How to make a video in slow motion on an iPhone

Slow-motion videos can be great for capturing more detail, adding dramatic effect, or simply allowing you to appreciate a moment at a slower speed. Check out how you can create slow-motion videos using your iPhone or convert your existing videos into slow-motion videos using Adobe Express.

Summary/Overview

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iPhone slow-motion FPS explained

Slow-motion footage is captured with a higher FPS (frames per second) and shutter speed. The iPhone features various FPS options depending on the model. The normal FPS on the iPhone is 30. However, the iPhone 5S records slow-motion videos in 60 FPS, the iPhone 6 and 7 record at 120 FPS, and the iPhone 8 through to iPhone 12 models record slow-motion videos at 240 FPS.

How to change your slow-motion settings on an iPhone

  1. Open your iPhone’s “Settings.”
  2. Choose “Camera.”
  3. Select “Record Slo-mo.”
  4. Choose the desired FPS setting.

The higher the FPS, the slower your footage will be. Keep in mind that iPhone slow-motion videos take up more space in your phone’s memory than a regular FPS video would.

How to shoot a video in slow motion on an iPhone

  1. Open the Camera app.
  2. Swipe to the right twice to choose to record in “Slo-mo.”
  3. When you’re ready to record, press the red circular record button.
  4. Once finished, press the red square button to stop recording.

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How to edit or remove the slow-motion effect within your video using your iPhone

When your slow-motion video hasn’t gone to plan, it’s easy to edit your footage to either remove the slow-motion effect from your footage or choose where the slow-motion effect begins and ends within your video.

  1. Open the Photos app.
  2. Select the slow-motion video that you want to edit.
  3. Choose “Edit” from the top right-hand corner of your screen.
  4. Underneath your video, the timeline of the recording will appear as a collection of still shots with a series of white lines beneath. These white lines represent the speed of the footage. To adjust where the slow-motion effect begins, drag the first of the two larger white lines to the desired place.
  5. Drag the second larger white line to the part of the video where you want the slow-motion effect to end.
  6. To remove the slow-motion effect entirely, move both of the large white lines all the way to the right and end of your video.
  7. Tap “Done.”

You can also trim the length of your video while editing at this stage. To do so, you’ll now need to focus on the area where your footage is represented by a series of still images:

  1. Drag the white arrow at the leftmost end of the timeline to the frame where you want the video to begin.
  2. A yellow box will appear around the timeline. Adjust the yellow box to encompass the portion of the video you want to keep by dragging the right and left sides of the box.
  3. Select “Done.”

How to create a slow-motion video from regular speed footage

It's not possible to change the speed of your video using the editing tools available on your iPhone. However, you can easily make use of Adobe Express’ free tools in order to change the speed of your footage and convert any existing footage into slow-motion video.

To change the speed of your video:

  1. Upload a video from your device to Adobe Express’ Quick Action video editor tool to change the speed. Your video can be up to an hour long.
  2. Choose from a handful of speeds to slow down or speed up your footage.
  3. Instantly download your video or keep editing using other Quick Actions.

Further reading: How to combine videos on iPhone the easy way


Now that you know how to create a slow-motion video, it’s time to put your newfound knowledge to the test. With your iPhone in hand, and Adobe Express in your corner, it’s simple to create interesting and impactful slow-motion videos with minimal work.

Try Adobe Express today