How to Change the Key Photo of a Live Photo on iPhone

To change the key photo of a Live Photo on iPhone, open the image in Photos, select Edit, tap the Live Photo icon, move the frame selector to the preferred moment, choose Make Key Photo, and tap Done. The selected frame becomes the still image shown in the Photos library and when the Live Photo is shared as a photo.

Steps

Open the Photos app and locate the Live Photo.
Tap Edit in the upper-right corner.
Select the Live Photo icon at the bottom of the screen.
Drag the frame selector left or right to choose the preferred moment.
Tap Make Key Photo, then tap Done to save the change.

Common Issues and Fixes

The Live Photo icon is missing: The file may be a standard photo, video, screenshot, or converted image. Confirm that the original file was captured as a Live Photo.
The preferred frame cannot be selected: The frame may be outside the available Live Photo sequence. Drag the selector slowly across the entire timeline.
Make Key Photo is unavailable: The image may have been edited, exported, or converted by another app. Open the original Live Photo from the Photos library.
The change does not appear on another device: iCloud Photos may still be synchronizing, or the receiving app may display a cached thumbnail. Allow synchronization to finish and reopen the image.
The original frame is needed later: Editing the key photo changes the selected still frame but does not normally remove the Live Photo motion. Reopen Edit and select another frame when necessary.

Quick Tips

The selected key photo becomes the main thumbnail in Photos, Messages, and supported sharing services.
Changing the key photo does not create a separate image file. Use Duplicate before editing when separate versions are needed.
Some apps ignore the Live Photo key frame and choose a different preview automatically.
Live Photos captured with limited movement may offer only a few useful frames for selection.
A Live Photo can also be trimmed or muted from the same editing screen, but those changes affect playback rather than only the key photo.

💡Protip:

Use Duplicate before changing the key photo if you want to preserve the original version and create a separate edited copy.

Can any frame become the key photo on iPhone?

Most frames within the recorded Live Photo sequence can become the key photo. The frame selector determines which moment is available for selection.

Does changing the key photo delete the Live Photo effect?

No. Changing the key photo normally preserves the Live Photo motion and sound. The change affects the primary still frame displayed by compatible apps.

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