How to Make a Time Lapse Video for Free (Windows, Mac & App)

Step 1: Open the PowerDirector app and tap “New Project.”

Step 2: Add your video to the timeline.

Step 3: Open the Edit menu and choose “Speed.”

Step 5: Use “Ease in” at the beginning of your clip or “Ease Out” at the end to make a smooth transition between two different speeds.

Step 3: Release both Control and the mouse.

Watch the clip back to make sure you are happy with the length and speed of the video and make changes if necessary.

If you would like more control over the speed, go to the Tools menu and click on “Select Video Speed.” This opens the “Video Speed Designer,” which allows you to change the time and set the exact speed of your clip.

Step 2: Set your intervalometer for how many seconds you’d like between shots, and for how long.

You may need to buy an intervalometer, which releases the shutter automatically every few seconds for a specified period of time. Many cameras come with an internal intervalometer, so check first before buying an external one.

Here’s a formula for figuring out how many pictures you will need for your overall video. Let’s say you set up the camera to take 1 shot every 2 seconds over a period of 30 minutes. That’s 1,800 seconds divided by 2, which means you’ll have 900 still shots at the end. If your video is 30 frames per second, your final video will be 30 seconds (900/30). Speed it up to 60 frames per second, and your video will be 15 seconds (900/60).

Step 3: Set your ISO, which is the setting that brightens or darkens your shot.

Make sure to set it to MANUAL and not AUTO. If you set it to auto, the camera will keep changing the brightness which will ruin your time lapse effect.

Step 3: Select all photos and hit “Slideshow.”

You will see a bunch of different slideshow styles.

Step 5: Click on the music note if you’d like to select background music, otherwise click “Customize.”

“SlideShow Designer” will pop up, allowing you to choose the duration of each frame. It will let you know how long your final video will be, so you can keep changing the frames per second until you have the length you want.

Step 6: Hit “Ok,” then “Next” to preview your clip.

You will have the option to save your final video onto a device, onto a disc, upload to the internet or send it to Advanced Editing to add effects to your time lapse.

Step 1: Attach phone to a tripod with a smartphone attachment.

Decide whether you want to attach your phone to film Portrait or Landscape, depending on your subject.

Step 4: Hit the red record button and hit it again when you’re done.

Your time lapse video will be saved in your Photos app. An iPhone time lapse video will always be between 20 and 40 seconds, so the longer you shoot, the faster your video will be. You don’t have the option to choose the frame rate, unless you download a time lapse app.

Step 2: Open the Camera and switch to Video Mode by hitting “Video.”

Now you will need to find the Time Lapse button. Based on the model of your phone, it could be under “More,” “Video Resolution,” or “Manual.”

Step 3: Hit the time lapse button and hit again when you are ready to stop.

Android devices also come with a choice for hyperlapse. A hyperlapse video is a time lapse where the camera moves. Here’s a good example of a hyperlapse video: