Most iPhone users are familiar with Apple's Live Photos, which capture 1.5 seconds of video before and after you take a picture, with the aim of adding a little bit of life and movement to still images. What some users might not know is that you can also make a Live Photo bounce back and forth like a boomerang.

icloud photos
If you're familiar with Instagram, you probably know what a boomerang is. Since introducing ‌Live Photos‌ in 2015, Apple has added some effects to its Photos app that let you turn them into fun animated clips, and the Bounce effect is basically the same thing as a boomerang. It rewinds the action backward and forward. Here's how to make one of your own on ‌iPhone‌.

  1. Open the ‌Photos‌ app and select a Live Photo. (If you look under "Media Types" in the Albums section, you'll find all of your ‌Live Photos‌ collated in a folder of the same name.)
  2. With the Live Photo open, tap the LIVE icon in the top-left corner of the interface.
  3. From the dropdown menu that appears, choose Bounce.

Live Photos

The effect you choose will be applied immediately, ready for you to share it using the Share icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Note that there are two other effects that you can try in ‌Photos‌: Loop repeats the action in a continuous looping video, and Long Exposure simulates a DSLR-like long exposure effect by blurring motion.

Did you know that it you get a blurry Live Photo image, you can open it up and see if other frames you captured are clearer, and then select a replacement "key photo" for it. Click the link to learn how it's done.

Top Rated Comments

RickDEGH Avatar
20 months ago
We already got Apple/iOS 17.5 doing Boomerang with deleted pictures.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orev Avatar
20 months ago

Most iPhone users are familiar with Apple's Live Photos
No, they aren't. Most iPhone users have no idea that every photo they take is capturing a few seconds of audio and video, and since the default is to keep turning live photos back on, they're also unaware why their phone/iCloud storage keeps getting used up.

The fact that Apple included this feature and clearly has it set to keep using more storage space despite the user's expectation is a clear consequence of them charging money for storage space. It gives them incentives to do shady things like this so storage gets used unexpectedly.

The fact that disabling this requires digging into the Camera settings and then another level deep to find a completely counter-intuitive setting is just more proof of this, and is not at all reasonable "solution" to this.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
truthsteve Avatar
20 months ago
no thank you. this is the worst effect
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
20 months ago
The different options allow to have fun with the photos to some extent.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tonie walker Avatar
20 months ago
hah! i thought an old probably deleted MR article resurface, similar to iCloud deleted photos. Thanks for reminding us though about this feature.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orev Avatar
20 months ago

I just don't understand why ”bounce” seems to skip some frames that are there if you just ”live” watch the photo.
Most video compression algorithms assume that the video will be played forward, and they only save the changes between frames in the forward direction. Going backwards is more complicated as it needs to try to reconstruct the frame using the "forward" information but going in the "backward" direction.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Brings New AppleCare+ Options to India

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:42 am PST by
Apple today announced an expansion of AppleCare+ coverage in India, with new options for monthly and annual plans, and the addition of Theft and Loss for iPhone for the first time. Options for monthly and annual AppleCare+ plans in India provide more choice and flexibility, allowing users to keep coverage for as long as they require. Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16 Wi-Fi Speeds: New Study Reveals the Winner

Tuesday November 18, 2025 10:53 am PST by
A new study has revealed that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air achieve significantly faster average Wi-Fi speeds compared to the iPhone 16 series, thanks to Apple's custom-designed N1 chip. The study was conducted by Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest website and app. It said the results are based on global, crowdsourced Speedtest user data...
macbook black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Tuesday November 18, 2025 7:32 am PST by
We're getting closer to Black Friday, which lands next week on Friday, November 28. In the lead-up to the shopping holiday, we're tracking a few lowest-ever prices on Apple's most popular Macs, including the M4 MacBook Air and brand new M5 MacBook Pro. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment,...
Magic Keyboard Touch ID Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for 140W USB-C Power Adapter, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad

Tuesday November 18, 2025 1:05 pm PST by
Apple today released updated firmware for several accessories, including the 140W USB-C Power Adapter, the Magic Trackpad 2, the Magic Trackpad USB-C, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad. There is no word on what's included in the updated firmware at this time, but it could offer performance improvements and security updates. Accessory...
Apple Sports App Preview Feature

Apple Sports App on iPhone Now Available in More European Countries

Monday November 17, 2025 6:27 am PST by
The free Apple Sports app on the iPhone was released in additional European countries today, including Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine, and others. The app was already available in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Austria, France, Germany,...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...