Samsung's One UI 6.1.1 update, which debuted with the Galaxy Z6 series and is now spreading across more high-end devices, has brought a bunch of new features, many of which are powered by Generative AI. One hidden feature that hasn't been talked about much is Live Effects. Here's all you need to know.
Live Effects is a new One UI 6.1.1 feature hidden inside the Gallery app. It's accessible by swiping up on a photo, but it doesn't always appear, which is likely another reason why not many people seem to know about it.
What does this feature do?
Live Effects allow users to add a 3D or parallax effect to supported photos. It usually works with portrait photos or pics that have a clear subject, have background blur, or aren't very busy. Below are a few examples of regular photos turned into Life Effect short clips.
If you want to add this kind of 3D effect to a photo, all you need to do is swipe up and select the “Live Effect” option if it appears. You'll then have to wait a few seconds for the Generative AI to work its magic.
Once you have the Live Effect applied, you can share the results immediately or save the 3D photo as a short mp4 clip.
You can also use these mp4 clips as lock screen live wallpapers, but you'll have to do that through the “Wallpaper and style” menu inside the Settings app.
It's worth noting that your One UI 6.1.1 Galaxy phone can add one of a few effects to photos, but users don't have any control over which one will be applied. It all depends on the original photo. The length of the mp4 clip can also vary slightly from one photo to another.
Furthermore, be prepared for the AI to not always get things right. Here's an example of a Live Effect photo that doesn't quite work.
The demonstration above shows that the Generative AI won't always make the right choices. Here, the foreground and background are separated into two layers incorrectly. The resulting parallax effect makes it look like the person in the photo is levitating.
All in all, results may vary depending on the original photo you're using, perspective, whether or not the subject in the foreground is in direct contact with the background, and so on. Nevertheless it usually works pretty well for most photos.
That pretty much covers Live Effects. You now know all you need to start creating your own 3D-looking live photos. You can also check out our TikTok short for a quick demonstration of how this One UI 6.1.1 feature works step-by-step.
