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Guide · How-to

How to make a timelapse from photos on iPhone

Not the Camera's Time-lapse mode: this is for photos taken days, weeks or years apart, like a bump, a beard, a plant or a kid.

By Gül Eda Aydemir, indie iOS developer·Updated ·6 min read

Quick answer

The Camera app's Time-lapse mode records one continuous video while your iPhone stays still, so it can't combine photos taken on different days. To make a timelapse from separate photos, put them in date order, line them up and show each one for a fraction of a second. You can do it by hand in iMovie, loosely with a Photos memory movie, or with a progress-photo app that lines the photos up and renders the video for you.

Can the iPhone Camera make a timelapse from photos?

No. Time-lapse mode captures footage at intervals while the iPhone sits on a stable surface or a tripod. Apple's examples are a setting sun or traffic flowing: perfect for an afternoon, useless for a bump over forty weeks. Photos taken days apart need a different route.

What are my options for photos taken days apart?

Three, depending on how many photos you have and whether they need lining up.

MethodLines photos up?EffortCostBest for
iMovieNoHigh: add, trim and order every photoFree10 to 20 photos, full manual control
Photos memory movieNoLowFree, built inA music montage of moments
Solo.ShotsWhile you shoot (ghost and level); automatically on the eyes for photos already in your libraryLowFree with ads; Premium optionalOne subject, many photos

How do I make a photo timelapse in iMovie?

Add the photos in date order, shorten each one and switch off the zoom effect. It works, but it's manual.

  1. In Photos, put the pictures in an album, oldest first.
  2. In iMovie, start a new Movie project and add the photos.
  3. Each photo appears for 3 to 6 seconds by default, with a Ken Burns zoom. Tap each photo, drag the trim handles to shorten it, and turn the Ken Burns effect off so the frame stays still.
  4. Set the transitions between photos to none, so they cut instead of dissolving.
  5. Share and save the video.

Fine for a dozen photos. For 52 or 365, your thumb will file a complaint. And nothing gets lined up for you, so any drift in your photos shows.

Can Apple Photos make it automatically?

Sort of. Photos can play any album or collection as a memory movie set to music: open it in Collections and tap the play button. You can then change the music, the length and the photos; the exact buttons vary by iOS version. It's lovely for moments set to music, but it's a slideshow: no alignment, so it isn't built for watching one thing change frame by frame.

How do I make a timelapse with Solo.Shots?

Two routes, depending on whether the photos already exist.

Photos you take from now on

Create a daily, weekly or monthly project and take each photo with the Photo Ghost and the level, so they line up from the start. When you're ready (two photos is the minimum), open the project and tap play:

  1. Ratio: 9:16 portrait, 1:1 square or 16:9 landscape.
  2. Speed: 0.1 s (fast) to 1 s (slow) per photo; the default 0.25 s is about 4 photos per second.
  3. Frame: Fill crops to fill the screen; Fit shows the whole photo with bars.
  4. Date: none, the date, a day number or a week number.
  5. Quality: 1080p, or 4K.
  6. Tap Generate Video, then save it to Photos or share it.
Solo.Shots Edit Video screen: a Day 1 preview, a timeline of 12 frames, aspect ratio choices 9:16 Portrait, 1:1 Square and 16:9 Landscape, and tools for Ratio, Speed, Frame, Date and Quality.
Ratio, Speed, Frame, Date and Quality.
Solo.Shots Speed tool: 0.25 seconds per photo, about 4 frames per second, on a slider from 0.1 s fast to 1.0 s slow; the video is 3 seconds long.
Speed: 0.25 s per photo is about 4 per second.

Photos you already have

If the photos are of a person or a pet, Timelapse From Your Photos finds them across your library, keeps one clear photo per period and lines every frame up on the eyes, on your iPhone. Importing any other photos into a project is a Premium feature.

How long will my timelapse be?

Number of photos × seconds per photo. That's it.

Photos0.1 s0.25 s (default)0.5 s1 s
30 a month, daily3 s7.5 s15 s30 s
40 pregnancy, weekly4 s10 s20 s40 s
52 a year, weekly5.2 s13 s26 s52 s
100 free version's maximum10 s25 s50 s1 min 40 s
365 a year, daily (Premium)36.5 s1 min 31 s3 min 3 s6 min 5 s

Slow changes (a plant, a bump) read better around 0.4 to 0.5 s per photo; fast series like a daily selfie can run at 0.1 to 0.2 s. The free version holds up to 100 photos per project; a daily year needs Premium.

Which aspect ratio should I choose?

Posting it regularly? The weekly posting system for creators helps, and DUMP turns your best frames into a carousel if a video isn't the right format.

Should I add a date or a day number?

Why does my timelapse look jumpy, and how do I fix it?

Almost always it's the photos, not the video settings: the framing or the brightness jumps between frames.

FAQ

Can I make a timelapse from photos for free?

Yes. iMovie is free if you don't mind setting up each photo by hand. Solo.Shots' free version exports 1080p video after a short ad, with a small watermark, and lets you export in 4K once (a short ad unlocks it).

What kind of file does Solo.Shots export?

An MP4 video (H.264) in 1080p or 4K, which you can save to Photos or share straight to another app.

Can I use photos that are already on my iPhone?

Yes. Timelapse From Your Photos finds you, someone else or a cat or dog across your library and lines the frames up on the eyes; saving the result needs Premium. Importing other photos into a project is also a Premium feature.

Does it work on iPad?

Yes. Solo.Shots is a universal app for iPhone and iPad and needs iOS or iPadOS 17.6 or later.

Sources

More apps by Gül Eda

Solo.ShotsFree · iPhone & iPad
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