Photos on iPhone cannot sort videos by file size, so finding large videos means using what it does show. Long videos are usually the biggest, and Photos prints the length on every video thumbnail. Open the Videos collection, pick the longest clips and swipe up (or tap Info) to see each file's size. For a quick total, Settings > General > iPhone Storage shows how much space Photos takes and offers Review Your Photos & Videos. To keep a big video but make it smaller, Apple's own method is to export it from iMovie at a lower resolution; Apple's guide to compressing a video lists about 70 to 105 MB per minute for 1080p. Videos you delete stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days, so empty that album to get the space back.
The steps below are for iOS 27. Where iOS 26 or earlier differs, we say so.
Step 1: See how much space your photos and videos take
Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Photos is listed with its total size, and under Recommendations, Review Your Photos & Videos estimates how much you could free. This number covers photos and videos together, so the next step narrows it down.
Step 2: Find the long videos
- Open Photos, go to Collections, scroll to Media Types and tap Videos. The view lists all your videos, newest first, with the total count at the top.
- Look at the length in the corner of each thumbnail, such as 0:57 or 2:57. Photos has no sort by file size on iOS 27; it sorts by date. Length is the next best signal, because longer videos at the same quality take more space.
- Open a long video and swipe up, or tap the Info button. Apple lists the file size among the details.
For a rough estimate, Apple's guide to compressing a video lists about 70 to 105 MB per minute for 1080p and 19 to 27 MB per minute for 720p. A 10-minute 1080p clip is therefore around 0.7 to 1 GB. Apple says higher resolution and frame rate make bigger files, so 4K and 60 fps clips run larger.
Step 3: Delete the video, or keep it and shrink it
To delete: in the Videos view or in Library, tap Select, tap the videos you do not need and tap the trash button. They go to Recently Deleted for 30 days. Our guide to iPhone storage that stays full after deleting photos explains how to empty it.
To keep it smaller: Apple's method is an export through iMovie. Add the video to a new movie project, then choose Share > Save or Share Video > Options, pick a lower resolution (720, 540 or 360) and save. The requirements for this are on Apple's page about compressing a video.
To stop big files from piling up: Apple suggests recording at a resolution below 1080p, turning off HDR Video and keeping the High Efficiency format. These are in Settings > Camera > Record Video.
Where PhotoGO AI fits
Disclosure: PhotoGO AI is our app. It lists your largest videos, so you do not have to open clips one by one, and it compresses them. You pick a preset and see the exact resolution it will produce before you start. The compressed copy keeps the original's date, location, favorite status and albums, and the original stays until you say otherwise. Compression leaves Live Photos, portraits, Cinematic and slow-motion videos as they are, and skips files that would barely shrink. Scanning and sorting are free. Compression and unlimited cleanups are part of PhotoGO Pro.
You can find, delete and shrink videos without any app. An app saves the time you would spend opening clips one by one.
FAQ
How do I see which videos take the most space on my iPhone?
Photos has no sort by file size. Open the Videos collection, look for the longest clips and check each one's size in the Info panel. Settings > General > iPhone Storage shows the total for photos and videos.
Can I sort videos by size in the Photos app?
No. On iOS 27, Photos sorts videos by date and offers filters such as Favorites and Edited, but there is no option to sort by file size.
How big is a minute of video on an iPhone?
Apple's guide to compressing a video lists about 70 to 105 MB per minute for 1080p and 19 to 27 MB for 720p. Apple does not publish a table for every camera setting, but it says higher resolution and frame rate make larger files.
How do I make a video smaller without deleting it?
Apple's method is to export it from iMovie at a lower resolution, such as 720, 540 or 360. A compression app can do the same for many videos at once.
Do deleted videos free up space right away?
They move to Recently Deleted, where iOS keeps them for 30 days. Delete them from that album to remove them permanently.
