FaceTime allows users the exceptional ability to capture moving photos during calls. It is usually convenient because it only takes the click of the shutter icon. Unfortunately, you can run into issues with the feature, causing it not to save your live photos.
So, why are FaceTime Live Photos not saving? You may have issues with Live Photos if you have made privacy restrictions, have bugs in your device, or have insufficient space to store the images. If space is the issue, you can delete other files to make more room. However, you can update or restart your gadget or reset FaceTime to eliminate system bugs. Lastly, you can check that you and the receiver have enabled the feature on your devices to lift Live Photos privacy settings.
FaceTime’s Live Photos is a unique feature used to take pictures during calls. One challenge is that it may fail to work or refuse to save the images on your device. Before I explain the fixes, it is crucial to determine why this happens.
Live Photos may fail to capture or save to your device if your Apple device’s SD has insufficient space or if you have not mounted the card correctly. Secondly, it may be due to privacy restrictions in the two devices blocking the feature.
Also, your iPhone or Mac may be running on old software that does not support taking live photos. Lastly, if none of these are responsible for the failure, it means that your system may have a glitch.
The best part about live photos is that you can give life to your images when capturing them using FaceTime compared to conventional pictures. Instead of a still image, Live Photo takes a three-second active image that you can also edit to capture some of the best and funny moments with your loved ones. This feature may work effortlessly for most users, but some have complained that it doesn’t save the photo.
One logical explanation is that your phone may have insufficient space to save the image in the gallery. Usually, an alert will pop up stating that your storage is depleted, blocking the Live Photo feature.
Alternatively, restriction settings can stop it from working, or your device may be too outdated to support the feature. Another likely reason is that your device may have a bug interfering with normal operations.
Also, some models don’t have the Live Photo feature since Apple removed it. You may be one of the affected users if you run an unsupported iOS. Unlike the above concerns, there is no remedy to help solve this unless you update to an OS compatible with Live Photos. If you are unsure where you can view photos, you can find them in your gadget’s Photos app.
How To Fix FaceTime Live Photos Not Saving
Now that you know the most probable reasons for Live Photos not working or saving, it is time to find out how to fix these issues. The following are the most effective ways to tweak your gadget and FaceTime to solve the problem.
Most importantly, ensure that you and the receiver have enabled the feature on both ends because a privacy setting blocks you from taking Live Photos. If that doesn’t work, you can reset FaceTime by turning it off then back on.
Another effective solution is to restart your iPhone, Mac, or iPad. It is also likely that you don’t have enough space in your device, for which you can delete some files to leave more room. Lastly, it would be best to update your device to ensure that it runs the latest version compatible with Live Photos.
The above is a brief overview of the best solutions to the problem but the following is a closer and stepwise look at all of them.
- Enabling Live Photos
Sometimes you or the receiver have settings that block the feature from working on both your devices. You can check that you have both enabled Live Photos by going to FaceTime Menu then Preferences. Confirm that you have turned on the option to allow the capability when making video calls.
Note that if your friend has disabled it, it means that the privacy setting will prevent you from capturing or saving the photos. Most users make this setting to prevent the other party from saving their embarrassing or private images. Luckily, FaceTime has a default design to notify the caller and the receiver when either of them has taken a live photo.
- Resetting FaceTime
As with any other app, an effective remedy to FaceTime issues is resetting. You can go to the settings on your phone and turn the app off to disable it temporarily, then switch it back on. Navigate your phone to find Settings and FaceTime from the listed apps.
You can now tap to disable the app, and the Live Photos, then re-enable them. Doing this will reset FaceTime and increase the chances of fixing the bug interfering with the saving.
- Restarting FaceTime
If you and the receiver are confident that you have Live Photos enabled but it still doesn’t work, another solution may be restarting your gadgets. You will have a clean slate that will not have any bugs on either end. If you are using iPhone 6 or an older model, you can long-press the Home and Power buttons simultaneously for about 30 seconds then release them.
For iPhone 7s and newer versions, you can long-press the Power and Volume buttons together for the same time frame. Lastly, if you have one of the latest iPhones from model X, 8 or better, restarting involves pressing the release button for volume up and volume down, then long holding the Power key.
- Updating Your Device
It is best to constantly update your Apple device to keep it running on the latest software but sometimes updating means losing some features. For instance, Live Photos was in older models before version 12 but Apple removed it and reinstated it in version 15. The company was probably trying to fix some vulnerabilities in group chats then returned it after solving the problem.
The most affected users are those running iOS 13 and 14. Therefore, if you fall into these categories, you can fix the bugs by updating your phone, iPad, or Mac. When you are on Wi-Fi, you can click Settings, General, and finally Software Update to download the most current version and install it. You can then return to FaceTime to check whether it can now take and save Live Photos.
Where Do FaceTime Live Photos Go on Mac?
You can use FaceTime on various Apple devices, from the Mac to the iPhone and iPad. One of the app’s exciting features is that it allows you to capture your experiences in real-time through Live Photos. If you are using it for the first time on the Mac, you may wonder where to retrieve the images.
Mac computers save FaceTime photos in the Photos app on the device. Once you click the shutter button on the screen, the application will notify you and the recipient that you have taken a picture. However, both ends need to tweak the settings to allow live pictures; otherwise, the app will not capture or save the images. On the other hand, screenshot FaceTime photos go to the computer’s desktop, saving the name, date, and time.
You can find Mac’s FaceTime live pictures in the photos library by default. You can click on the Photos app to view the snaps then the photos button. Afterward, choose the photos tab to open all the pictures in your library.
Next, you can navigate to find the date and time you took the particular photo you need. Besides, a live photos album in the Photos app may be the easiest file to check to find your FaceTime snaps.
First, click on the Albums button, then search the Live Photos file in the Photos app. Each time you take a FaceTime picture, the operating system automatically creates a Live Photos folder. If your FaceTime is outdated and doesn’t have the shutter button (a two-ringed tab) below the screen, you may have to screenshot your pictures. To do this, press and hold command+shift+3 to take a snap that will save automatically on the desktop.
When you go to the desktop, you will find the photo saved with a name, date, and time. Before taking a FaceTime photo, it is advisable to consult the other user and convince them to adjust their FaceTime settings to allow Live Photos, allowing you to take the 3-second live image effortlessly. Otherwise, the feature won’t function without both parties consenting to it. If you try to snap, the screen will prompt you with a text to enable FaceTime on both ends.
Alternatively, if you want to capture the moment without your counterparts’ knowledge or don’t know how to adjust the Live Photos settings, you can screenshot the image using the computer.
This way, they will never notice that you took some pictures, and later on, you may retrieve snaps from the desktop and crop them as you prefer. Many users know how to use and access their pictures from FaceTime through iPhone, but it will also be handy to understand how to do it using a Mac.
You can tweak your settings and ensure that your buddy on the other end also knows how to do it. It is quite straightforward because it involves clicking FaceTime then Preference from the main menu. Afterward, choose Settings and find a check box on the open window stating, “Allow live photos to be captured during video calls.” Clicking on it to turn it on.
Why Does FaceTime Invert Your Face?
FaceTime offers the best audio and video quality, thanks to amazing resolutions. Every experience you capture holds a cherished memory, and it is no wonder the app has millions of users at a time. However, one pressing concern among new users is why the app usually inverts or flips the face when video calling.
FaceTime flips your face because the app’s camera reverses your image and gives an output of your exact copy. Therefore, you appear the same way if the receiver were looking at you one on one in the same room.
You can test it by having your friend hold up a word and seeing it on FaceTime will show the same words, not the mirror version. Without flipping the image, the words would appear backward. Hence, the face reversing feature is essential for proper video presentation.
In essence, FaceTime flips your face but the final image on the recipient’s side is normal. It appears the same way as it would if you two were facing each other while conversing face to face. On your front camera, you will see your face reversed, and if you raise the left hand, the screen will show that it is your right-hand side.
Therefore, to make the image appear real to the user you are contacting, FaceTime will flip the videos and make your face look exact. The resulting image that your friend will see is normal, and nothing looks flipped.
However, the small box that shows your face on your end looks different. FaceTime video images get improvements with the introduction of new upgrades. Apple ensures that the face appearing on the app boosts their self-esteem.
There are new features in the program that offer the best image, and some of them even enhance eye contact for individuals who seem shy. Ultimately, the technical teams at Apple work around the clock to give users unmatched video chatting experiences to make them frequent users of the app.
Wrap Up
FaceTime Live Photos are better than taking screenshots on your phone or computer. Apple has even made it easy to use because you only have to click the icon below the screen. Unfortunately, you may run into issues with the feature, especially when it fails to save. It may be due to insufficient space in your device that you can solve by deleting some files to leave more room.
If that is not the issue, you can ensure that you and the receiver have enabled the feature on both your ends. Otherwise, the problem may be due to bug issues on your gadget. Maybe you are running an outdated iOS, for which you must update your device. To be safe, you can also restart your Apple or reset FaceTime.
