DB Labs
What Is Spatial Video on iPhone?
By Jack Smith — Updated March 8, 2026
Spatial Video is a 3D video format introduced with iPhone 15 Pro that records two simultaneous video streams — one for each eye — creating stereoscopic footage that delivers an immersive, three-dimensional viewing experience on Apple Vision Pro. It is designed to capture memories like birthday parties, travel, and sports events with a depth and presence that standard 2D video cannot replicate.
How Spatial Video Works
iPhone 15 Pro and later Pro models use two lenses simultaneously when recording Spatial Video: the main wide camera and the Ultra Wide camera. The cameras are spaced approximately 11.5mm apart on the iPhone — slightly less than the average human eye spacing of 63mm — and the two streams are processed to compensate for the difference.
The footage is encoded in MV-HEVC (Multi-View High Efficiency Video Coding), a stereoscopic extension of the HEVC standard. Each video stream carries a Dolby Vision HDR signal, and depth metadata is embedded in the file for Vision Pro's spatial rendering engine.
Supported Devices for Recording
- iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max: Spatial Video at 1080p 30fps (launch capability).
- iPhone 16 / 16 Plus / 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max: Spatial Video at 1080p 30fps (extended to the full lineup).
To enable it, open the Camera app, select Video mode, and toggle the Spatial Video button in the camera controls. Requires iOS 17.2 or later.
File Sizes: Spatial Video Uses Significant Storage
Because Spatial Video encodes two complete video streams simultaneously, files are roughly double the size of standard 1080p video. Typical storage consumption:
- Spatial Video at 1080p 30fps: ~130 MB per minute
- Standard 1080p 30fps video: ~60-65 MB per minute
- One hour of Spatial Video: approximately 7.8 GB
If you shoot Spatial Video regularly, it will fill your iPhone storage much faster than standard video. See the iPhone video storage guide for a full breakdown of file size comparisons.
Viewing Spatial Video
The full 3D experience requires Apple Vision Pro. In Vision Pro, Spatial Videos play in a virtual environment where the footage appears life-sized and three-dimensional, giving the impression of being present in the scene rather than watching a flat screen.
On iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, Spatial Videos play as standard 2D video with a small icon indicating they are spatial content. The Photos app marks them with a "3D" badge.
Spatial Photos
Alongside Spatial Video, Apple also supports Spatial Photos — stereoscopic still images. iPhone 16 Pro models can capture native Spatial Photos directly. Earlier models can convert Portrait Mode photos into spatial format using Photos on Vision Pro.
Related Terms
- Dolby Vision HDR — The HDR standard embedded in Spatial Video streams
- Cinematic Mode — Another advanced video mode on iPhone Pro models
- HEIC — Apple's efficient image format, related to the HEVC codec used in Spatial Video
Frequently Asked Questions
Which iPhones can record Spatial Video?
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max introduced Spatial Video. iPhone 16 (all models) also support Spatial Video recording. Standard iPhone 15 and 15 Plus do not.
How large are Spatial Video files?
Approximately 130 MB per minute — about double a standard 1080p video — because two simultaneous video streams are encoded. One hour of Spatial Video uses roughly 7.8 GB.
Can I view Spatial Video without an Apple Vision Pro?
Yes, but as a standard 2D video. The immersive 3D experience requires Apple Vision Pro.
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