How to Post a Live Photo on Instagram

Do you want to impress your followers and diversify your social feed with live photos? If you have an iPhone, you know that live photos are more than an image. They are short videos — endearing slices of your life that you should share.

But, no matter what you try, you cannot use Instagram's normal posting method to add a live photo to your feed. You shouldn't feel discouraged, though. Our social media experts know exactly how to get your live photo on Instagram.

Follow along as we describe what a live photo is, how to post it to your Instagram story and page, and some expert tips on how to make it stand out!

Taking a Live Photo

If you never fussed with your camera settings, chances are it's already set to live mode since iPhones take live photos by default. Still, there is a quick and effective method to check whether your camera is in live mode before you start snapping pictures.

First, open your iPhone camera app and look at the top right corner. You should see some concentric circles. If the concentric circles are white with a line through them, your phone is not in live mode.

Tap the circles. When they turn yellow and the line disappears, you will know that live mode is on. For a brief moment, an icon should also appear at the top center of your screen that reads, "live".

Now you can start snapping away until you get the perfect pic! Live photos conform to the same capture method as regular photos. All you need to do is press the shutter button and your phone does the rest.

As you take the live photo, your iPhone records the 1.5 seconds before and after you click the image. It selects the best frame from that short video to display.

To see the whole live photo, open your iPhone photos app. Find the live picture you wish to watch and press firmly. After a moment, your iPhone will play the live photo from beginning to end.

If you don't like the photo selected by your phone, you can select a different frame. Follow these simple steps:

Select the live photo
Enter iPhone photo editor
Select the concentric circle icon at the bottom of the screen
Scroll to find your favorite frame
Press the "Make Key Photo" option

Now, the photo that your phone displays will be the frame you selected.

Posting a Live Photo on Instagram

Now that you have the most grammable live photo, it's time to add it to your feed. This is where things tend to get tricky.

Unfortunately, Instagram and Facebook do not allow their users to post live photos. If you want to post a live photo on Instagram, you have to use the "boomerang workaround". You can also use this trick to learn how to post a GIF on Instagram.

The boomerang workaround converts your live photo to a boomerang, allowing you to post it anywhere on Instagram.

Step 1

First, open Instagram and swipe left to add to your story. On the left side of the screen, you will see some icons. These icons are all the fun things that help spice up your Instagram posts. One adds text, another generates layouts, and the third creates a boomerang.

The boomerang option looks like an infinity symbol. Select it to start creating a boomerang for your story.

Step 2

Now that you are in boomerang mode, you can select the live photo from your camera roll.

On the bottom left of your screen, open your camera roll and select your live photo. When you select it, you will see the boomerang icon appear at the top of your screen with a prompt that says "create a boomerang from your live photo." When you select this option, Instagram processes the image, converting your live photo to a boomerang.

Step 3

After selecting the boomerang option, you may choose the type of boomerang you want to post. Instagram has four options:

Classic boomerang: Plays video on loop forward and in reverse at normal speed
Slow-mo boomerang: Slows classic boomerang to half-speed
Echo boomerang: Adds blur effect to classic boomerang
Duo boomerang: Adds glitch effect to classic boomerang at double-speed

Make your selection and press "done" in the top right corner.

Step 4

Before you share your boomerang, you have some editing options. Use the menu to add text, polls, links and more to your story. Then, share it using the button in the bottom right corner of your screen or tap the arrow for more options.

After you post your Instagram story, you have access to it for 24 hours. It will not become a permanent fixture on your Instagram page like regular posts.

Before, you would have to select the save as video option to add the live photo to your Instagram feed. But, Instagram added a feature that makes this process easier than ever.

If you want the live photo on your Instagram page, you must first select the story. In the bottom right corner of the screen, you will see an ellipsis icon with the word "more" beneath it. Click that icon to bring up an options menu.

In that menu, you will see a "share as post" option. Select that button to post the live photo to your Instagram page. If you're new to the 'gram and need tips on regular posts, learn how to post on Instagram here.

Posting Tips

Our number one posting tip is to post during prime times. Check out our guide on the best time to post on Instagram for more.

While this workaround is a great way to get your live photo on your Instagram feed, there are some downsides. For example, after you convert the live photo to a boomerang in the Instagram app, you can no longer edit it. Subvert this problem by editing the photo before you add it to your story.

You can use your phone's built-in editing software to complete this. But, we find the iPhone editor to be somewhat lacking in engaging editing options. It's better to find a third-party editor to spice up your photos.

Some third-party software will only edit the live photo's keyframe and not the whole video, rendering it motionless. Instead, use a third-party app like Mojo that allows you to edit the live photo as a video, apply filters, music, and more.

But, you may also want to standardize your post-editing and create an aesthetic. In this case, consider using an Instagram post template. Mojo offers dozens of Instagram post templates to build your brand identity and stand out among competitors.

Check out some other posts to learn more posting tips like how to post a youtube video to Instagram.

Increase Your Social Influence with Mojo

Posting a live photo on Instagram is just the beginning of expanding your social media influence. Mojo allows you to add professional animations and features that take your content to the next level.

Stand out with our extensive line of Instagram and TikTok filters, add music to your Instagram post, and use animated stickers to create a magical flair with every post.

If you're ready to get your content on the recommended pages, gain followers, and grow your business, download the Mojo app today. Get even more features when you subscribe to Mojo pro!

Looking to upgrade your social content? Subscribe to Mojo Pro today and get started!