Video is usually the reason a phone fills up fast. A few minutes of 4K uses more space than hundreds of photos, and the camera setting you picked once, years ago, decides how big every new clip is.
Pick your recording setting, enter how much video you have and how much you record each month, and see how much space it takes, how many more minutes fit in your free space, and what a different setting would save in a year. Nothing is deleted or changed on your phone.
Video size per minute on iPhone
These are the sizes iPhone lists under Settings › Camera › Record Video, rounded:
| Setting | High Efficiency (default) | Most Compatible |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 45 MB | 60 MB |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 60 MB | 130 MB |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 90 MB | 175 MB |
| 4K at 24 fps | 135 MB | 270 MB |
| 4K at 30 fps | 170 MB | 350 MB |
| 4K at 60 fps | 400 MB | Not available |
High Efficiency records in the HEVC format, which needs about half the space of Most Compatible (H.264) at the same resolution. iPhone only offers 4K at 60 fps with High Efficiency turned on. Android phones vary by brand and model, but most record in H.264 by default, so the Most Compatible column is the closer guide.
Settings that save the most space
- Switch to High Efficiency. On iPhone, go to Settings › Camera › Formats and choose High Efficiency. Every new video takes roughly half the space. If you share with devices that cannot play HEVC, iPhone converts a compatible copy when it exports or shares the video (Apple).
- Record everyday clips at 1080p. Going from 4K at 30 fps to 1080p at 30 fps cuts each minute from about 170 MB to 60 MB. Switch back to 4K for moments you want in the best quality.
- Avoid 60 fps unless you need smooth motion. Sport and fast action benefit; most family clips do not.
Changing a setting only affects new videos. Existing videos keep their size until you remove or move them.
Free space taken by videos you already have
- Find the biggest videos first. On iPhone, open Photos and use the Videos media type. Long clips take the most space.
- Back up before you delete. Copy videos to a computer, an external drive or a cloud library you trust, then open a few copies to check they play.
- Delete fully. On iPhone, deleted videos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days. Empty it if you need the space now.
The step-by-step guide is how to remove large videos from your phone without losing them. If the space problem is in the cloud rather than the phone, use the cloud storage calculator.
Related guides
- How to back up photos before deleting them from your phone
- How to clear WhatsApp photos and videos taking up storage
- How to organize a photo library you can actually browse
Video sizes checked against iPhone camera settings in November 2026. Real file sizes vary with movement, lighting and phone model.
Sources
- Apple Support: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices