photos are a pair of a high resolution still frame and a short video clip with the animation.
When you transfer them from the iPhone to the Mac, you have to import the video clip and the still frame at the same time, and then Photos can combine them again to a Live Photo.
You can either transfer them using a USB connection and import from the iPhone this way (if the iPhone is not syncing with iCloud Photos) or letting them sync to the Mac with iCloud Photos.
But all this will not work properly, if you already have imported the still frames without the video component, for example from My Photo Stream, which will only transfer the still frame. Then the duplicate detection in Photos will prevent Photos from importing the pair of the still frame and the video together as a Live Photo. You would have to remove the still frames from the Photos Library and recently Deleted (or lonely video components, if you only imported the video) before you try to reimport the pairs combined to import the Live Photos properly.
Thanks all. It seems to have gotten mighty complicated, given that until last August none of these extra steps were required and, as Apple used to say, "it just works." Make that "worked."
I am confused as I thought that "live" photos were just still photos taken on the iPhone and listed as "live", but are still photos as opposed to videos which would have movement.
Can't you check off the photos on the phone and then share them with your mac by airdrop, email messages ?
"Live" photos are 3-second mini-videos that can be turned into a still photo. They used to transfer from my iPhone to my Mac as those 3-second videos, but now they are only transporting as still photos.
Sorry, misunderstood your question.
I think you need to connect your phone to your mac or via iCloud if you use iCloud for photos to get the "live" function to work.
If you are already doing this, you might try Apple Support.
FWIW, if you have "Live Photos" in Photos on your iPhone, they should show as Live in Photos on your Mac.
Obviously I don't have that many. 😎
Dialabrain -- Exactly. Which is why I have asked the question!
I think you want to let icloud sync the photos rather than importing them directly.
Exporting my iPhone "live" photos to my Mac
