5 Best Free Time Lapse Apps in 2024 [iOS & Android]

In a time lapse, video is captured at a lower frame rate than you view it, making it appear much faster. This can be achieved 3 ways: in-camera by using a smartphone with time lapse feature or app, from a series of still shots stitched together to show passage of time, or in editing by speeding up a video recorded at normal speed.

Time lapse is used to show something that takes a long time (snow melting, flowers blooming) in a few seconds.

The only scenario in which you wouldn’t need a time lapse app, is if you shoot time lapse on your phone and only need to do minor edits like trimming and cropping.

This requires planning ahead, because shooting a time lapse video usually takes at least 15 minutes and can be several hours or even days. Your phone would need to be fully charged and have enough space to accommodate that kind of footage, plus you won’t be able to use your phone while it's filming.

Even if you do the work and end up with a beautiful time lapse video, you can only trim and crop from your camera app. If you want to add music, effects, color-correct or control the speed and length of your video, you will need a third-party app. You also can’t speed up a video taken at normal speed without one.

To edit photos into a beautiful time lapse you will need video editing software. We recommend the Windows or Mac version of PowerDirector for this.

Once you have downloaded and installed PowerDirector import your photos into the Media Room and follow these steps.

Step 1: Drag the photos onto a Timeline Track.

Step 2: Select all photos and hit “Slideshow.”

Step 3: Click “Time-Lapse,” then “Next.”

Step 4: 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 5: Hit “Ok,” then “Next” to preview your timelapse.

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.

Changing the speed of your time lapse can only be done in editing software, either on your phone or desktop.

To slow down you video in the PowerDirector app follow these steps:

Step 1: Add your video to the PowerDirector editing timeline.

Step 2: Open the Edit menu and choose “Speed.”

Step 3: You will see a control slider under your clip. Drag the slider down to slow down your video.

Step 1: Set up your camera on a tripod and switch all settings to “Manual.”

Step 2: Set the intervalometer to the correct speed, meaning how often you want the camera to take a picture (for example, 1 shot every 2 seconds).

Step 3: Choose how long you want the shoot to last. Depending on your camera, you might put a time (30 minutes), or a number of photos (500 photos).

Step 4: Click “Start” and your camera will begin taking time lapse photos.

The most popular are Nature and Travel, but there are endless possibilities for time lapse.

Nature videos could include weather (clouds rolling by, snow melting, flowers blooming) space (the moon rising and moving across the sky), or animals (the life cycle of a caterpillar, ants tunneling through an ant farm).

Travel videos could show the movement of people at a busy intersection.

Another idea for a time lapse video is showing DIY, crafts, or art being made at a fast rate. It’s a fun way to showcase a “before and after” besides using two photos side by side.

1. Control playback rate
2. Video Stabilization
3. Export to a variety of media
4. Cropping/Trimming/Cutting capabilities
5. Ability to add music
6. Customizable settings
7. Video effects
8. Instant playback
9. Import existing videos
10. Available on your OS

1. PowerDirector 365
2. Adobe Premiere Pro
3. Final Cut
4. LRTimelapse
5. Adobe After Effects

For a full list of features and pros and cons of the software visit 5 Best Free Time Lapse Video Makers in 2022.

To make a time lapse on Windows and Mac we recommend using PowerDirector.

Once you have downloaded and installed PowerDirector follow these steps:

Step 1: Open PowerDirector and drag your video into the “Media Room” and then onto the editing timeline.

Step 2: While holding down the Control button, left mouse click and drag the end of your clip to the left, making it shorter and therefore faster. Release both Control and the mouse.

Step 3: Watch the clip back to make sure you are happy with the length and speed of the video. Make any 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.

For more information on making a time lapse video on your desktop visit How to Make a Time Lapse Video.

Step 1: Set your DSLR camera on a tripod to get a still shot.

Step 2: Set your intervalometer.

You may need to buy an intervalometer, which releases the shutter automatically every few seconds for a specific period of time. Many cameras come with internal intervalometers, so check first before buying an external one. You can set how many seconds between shots, and for how long.

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.

Make sure your camera is fully charged before attempting a time lapse video.

If your video will take hours/days/months to shoot, try to hardwire the camera to a permanent power source.

If using a memory card, make sure it has room for the hundreds of photos you will be taking.

You should also think about weather-proofing your camera, especially if you are planning to leave at any point during filming.

For more on shooting time lapse with a DSLR camera check out How to Make a Time Lapse Video.