We’ve just launched LiveMemory™, our incredible new photo animation feature, and users have been floored by the results. Some have even been brought to tears seeing beloved family members brought to life in video so realistically, and reconnecting to sweet childhood memories.
LiveMemory™, available on the MyHeritage mobile app for iOS and Android, enables you to turn any still photo into a short video clip using AI. It animates the scene in the photo, reimagining it as if you had traveled back in time to watch it live.
Here are a few of the reactions and breathtaking results genealogy experts and enthusiasts have shared.
Roberta Estes of DNAeXplained was blown away by this feature: “I was NOT PREPARED,” she wrote in her blog post, titled “MyHeritage Releases LiveMemory™ & Knocks it Clean Out of the Ballpark.” “Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face, and I couldn’t even speak – not a single word. I tried not to flat-out ugly cry… What an incredibly emotional experience… This amazing 5-second video required an entire handful (or two) of tissues and brought [my mom] back to me in a way I had never imagined possible.”
“Thank you, MyHeritage, for this incredibly moving experience!” she adds. “You sure know how to impart joy in a way no black-and-white record, or photo, ever could!”
You can read the rest of her post and enjoy more of her examples here.
James Tanner also praised the new feature in his blog: “Looks like magic… this goes well beyond the previous animation efforts.”
David Allen Lambert thanked MyHeritage for “giving me new AI smiles” and happiness as he enjoyed this LiveMemory™ of his mother with her siblings:
Mom seated with siblings 1930’s thanks to #LiveMemory giving me new AI smiles ans happiness from my good friends like @MyHChiefGen and his colleagues @MyHeritage pic.twitter.com/SCjFXqehSz
— David Allen Lambert (@DLGenealogist) November 24, 2024
He also shared some amazing historical photos brought to life from Stoughton, Massachusetts:
More amazing #LiveMemory by @MyHeritage showing my mom seated with her siblings. Thank you @MyHChiefGen and others for allowing me to use AI to show my town history. Remember this tip! Your Photographs + #MyHeritage #LiveMemory = Time Travel with AI virtual reality! #StoughtonMA pic.twitter.com/i7qpjUuZpU
— David Allen Lambert (@DLGenealogist) November 24, 2024
David animated a photo of boxing legend Mickey Bishop, who looks like he’s about to deliver a powerful knockout punch:
@MyHeritage #LiveMemory made #StoughtonMA Boxing Legend Mickey Bishop be a knockout again a century later! Thank you @MyHChiefGen and team at #MyHeritage pic.twitter.com/NCRNNlI6ad
— David Allen Lambert (@DLGenealogist) November 24, 2024
Karen Cummings was deeply moved to see this LiveMemory™ of her mother holding her as a baby:
The latest AI tool from #MyHeritage called #LiveMemory transforms old photos to video. Having lost my Mum nearly 20 years ago this brought a tear to my eye, I can tell you. https://t.co/BkKES8KTSs pic.twitter.com/GYYhkg310q
— Karen Cummings (@CummingsPFH) November 22, 2024
Debbie Kennett showed that the feature also works wonderfully with the furry family members we have lost over the years:
Bringing my favourite dog back to life with the new@MyHeritage Live Memory app and the power of AI. #LiveMemory pic.twitter.com/I5t0ra5wcG
— Debbie Kennett 🧬🌳 (@DebbieKennett) November 22, 2024
“I’m not crying — you’re crying,” wrote J. Stephen Little Jr.:
I'm not crying—you're crying. Dad passed 11 months ago. This photo (which I've known all my life) of Dad at RAF Lakenheath, 1964-65, training guard dogs, is pure amazement. The dog's name was Kim—her brushes stayed in our basement for decades. Thanks, #MyHeritage #LiveMemory pic.twitter.com/M0cSWzvKEp
— J Stephen Little Jr (@JStephenLittle) November 22, 2024
Janna Helshtein also shed a tear over this photo of herself as a baby:
I know we all love watching our ancestors come to life thanks to @myheritageofficial.bsky.social but I'll confess, looking at this, me, waving back at me, made me cry#Livememory #Genealogy
— Janna Helshtein (@jannahelshtein.bsky.social) 2024-11-22T06:04:01.301Z
Then she made her own mother cry with this incredible video she compiled of LiveMemories™ from her parents’ wedding:
I couldn't help myself. My parents' wedding in 1965. They could not afford a video, so thanks to @myheritageofficial.bsky.social #Livememory combined 4 photos and added music on Kapwing. Sent this to my mom and she was in tears#Livememory #Genealogy
— Janna Helshtein (@jannahelshtein.bsky.social) 2024-11-22T09:30:29.495Z
Fran Kitto shared this lovely LiveMemory™ of her Nana all dressed up for a party in 1920:
Chroniques92 shared this beautiful LiveMemory™ of her parents exiting the church on their wedding day:
#LiveMemory #MyHeritage@MyHeritage propose une nouvelle application via l'#IA qui anime une de vos photos
Voici mon papa et ma maman, après la sortie de l'église à Alger
Quelle émotion pic.twitter.com/WGCM93rHvP— chroniques92 (@chroniques92) November 23, 2024
Richard Hill got to see his birth mother — whom he never met in real life — in motion thanks to this LiveMemory™:
I never met my birth mother and only have a few pictures of her. One shows her as a child with her older sister. I used the new LiveMemory feature on the MyHeritage app, which uses AI to turn a photo of people or animals into a five-second video. It's pretty cool, especially with historical images.
— Richard Hill (@richardhilldna.bsky.social) 2024-11-23T17:12:35.564Z
Jana Last shared this remarkable LiveMemory™ of her paternal great-grandfather and three of his siblings:
I tried the new MyHeritage LiveMemory photo tool. This new tool brings photos to life. Wow! So cool! This is a photo of my paternal great-grandfather, Christopher Iverson and three of his siblings. (L to R) Christopher, Edward, Oscar, and Julia Iverson. #genealogy pic.twitter.com/TsyWeddXAU
— Jana Last (@genealogyisfun) November 22, 2024
She also shared this LiveMemory™ of her 3rd great-grandfather:
Wow! This is pretty cool. Here's another photo using the new #MyHeritage #LiveMemory tool that brings photos to life. This is my maternal 3rd great-grandfather, Asher Waterman. He was born in 1795 and served in the War of 1812. #genealogy pic.twitter.com/I8wx4IwYFj
— Jana Last (@genealogyisfun) November 25, 2024
Ricky Crume created this incredible LiveMemory™ with the colorized and enhanced version of a photo of his relatives in North Dakota, circa 1909:
Kira Brennan shared this amazing LiveMemory™ of her grandmother:
Pretty amazing! The girl on the left that takes off her hat is my grandmother. #LiveMemory 😀
— Kira Brennan (@kirabrennan.bsky.social) 2024-11-24T13:25:50.525Z
These posts have evoked many appreciative comments from friends and followers on social media. Here are a few we’ve collected:
This is just a handful of the incredible responses and the beautiful examples people have shared! If you haven’t tried this amazing feature yet, go ahead and make sure you have the latest version of the MyHeritage app, and give it a try. We invite you to share your results on social media using the hashtags #LiveMemory and #MyHeritage.
Enjoy!