ios12 facetime iconWith Apple's FaceTime, you can take Live Photos during ‌FaceTime‌ video calls, allowing you to capture special moments as they happen onscreen when chatting with friends and family.

‌Live Photos‌ record what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take a picture, allowing them to come alive when you view them in Apple's Photos app.

Apple gives you control over whether ‌Live Photos‌ can be taken during your ‌FaceTime‌ calls. The service also notifies users when a Live Photo is taken, so they can't be shot in secret. In addition, ‌FaceTime‌ strips out audio from ‌Live Photos‌, so nothing you say will be recorded.

How to Allow Live Photos to Be Taken in a FaceTime Call

If you want other people to be able to take ‌FaceTime‌ ‌Live Photos‌ when you're on a call with them, make sure you have ‌FaceTime‌ ‌Live Photos‌ enabled.

settings
On an iOS device, launch the Settings app, tap FaceTime, and check that the FaceTime Live Photos switch is toggled to the green ON position.

FaceTime
On Mac, launch the FaceTime app, click the ‌FaceTime‌ menu bar in the top-left corner of the screen and click Preferences, then tick the box next to Allow Live Photos to be captured during Video calls.

FaceTime

How to Take Live Photos in FaceTime on iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the FaceTime app on your iOS device.
  2. Initiate a ‌FaceTime‌ call, either by tapping on a contact in the recent calls list, or choosing a person in your Contacts to call by tapping the plus (+) icon.
    FaceTime

  3. Once the call connects and you can see the other person, tap the screen and look for the camera icon, to the left of the red button. If you don't see the icon, the other person needs to enable ‌Live Photos‌, as described above.
    FaceTime

  4. Tap the camera icon when you're ready to take a Live Photo. The photo will be automatically saved in your Photo Library.

How to Take Live Photos in FaceTime on Mac

  1. Launch the FaceTime app on your Mac, from your Dock or the Applications folder.
    apps

  2. Initiate a ‌FaceTime‌ call by clicking on a contact in the recent calls list, typing a contact's name in the search bar and clicking a match, or choosing a person in your contacts list to call by clicking the Plus icon.
    facetime

  3. Once the call connects and you can see the other person, look for the camera icon, to the left of the red button. If you don't see the icon, the other person needs to enable ‌Live Photos‌, as described above.
    FaceTime

  4. Click the camera icon when you're ready to take a Live Photo. The photo will be automatically saved in your Photo Library.

When taking a Live Photo during a ‌FaceTime‌ video call, don't worry about your own image in the corner of the screen. This is automatically removed from the Live Photo that's saved in your ‌Photos‌ Library, along with any other interface elements.

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
iPhone SE Cosmopolitan Clean

Apple Discontinued These 25 Products This Year

Wednesday December 24, 2025 7:24 am PST by
With the end of 2025 near, the time has come to look back at the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Most of the products that were discontinued this year were simply replaced by a new model with an updated chip. However, the iPhone SE line was entirely discontinued when the iPhone 16e launched, and the iPhone Plus line is being phased out. Below, we have...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...