My iPhone storage is nearly full and I can’t take more pictures or download apps. I want to reduce the file size of some existing photos to free up space. Any tips or tools I can use?
To reduce photo file size on your iPhone, you have several options. You can use built-in iOS features like iCloud Photos, which offers to optimize storage by keeping full-resolution versions in the cloud and smaller versions on your device. Go to Settings > Photos > Optimize iPhone Storage to enable this.
For more control, consider using third-party apps like ‘Photo Compress’ or ‘PhotoShrinker’. These apps can batch compress photos without losing much quality. Just download from the App Store, and they allow you to choose the desired output size.
Alternatively, you can manually adjust photo settings before capturing them. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose High Efficiency. This setting saves photos in HEIF format, which takes up less space than JPEG.
Another tip is to offload apps you don’t use regularly. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, and you’ll see an option to Offload Unused Apps. This doesn’t delete the data but just removes the app itself, freeing up space.
Maintaining your storage can be an ongoing task, but leveraging built-in features and external tools can keep your device more manageable.
If you’re looking for ways to reduce photo file sizes on your iPhone, understanding the built-in image compression tools is crucial. Interestingly, Apple’s default photo app hasn’t been optimized for this task beyond what it does automatically.
One method not touched upon is converting and exporting your HEIF photos to other formats directly on your phone. Use the Shortcuts app, often overlooked but very powerful. Create a shortcut to convert selected photos and reduce their size without navigating away from the Apple ecosystem. It gives better customization over compression levels and formats as per your needs.
Sometimes, it’s not just about compression but also about strategic deletion. Look at your “Recently Deleted” album under Photos, and permanently delete items there. They still occupy space unless you clear them manually.
Also, consider using cloud alternatives like Google Photos for unlimited storage at reduced quality, which can free up substantial storage on your iPhone. Or, app side, try FileBrowser in the App Store as a very versatile file manager, which can help you move files around more efficiently.
You may also not want to ignore frequent cleaning of browser cache or messages attachments under Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Safari alone could be holding a gigabyte of cached data.
And here’s another unconventional approach: AirDrop. AirDrop your big files to another device, compress them there, and send them back. It’s an extra step, but effective if you really need to free space without using third-party apps.