You can reduce the space photos and videos take up by keeping their content in a compressed version. The trade-off involves quality and dimensions: a smaller file may lose detail. Start with a few items, choose conservative settings, and check the result before replacing originals.

One step matters: keeping both the original and the new copy on your phone means compression alone does not free up storage. “Without deleting them” means keeping the pictures and recordings you care about, rather than necessarily keeping every original file on your iPhone.

When compression makes sense

It can help with content you still want to view but do not need at maximum quality: everyday videos, reference photos, or pictures mainly intended for your phone screen.

For large prints, footage you plan to edit, or memories where you want to preserve every detail, consider keeping a verified original on a computer or external drive. A smaller version can be convenient on your iPhone while the original remains available for other uses.

Choose your files before your settings

Check which items take up more room and how you will use them. In Photos, open a photo or video and swipe up or tap Info to see the available details, including file size.

Begin with a small, representative group: a photo with fine detail, an image containing text, and a video with movement. A bright landscape may respond differently from a dark or fast-moving scene.

How PicVore can help

PicVore offers on-device photo and video compression only with Pro: this feature requires a weekly or annual auto-renewable subscription. You can select items, choose quality and size, and see an approximate estimate of storage savings before confirming.

PicVore does not show a preview of the compressed result. The estimate gives you a rough idea of how much storage you could save, not how the final image or video will look; actual savings may vary. For a first test, start with a few items whose originals you have saved, then check the resulting files after compression.

Quality and dimensions solve different problems

Compression quality affects how much information the file retains. More aggressive settings may introduce softer edges, uneven gradients, or artifacts in moving scenes.

Reducing image or video dimensions means keeping fewer pixels. That may work well on a small screen, but leaves less room for enlarging, cropping, or printing.

Do not automatically choose the option that produces the smallest file. Begin with conservative settings and decide whether the result fits what you want to do with it.

Check the result, not just the megabytes

After compression, check the resulting file. When testing settings, save a copy of the original first so you can compare the two versions without risking lost detail. In particular:

  • enlarge faces, hair, leaves, and other fine details;
  • make sure photographed text remains readable;
  • play videos, listen to the audio, and check moving scenes;
  • inspect dark areas and smooth gradients;
  • open the file in the app or on the device where you plan to use it.

If a difference bothers you now, it will still matter when you need the file. Keep the original or try less aggressive settings.

Avoid repeatedly compressing the same copy

A photo or video that is already compressed may offer little room for further reduction. Compressing it again with a method that discards information can degrade the result without a proportionate benefit.

When trying new settings, start from the original rather than the copy from your previous experiment. Keep track of the version you want to save: similar names and thumbnails make copies easy to confuse.

Check how originals are handled

Before confirming, read how your chosen app handles the process: creating a copy, replacing a file, or removing originals afterward. Do not assume compression has already recovered storage.

Make sure you have a complete, usable version before confirming any removal. If originals move to Recently Deleted, they may continue taking up space until permanently removed. Emptying that collection removes the normal recovery option.

To check the overall effect, visit Settings > General > iPhone Storage. The result depends on your files and settings; there is no savings percentage that applies to everyone.

Learn how to find larger videos or follow the careful cleanup guide.