How to Create a Memories Video on iPhone

An iPhone Memories video turns photos and clips from a date, place, person, or album into a short movie with music and transitions. You can review the selection, adjust its length and soundtrack, and save or share the finished video; you’ll need the Photos app and the pictures or videos you want to use.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone with the Photos app and enough free storage to create and save a video.
Photos or video clips in your library. For the easiest results, use several items from a trip, event, date, or album.
An internet connection if you want to download music or access iCloud Photos content that is not stored on the device.

Step-by-Step

Open Photos and find a starting point. Open the Photos app. Depending on your iOS version, tap Collections or Albums to browse categories such as Trips, People, or albums you have created. You can also look in the For You area on versions that show it. Apple changes the Photos layout over time, so the section names and locations may differ slightly.
Choose a memory or make an album. Tap a suggested memory to open it. If Photos has not made the memory you want, create an album: go to Albums, tap the add button, choose New Album, give it a name, select the relevant photos and clips, and tap Create. Open the album when it is ready. An album helps group your material, though Photos may not offer the same memory controls for every album or iOS version.
Start playback. In a memory, tap the play control to watch its automatically assembled movie. If you are viewing an album, look for a play or memory option on the album screen. If no movie option appears, try selecting the photos from a date, place, or category that Photos recognizes as a memory, or check the options menu for that collection.
Choose a mood and length. While the movie plays, tap the screen to reveal controls. Tap the memory’s title or the options for its movie—these may appear as a menu button or an edit button—and look for choices such as a mood, style, or duration. Select a different look or choose a shorter or longer version if those controls are available. The style changes the presentation and soundtrack; it does not replace or erase your original media.
Edit the included items. Open the memory’s edit controls and look for options to manage photos and videos. Add items if the control is offered, or remove clips that do not fit. You may be able to reorder items by dragging them, depending on the iOS version. Preview the movie after changes, since removing or moving a clip can affect the pacing and transitions.
Adjust the music. In the editing or playback controls, tap the music or soundtrack option. Choose an available suggested track, a mood, or music from your library if the app offers that choice. Some tracks require an internet connection, and not every song is available for use in every editing or sharing option. Listen through the video to check that the soundtrack suits the pictures and does not overpower any important original audio.
Save or share the video. When you are happy with the preview, tap Done or the share button, then choose an option such as Save Video if it is available. Saving exports a separate movie to your library; it does not turn the editable memory itself into a standalone file. To send it directly, choose a sharing destination from the share sheet. Wait for saving or exporting to finish before closing Photos.

Common Mistakes

Expecting every album to have a movie button. Photos creates and presents memories automatically, and available controls vary. Try a recognized date, trip, or People collection if an ordinary album does not offer playback.
Editing the original instead of the memory. Memory edits control the movie’s selection and presentation. If you delete a photo from the library, however, you may also remove it from albums and memories. Use the memory’s own remove control when you only want to omit an item from the video.
Assuming a preview is already saved as a video. A playable memory is not necessarily an exported movie file. Use the save or share option and confirm the export completes.
Using too few or unrelated items. A very small set can make a brief or repetitive movie, while unrelated images can make the sequence feel disjointed. Choose a coherent group and preview the result.
Closing the app during export. Large videos can take time to process. Keep the phone available and check Photos before trying again, so you do not create unnecessary duplicate exports.

Tips

Give an album a clear name and select images that tell a simple story, such as a day out from beginning to end.
Include a mix of photos and short clips when you have them, but remove blurred, duplicate, or accidental shots from the movie.
Check the opening and ending as well as the middle. The first and last items have a strong effect on how complete the movie feels.
Use the preview to compare moods and durations rather than judging only from a still thumbnail.
If iCloud Photos is enabled, allow items to download before editing or exporting. A reliable Wi-Fi connection can help when the library contains many high-resolution originals.
Keep the original photos and clips if you may want to create a different version later. Saving a memory movie does not replace the source files.

Troubleshooting

No memory appears: Check that the photos are in your library and give Photos time to organize them. Confirm that iCloud Photos items have loaded, then try browsing by date, place, or People. You can also create an album as a convenient way to group the images.
There is no edit or save option: Tap the screen while the movie is playing to reveal controls, then check the menu or share sheet. Options differ across iOS releases and collection types. If saving is not offered for the current view, try opening the memory itself rather than its album or thumbnail.
The video will not export: Check that the iPhone has available storage, that the selected media can be opened, and that any cloud items have downloaded. Try again on a stable connection, especially if the soundtrack or source files need to load.
Music is missing or silent: Check the iPhone’s volume and whether the selected track is available. Try another offered soundtrack. If the movie uses clips with original audio, preview it to see whether that audio is audible or mixed with the music.
The video looks different from the preview: Reopen the saved movie in Photos and let it finish loading. If an item is missing or the order feels wrong, return to the memory’s edit controls, revise the selection, preview again, and export a new copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a Memories video from an album?
Sometimes. Open the album and look for a play or movie option. If it is not there, try a Photos-generated memory or use the album to identify the items you want to include.

Can I choose exactly which photos appear?
Memory editing may let you add or remove items, but the available controls vary. If precise selection is important, make a focused album first and check whether Photos offers a movie for it.

Does saving a memory delete or change my original photos?
No. Saving exports a separate video. Editing a memory changes its movie, while deleting source media from your library is a separate action that can affect other albums and memories.

Can I change the music?
Usually you can select from the soundtrack choices Photos makes available. Options may depend on your iOS version, library, and connection, and some tracks may not be available to download or share.

Where does the saved video go?
If you choose Save Video, it is saved to your Photos library. Look in Recents or the Videos media type. If you share it directly, it goes to the destination you select instead.

Can I make a Memories video on an iPad?
Yes. The Photos app on iPad has similar memory features, though the layout and control locations can differ from iPhone.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →