Time lapses are a great way to capture long static images, whether you’re interested in the weather or the scenery. Not only do they help provide an artistic touch, but they also help save space on your device by capturing only a fraction of the frames normally needed.
However, if you’ve tried capturing a time-lapse on your iPhone, you may have realized that there’s no visible way to control the speed of your time-lapse.
This can be a huge roadblock in a creative workflow and if you’re in the same boat, here’s how you can slow down your time lapses on an iPhone.
Can you control the speed of a time lapse video?
No, there is currently no native feature on a default iPhone that allows you to control the speed of your time-lapse videos. However, if you recently purchased a new device, it is likely that iMovie is pre-installed on your device.
iMovie is Apple’s full-featured free video editor that has the ability to alter the time of captured time-lapses.
If you prefer, you can also use a third-party app to slow down your time lapses. Follow the next section to help you with the process.
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How to slow down time lapses on iPhone
We recommend that you start by using iMovie to alter the speed of your time lapses. Third-party apps can sometimes have trouble slowing down time lapses that haven’t been captured through the app.
If iMovie cannot get the desired end result, you can try using one of the third-party applications mentioned below.
Method 1: Use iMovie
Discharge iMovie on your device using the link above if it is not pre-installed. Once installed, open the same and tap Movie.
Touch and select your lapse of time of the previews on your screen. Time-lapse videos will have a little icon for it in the bottom left corner of the thumbnail.
Play create movie in the background.
The video will now be added to your timeline. Touch and drag the play header to the beginning of your video.
Tap your video to select it. It should be highlighted in yellow once selected.
tap on the Speed icon at the bottom.
Touch and drag the slider to adjust its speed. Drag it to the left to slow down your time lapse.
The new length of your video will be shown to you on your timeline as you adjust its speed.
Once you’re happy with the changes, tap Done in the top left-hand corner.
tap on the Share icon at the bottom.
touch and select Save video.
And that is! The slowed down time lapse will now be saved to your Photos app.
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While iMovie is a native app that you get with your iPhone, you can also use a third-party app to slow down time lapses on an iPhone. Use any of the following applications according to your preferences.
Method 2: Use Skyflow
Skyflow is a time lapse app that allows you to capture and edit your time lapses as needed. Follow the steps below to help you through the process.
Download and install Skyflow on your device using the link above. Once installed, open the app and tap the button Camera icon at the top.
Now frame your shot and tap the button Interval and adjust how often you want to capture frames.
Similarly, touch the Duration and adjust the length of your Time Lapse.
Now adjust your other camera settings as needed and tap beginning to start recording your video.
Play Stop once you have finished recording.
The video will now be saved to your gallery. Now touch the behind icon.
Your captured videos will now be available in the Skyflow gallery. Touch and open the recently captured video.
tap on the Rabbit to adjust and slow down the time lapse.
Drag the slider to the left to slow down the time lapse.
Now adjust other settings for your time lapse if needed and tap the button Share icon.
Tap and choose your export settings as needed. You can adjust the following options for your time lapse.
- Format
- Resolution
- Frames per second
- Quality
- Rotation
Play Export once you have made your choices.
The video will now be exported and saved to the Photos default app. You can use the options on your screen to save it to the file app or share it on your favorite social network or cloud storage platform.
And this is how you can use Skyflow to capture and adjust the speed of a time lapse.
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Method 3: Use InShot
InShot is another video editor that you can use to slow down time lapses on your iPhone. Follow the steps below to help you through the process.
Open InShot on your device and touch Video.
Give permission to access your photos based on your preferences and you should now have access to thumbnails of your photos and videos. Touch and select your lapse of time of the previews on your screen.
Once selected, tap the button check mark in the lower right corner.
The video will now be added to your timeline. touch and select Speed of the tools offered at the top.
Drag the slider to adjust the speed of your video. Move the slider to the left to slow down your time lapse.
Touch and change to Curve if you want to selectively slow down or speed up your video.
tap on the check mark once you are satisfied with the speed of your video.
Now touch the Share icon in the upper right corner.
Adjust your export settings as needed. You can modify and change the following aspects of your final video.
- Resolution
- Frames per second
- Format
Play Save money once you’re done.
The video will now be saved to your Photos application If you want to save the video to your records app, touch Other and select save to files.
And this is how you can adjust the speed of your Time Lapse using InShot.
Related: How to Merge Videos on a Mac Using Apps Like Quicktime and Shotcut
Other Third-Party App Alternatives
Here are some other video editing apps that can help you adjust the speed of your Time Lapse on iPhone.
We hope this post helped you to easily slow down time lapses on an iPhone. If you have any more questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
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