A note on what we can and cannot cite
Apple’s published documents in our source list do not describe Live Photos, so this guide does not explain how Apple builds them or how Photos plays them. Everything below about the product is based on what FromHEIC does. Where a statement about Apple’s behaviour would need a source we do not have, we tell you what to check instead.
What FromHEIC’s tools do with a Live Photo
Practical facts from the tools:
- The still image is the HEIC. FromHEIC converts that still like any other HEIC.
- The motion is a separate .MOV file, not stored inside the HEIC. The extract images tool states this: it lists what the HEIC file actually contains, and the video is not part of it.
- FromHEIC does not process the video. If you want the motion, you have to deal with the .MOV through other software.
- When you convert a Live Photo’s HEIC, you get a still picture. Nothing animates.
Whether your phone gives you both files together depends on how you export or import. For USB import, Apple notes that media might be converted to JPEG or H.264 and that Keep Originals prevents this. That page does not mention Live Photos specifically, so test with one photo and look at what arrives.
HEIF can hold motion, but that is not the same thing
The HEIF technical overview says the format supports image sequences stored as tracks, burst photos, short animations and the simultaneous capture of video and stills in one file. That is a capability of the standard. It does not tell you how a particular phone saves its Live Photos, and as noted above, FromHEIC sees the video as a separate file.
Some HEIF files do contain sequence tracks. The HEIC inspector reports sequence tracks, and the extractor detects them, but neither decodes or extracts the motion. So “reported, not decoded” is the right way to read the output.
Steps to get a still you can share
- Open the HEIC in the viewer to confirm it is the frame you want.
- Convert it with the HEIC to JPG converter, which produces a standard still.
- Check the output file. A JPG is lossy, so keep the HEIC as the master. See HEIC vs JPG.
If a platform asks you for the video too, you need the .MOV from your device; this site cannot create it from a HEIC.
Finding out what is inside your file
Run the HEIC inspector on a Live Photo’s still. It lists:
- the brands and codec,
- the primary item,
- grids and tiles (large photos are often stored as tiles),
- thumbnails,
- sequence tracks, depth maps, alpha and gain maps if present,
- colour profiles and the item table.
Compare that list to what you expected. It is the factual answer to “what does this file contain”.
For individual parts, the extract images tool offers the primary image, other top-level images, thumbnails, depth maps, alpha masks and gain maps, one by one or as a ZIP. It lists only what the file actually holds.
What to check for in your own workflow
- File pairs. Keep the HEIC and the .MOV together if you may want the motion again. Renaming or moving only one separates them.
- Metadata. The still can carry GPS. If you share it, check with the metadata guide.
- Sharing destinations. Whether a given site plays a Live Photo or shows only the still is up to that site. Check its upload help.
- Storage. The extra file takes space, but we have no figure to give you.
Other things in the container
HEIC files can include depth maps or gain maps, which are separate from motion. For gain maps, see HDR and Display P3. The libheif library documentation lists support for depth maps, thumbnails and auxiliary images, which is why a tool built on it can find them.
Summary
For a Live Photo, FromHEIC gives you the still, the structure and the extracted still-image parts. It does not give you the video. If the video matters, use the original .MOV or your phone’s own export. For basics on the format, read what is HEIC.