Yes, you can make videos slow motion on iPhone using the built-in Photos app or Camera app
The easiest way to slow down a video on iPhone is through the Photos app, which works on any iPhone with iOS 13 or later. Open the video you want to edit, tap Edit, then tap the speed icon (it looks like a speedometer) at the bottom of the screen. Drag the slider left to slow the video down — you can go as slow as 0.25x speed, which is one-quarter normal speed. When you're done, tap Done to save the changes.
If you're recording a new video and want it to be slow motion from the start, use the Camera app instead. Open Camera, swipe left to find Slo-Mo mode, and record normally — the app automatically captures at a higher frame rate and plays it back slower. You can adjust the speed of slo-mo footage the same way you would any other video, using the Photos app's edit tools.
Key Takeaways
- The Photos app's speed slider lets you slow any existing video down to 0.25x speed without needing a separate app.
- Slo-Mo mode in the Camera app records video at a higher frame rate so it plays back slower and looks smoother than speeding up regular footage.
- Changes you make in Photos are saved to your library, but you can undo them by tapping Edit and selecting Revert to restore the original.
- Third-party apps like iMovie and Adobe Premiere Rush offer more control over which parts of a video slow down and which stay normal speed.
Using the Photos app to slow down existing videos
Open the Photos app and find the video you want to edit. Tap the video to open it, then tap Edit in the top right corner. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see several editing tools — tap the one that looks like a speedometer or gauge (it may show a number like "1x"). A slider will appear below it.
Drag the slider to the left to slow the video down. The numbers show the speed: 0.25x is one-quarter speed, 0.5x is half speed, and so on. Drag right to speed it up instead. Watch the preview as you adjust — the video will play back at your chosen speed. When the speed looks right, tap Done to save the changes to your library.
If you change your mind later, open the video again, tap Edit, and select Revert to undo all changes and go back to the original. You can also tap Edit again to adjust the speed differently without losing the original file.
Recording slow-motion video with the Camera app
To record video that's already in slow motion, open the Camera app and swipe left through the different modes until you reach Slo-Mo. The frame rate will show at the top — most iPhones default to 120 fps (frames per second), which plays back at half speed, or 240 fps, which plays back at one-quarter speed. Higher frame rates create smoother slow-motion footage.
Press the record button and film normally. The Camera app automatically captures at the higher frame rate and will play it back slower when you watch it. After you stop recording, the video saves to your library like any other video. You can then edit it in Photos if you want to adjust the speed further or change other settings.
Slow-motion footage looks smoother than taking a regular video and slowing it down in editing because the camera captures more frames per second. This means there's more visual information to work with when the playback slows down, so motion appears fluid rather than choppy.
Adjusting which parts of a video play in slow motion
The Photos app's speed tool slows down the entire video at once, but some third-party apps let you choose which sections play slowly and which play at normal speed. iMovie, which comes free on most iPhones, lets you select a specific clip and change only that clip's speed while leaving the rest of the video normal.
Open iMovie, create a new project, and add your video. Tap the video in the timeline, then tap the speed icon (three dots or a gauge). You can adjust the speed of just that clip. If your video has multiple clips, you can set different speeds for each one — some slow, some normal, some fast.
Adobe Premiere Rush is another option if you want more detailed control. It's free with limited features and offers a paid subscription for more tools. Both apps save your edited video as a new file, so your original stays unchanged.
Understanding frame rates and smooth slow motion
When you record in Slo-Mo mode, your iPhone captures more frames per second than normal video. Standard video records at 24 or 30 fps, but Slo-Mo records at 120 or 240 fps depending on your iPhone model. When played back at normal speed, this extra data creates the slow-motion effect.
If you take a regular 30 fps video and slow it down to half speed in the Photos app, the phone has to guess what happens between frames, which can make motion look jerky. Slo-Mo footage has the actual frames captured at that slower speed, so it looks much smoother. This is why recording in Slo-Mo mode produces better results than slowing down regular video after the fact.
Saving and sharing your slow-motion video
When you edit a video's speed in the Photos app and tap Done, the changes are saved directly to that video in your library. The original file is replaced with the edited version. If you want to keep both the original and the edited version, use a third-party app like iMovie instead — it creates a new file without changing the original.
To share your slow-motion video, open it in Photos, tap the share icon (a box with an arrow), and choose how you want to send it — Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or social media apps. The video will export at the speed you set. Keep in mind that very slow speeds create larger file sizes, so uploading to social media may take longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does slowing down a video reduce the quality?
Slowing down a video in the Photos app doesn't reduce quality — it just changes the playback speed. However, if you slow down regular video too much, motion may look choppy because there aren't enough frames to work with. Slo-Mo footage stays smooth at slower speeds because it was recorded with more frames per second.
Can I slow down only part of a video?
The Photos app slows the entire video, but iMovie lets you slow down individual clips. Open iMovie, add your video, select the clip you want to slow, and adjust its speed independently. Other clips can stay at normal speed or be sped up differently.
What's the slowest speed I can set?
The Photos app goes down to 0.25x speed, which is one-quarter normal speed. Third-party apps may offer slower speeds, but going much slower than that usually makes video look unnatural or choppy unless it was recorded in Slo-Mo mode.
Will my slow-motion video work on other devices?
Yes. Once you save a slow-motion video on your iPhone, it plays at that speed on any device — Android phones, computers, or tablets. The slow-motion effect is baked into the file, not a feature specific to iPhones.
How much storage does slow-motion video use?
Slo-Mo footage uses more storage than regular video because it captures more frames per second. A one-minute Slo-Mo clip at 240 fps can use two to three times as much space as a one-minute regular video. Check your available storage before recording long Slo-Mo videos.