The short answer
A slow motion video is recorded at a higher frame rate than it plays back at. On a modern phone, switch the camera to Slo-Mo mode (or shoot at 120 or 240 fps in Pro settings) and the phone will automatically slow the footage on playback. In an editor, take a normally shot clip and stretch its duration so it plays at less than 100 percent speed. Steady the shot and light the scene well for best results.
Slow motion is one of the most searched video effects because it transforms an ordinary moment into something a viewer wants to watch twice. This guide covers both ways to make a slow motion video: shooting it in a slow motion camera mode, and slowing down a normally shot clip inside an editor. Both work on a modern phone.
The camera mode method (best quality)
On most modern phones the camera app already has a slow motion mode built in. Open the camera. Swipe across the mode selector to Slo-Mo (or Slow Motion). Record. The phone captures at 120 or 240 frames per second and automatically slows the playback to a smooth, cinematic result. This method looks better than any editor trick because the phone actually recorded more frames per second to work with.
The editor method (works with any existing clip)
If the clip was already recorded at normal speed, open it in a video editor. Find the speed or duration setting for the clip. Change the playback speed to something below 100 percent. Fifty percent will play it back at half speed. Twenty five percent quarter speed. This slows the clip but reuses each frame multiple times, which can stutter unless the editor smooths the motion.
Framing rate matters for smooth playback
Slow motion looks smooth because the camera recorded more frames than the playback rate needs. Recording at 120 fps and playing back at 24 or 30 gives smooth quarter or fifth speed. Recording at 30 fps and slowing to half in an editor gives an inherently stutterier result because the editor has to invent or repeat frames. If your phone lets you choose, always shoot high frame rate for slow motion.
The single biggest quality difference between good slow motion and bad slow motion is how many frames the camera captured in the first place. Everything else is smaller than that.
Light the scene well
Slow motion needs more light than normal video. The faster the frame rate, the less light hits each frame. Shooting slow motion outdoors in daylight looks clean and sharp. Shooting slow motion indoors under normal lamps often produces dim, grainy results. If shooting indoors, add as much light as possible or move near a window.
Steady the shot
Slow motion amplifies every camera shake into a distracting wobble. Handheld slow motion almost always looks worse than the same clip at normal speed. Use a small tripod, a gimbal, or brace the phone against a solid surface. Even resting elbows on a table helps. Steadier camera work is what makes slow motion feel cinematic rather than amateur.
Choose slow motion moments carefully
Slow motion works best on moments where detail matters and where duration adds meaning. Water drops. A jump. A dog shaking off water. A face turning toward the camera. A slow motion shot of someone reading or typing is usually boring because nothing meaningful is happening frame by frame. Ask if the slower version reveals anything. If not, keep it at normal speed.
Common mistakes when making slow motion videos
Recording at normal frame rate and hoping the editor will save it. Shooting slow motion in low light so the footage comes out dark and noisy. Handheld slow motion that wobbles every frame. Slowing down a boring moment and expecting slow motion to make it interesting. Adding slow motion to every clip so the entire video crawls. Ignoring the audio (slow motion audio sounds strange, so most slow motion cuts should use music instead of the original audio).
Slow motion on iphone specifically
On iPhone, open the Camera app and swipe left past Video to Slo-Mo. Tap the frame rate indicator (top right on newer models) to switch between 120 fps and 240 fps. 240 fps plays back at eighth speed for extreme slow motion. 120 fps plays back at quarter speed for a more natural feel. Both record in 1080p HD. In the Photos app, you can drag the sliders to choose which portion of the clip actually plays slowly.
Where slow motion videos meet the audience that appreciates them
A great slow motion clip lives or dies on where it gets seen. On community based platforms, where reach is earned through voted, deliberate audience backing rather than opaque feed choices, a beautifully shot slow motion moment finds the specific audience that pauses to actually watch it rather than swiping past. Cracy is built for this shape, so a serious video creator's work finds people who appreciate the specific craft that went into it.
Read next: how to shoot better phone video, how to make videos cinematic, and video editing basics for beginners.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- How do you make a slow motion video?
- Either shoot in the camera's Slo-Mo mode (which captures at 120 or 240 fps and slows playback automatically), or take a normally shot clip and reduce playback speed to under 100 percent in a video editor. Camera mode looks better because the phone captured more frames.
- How do you make a video slow motion on iPhone?
- Open the Camera app, swipe past Video to Slo-Mo, tap the frame rate indicator to switch between 120 and 240 fps, record. In the Photos app, drag the sliders to choose which portion plays slowly.
- Why does slow motion look bad sometimes?
- Usually because the clip was recorded at normal frame rate and slowed in an editor, or because the scene was underlit (slow motion needs more light) or the camera wasn't steady (slow motion amplifies every shake).
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