You might have snapped a photo during a FaceTime call to remember your favorite conversations. It is easy; you only need to tap the white shutter button. However, where do these FaceTime photos go after you take them?
If you don’t know how to take FaceTime photos, if you do not know where they are stored after you snap them, or you can’t get FaceTime photos to work, don’t worry. I have given a detailed tutorial for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Where Do FaceTime Live Photos Go?
It is easy and convenient to snap photos while using FaceTime. However, you need to know where the images go to enjoy them after the call. The answer’s easy: FaceTime photos are directly saved to the Photos app on your device.
If you wish to view your FaceTime photos, open the Photos app, then navigate to the Photos tab at the bottom. Select the All Photos view to ensure your device does not filter them. Then, scroll till you locate the photo using the date and time you took the picture.
You can simplify the whole process by viewing only Live Photos. To do so, navigate to the Albums tab, then search for the Live Photos album. Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac would have created this album automatically as soon as you add a Live Photo to the library.
Create a Smart Album for All the FaceTime Photos
If you wish to keep all the FaceTime Live Photos in the same place, create a Smart Album to capture them automatically. To create a Smart Album, you must use the Mac Photos app. Unfortunately, you can’t create Smart Albums from the Photos app on an iPhone or iPad.
Click the plus button (+) that appears when you hover over My Albums, then select Smart Album from the popup. Next, give a name to your Smart Album, then configure the following filter using the dropdown menus: Lens includes FaceTime.
You will have to manually enter “FaceTime” into the third box because it isn’t an option in the dropdown menu.
Click on OK, and this will create the Smart Album. Photos will fill the album with all the Live Photos you have captured during FaceTime calls. Any new FaceTime photos you take will appear in the album automatically.
As soon as you sync Photos over iCloud, the Smart Album will also become available from the Albums tab on your other devices.
How to Take Photos on FaceTime?
If you want to take a Live Photo during a FaceTime call, use the shutter button. This can be seen when you tap the screen on an iPhone or iPad or hover your mouse over the FaceTime window on a Mac. The option looks like two white circles, one inside another.
In a group chat on FaceTime for iOS, click on the person’s tile you wish to take a photo of, then tap the Fullscreen button to reveal the shutter button. If you are in a group chat on a Mac, double-click the person you wish to photograph, then click on the shutter button.
A Live Photo is better than taking a regular screenshot because it does not capture the FaceTime user interface. On top of that, it also saves a couple of seconds of video and audio from right before and after you take the photo.
How to Take a FaceTime Photo Without alerting the Other Person?
When you take a Live photo of someone using FaceTime, they receive a notification on their device to let them know that you took a picture. There is no way this can be avoided when you take a photo, except when you take a screenshot instead.
Suppose you wish to take a screenshot, press Volume Up along with the Side button on your iPhone or iPad. If your device has a home button, press the Home button with the Side button. If you are using a Mac, press Command + Shift + 5, then click on the FaceTime window.
How to Enable Live Photos in Your FaceTime Settings?
Before you take a Live Photo in FaceTime, you and the person are taking a photo of having to have enabled Live Photos in FaceTime Settings. You need to disable this option if you do not want to let other people take pictures of you on FaceTime. Note – Other people will still be able to take a screenshot.
If you are using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, navigate to Settings > FaceTime, scroll down, then turn on FaceTime Live Photos.
If you are using a Mac, open FaceTime and navigate to FaceTime > Preferences from the menu bar; in the Settings tab, turn on the option to Allow Live Photos to be captured during video calls.
How to Troubleshoot common FaceTime Photo Problems?
There are lots of problems that might stop you from being able to take a Live Photo during FaceTime. For example, say you cannot find the shutter button, FaceTime is not saving your photos, or you are having trouble finding FaceTime photos after taking them. However, you don’t need to worry; try these iPhone, iPad, and Mac troubleshooting tips to fix it.
1. You need to enable FaceTime Live Photos on Both Devices
If you wish to take a photo of someone during a FaceTime call, everyone on the call must have turned on FaceTime Live Photos from their device settings. To do so, navigate to Settings > FaceTime. Note – The person you are taking a photo with should also have it turned on.
2. To find the photos, Open the Photos App
Live Photos in FaceTime are automatically saved to the Photos app on your device. If you have not used Photos before, open it on your device to initialize the app before FaceTime saves photos.
3. Update to the Latest Operating System
With the previous iOS releases, Apple has temporarily removed the ability to take Live Photos during FaceTime. The reason was said to be a FaceTime security bug. FaceTime photos are back now. However, you need to update your device to the latest software to be able to use them. Even the person you are taking a photo of needs to have their device up-to-date.
To update your device, for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. If you are using a Mac, visit System Preferences > Software Update, and install any available updates.
4. Restart Your Device
As popularly known, restarting your device will most likely fix no matter what problem you are encountering. This is a practical troubleshooting step that only takes a moment. First, power off your iPhone, iPad, or Mac as you usually would, wait 30 seconds, then restart it.
5. Restart FaceTime on Your Device
As the last option, try turning FaceTime off and on in your device settings. You might be asked to sign in to your Apple ID account again when you do this. If you use an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, navigate to Settings > FaceTime, then toggle the FaceTime button at the top.
If you are using a Mac, open the FaceTime app, then go to FaceTime > Preferences from the menu bar. In the Settings tab, uncheck the box for Enable this account, then re-check the box to re-enable FaceTime.
Multitask with FaceTime
You can check your Live Photos before you end the FaceTime chat by swiping up (or pressing the Home button, if your device has one) and opening the Photos app. For example, if you are using a Mac, you must open Photos from Launchpad, the Dock, or the Applications folder. When you do this, FaceTime will pause your video feed until you return.
This multitasking feature allows you to continue to talk to people and hear what they say, even though your video feed appears frozen. If you liked this article (or if it helped), leave a comment below or share it with friends, so they can also know Where Do FaceTime Photos Go? How to Find Your FaceTime Photos?
