How to compress a video on iPhone
There are three ways. Apple’s own method exports the video from iMovie at 720p, 540p or 360p and needs an iPhone 12 or later with iOS 26. Changing the camera settings only makes future recordings smaller. An app such as ClipLeve compresses a video you already have, shows the new size before it starts and keeps the original. Pick by what you need: one smaller file to send, or lighter copies to keep.
Which method should you use?
| iMovie export (Apple’s guide) | Camera settings | ClipLeve | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works on videos you already recorded | Yes | No, only on new recordings | Yes |
| Resolution of the result | 720p, 540p or 360p | Whatever you choose, from 720p to 4K | Up to 4K with Nearly identical, 1080p with Balanced |
| HDR | Not covered in Apple’s guide | Apple suggests turning HDR Video off for smaller files | HDR stays HDR |
| What you need | iPhone 12 or later, iOS 26, iMovie | Settings › Camera | iPhone with iOS 18 or later |
| Size shown before you start | Typical sizes per minute, in the guide | Per minute, in Settings | An estimate for each option, for your video |
| The original video | Stays where it was | Not affected | Kept until you choose; a replaced original waits 30 days in Recently Deleted |
If the video only needs to go out once, iMovie or ClipLeve’s Send a smaller version both work. If your library is full of long 4K clips you want to keep, a lighter copy that keeps the resolution is the better trade. Settings help only from now on.
How do you compress a video with iMovie?
This is the method Apple publishes. iMovie is free from the App Store.
- Open iMovie and start a new movie project with the video.
- Tap Share, then Save or Share Video, then Options.
- Pick a lower resolution than the 1080p default: 720, 540 or 360.
- Save the result to Photos or Files, or share it by AirDrop.
| Resolution | Approximate size per minute |
|---|---|
| 1080p (default) | 70 to 105 MB |
| 720 | 19 to 27 MB |
| 540 | 12 to 16 MB |
| 360 | 6 to 9 MB |
Apple says earlier iPhones and iOS versions can also use iMovie, but the steps and options may differ.
How do you make future videos smaller?
Go to Settings › Camera › Record Video and choose a lower setting, and keep Settings › Camera › Formats on High Efficiency. iOS shows the size of a minute of video for each option:
| Setting | Per minute |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 40 MB |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 60 MB |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 90 MB |
| 4K at 24 fps | 135 MB |
| 4K at 30 fps | 170 MB |
| 4K at 60 fps | 400 MB |
Apple’s guide also suggests turning HDR Video off for consistently smaller files. That changes how new videos look, so try it on a test clip first.
How do you compress a video with ClipLeve?
- Open ClipLeve. The home screen lists your biggest videos first, each with an estimated light size.
- Choose Nearly identical, Balanced or Much smaller. Each option shows its estimated size before anything is processed.
- Drag the line across your own video to compare, or hold to see the original.
- Save. The light version goes to Photos as a new video and is checked against the original.
- Keep both, or replace the original. iOS asks you to confirm, and the original stays 30 days in Recently Deleted.
How much smaller will the video get?
It depends on how the video was recorded. These are ClipLeve’s estimates for one minute recorded at each iPhone setting:
| Recorded on iPhone | Original, per minute | Nearly identical | Balanced | Much smaller |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 40 MB | 30 MB | 22 MB | 20 MB |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 60 MB | 52 MB | 39 MB | 20 MB |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 90 MB | 77 MB | 58 MB | 29 MB |
| 4K at 24 fps | 135 MB | 116 MB | 35 MB | 17 MB |
| 4K at 30 fps | 170 MB | 146 MB | 39 MB | 20 MB |
| 4K at 60 fps | 400 MB | 226 MB | 58 MB | 29 MB |
One real measurement: a 42.4 MB test video became a 7.5 MB light version, saved to Photos and checked on an iPhone on October 15, 2026, with the original kept. Try your own numbers in the video size calculator.
Questions
Does compressing a video lower its quality?
It can lose some detail, and the smaller the file, the more it can lose. Keeping the resolution helps most: Nearly identical keeps up to 4K, while iMovie’s options go down to 720p, 540p or 360p. Compare on your own video before you save.
Does compressing a video free up space on my iPhone?
Not by itself. A compressed copy is a new file. Space comes back once you remove the original and Recently Deleted is emptied, which iOS does on its own after 30 days.
Can I compress a video on iPhone for free?
Yes. iMovie is free, and ClipLeve’s first light version is free, with no watermark. ClipLeve Pro adds more light versions, a queue of up to 50 videos and Send a smaller version.
Does the compressed video keep its date and location?
With ClipLeve, yes: the light version is a new video in Photos with the same date, location and favorite as the original.
Sources
- Apple Support: Compress a video on iPhone (published July 29, 2026), checked
- iOS Settings › Camera › Record Video, with High Efficiency: the size of a minute of video for each setting, checked
- ClipLeve’s size model, the same one the app uses before processing (app version 1.0.0), checked
- Apple Support: How to recover deleted photos (Recently Deleted keeps them 30 days), checked
- ClipLeve on the App Store (privacy label, prices, requirements), checked
