---
title: "How to Delete iPhone Photos by File Size"
description: "Find and delete the largest photos and videos on iPhone using Files app, Settings, and third-party tools. Step-by-step instructions."
url: https://dblabsapps.com/how-to/delete-iphone-photos-by-size/
date: 2026-04-07
---

Updated April 7, 2026

By [Jack Smith](https://dblabsapps.com/about/jack-smith/), iOS Developer at DB Labs

# How to Delete iPhone Photos by File Size

The biggest space hogs in your photo library are usually 4K videos and ProRAW shots. Here's how to find and delete them by size.

April 7, 2026  ·  6 min read

## Quick Answer

The native Photos app does not sort by size, but you can find the largest files three ways. **Method 1:** Open **Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Photos** to see the breakdown. **Method 2:** Open **Albums > Media Types > Videos** — videos are almost always the largest items. Sort by date taken and delete old, large 4K clips. **Method 3:** Use a third-party app like **Gemini Photos** or **Cleaner** that explicitly sorts by file size. For best results, target 4K videos and ProRAW shots first — a single minute of 4K is worth ~150 regular photos in storage.

## Step-by-Step Instructions

### 1 Check the Storage Breakdown

Open **Settings > General > iPhone Storage**. Wait for the bar graph to load. Tap **Photos** to see how much space photos and videos use combined.

### 2 Open the Videos Album

Launch the **Photos** app. Tap **Albums**, scroll to **Media Types**, then tap **Videos**. Every video on your iPhone appears here, sorted by date.

### 3 Identify Long Videos

Long videos (over 1 minute) take the most space. Each minute of 4K 60fps is roughly 400-500 MB, and 4K ProRes is up to 6 GB per minute. Look for clips with high duration in the corner of the thumbnail.

### 4 Tap to Verify Size

Tap a video to open it. Tap the **Info** (i) button to see the file size, resolution, frame rate, and date. ProRes and 4K 60fps videos are top priorities for deletion.

### 5 Bulk Select Large Videos

Tap **Select**. Tap and drag across the videos you want to delete. Tap the **Trash** icon to delete. Confirm.

### 6 Empty Recently Deleted

Go to **Albums > Recently Deleted**. Authenticate. Tap **Select > Delete All** to permanently free up space immediately.

## Targeting ProRAW Photos

If you shot in ProRAW with iPhone 12 Pro or later, those files are 50-75 MB each — about 25x larger than HEIC. To find them, browse the Recents album and look for the "RAW" badge in the top right of thumbnails. Delete or convert old ProRAW shots to HEIC if you no longer need the editing flexibility.

## Third-Party Apps That Sort by Size

Some apps explicitly sort photos by size:

- **Gemini Photos:** Shows largest videos first.

- **Cleanup: Phone Storage Cleaner:** Sort and bulk delete by file size.

- **Swype Photo Cleaner:** Lets you swipe through videos and largest files quickly.

For more cleanup approaches, see [Swype Photo Cleaner](https://dblabsapps.com/apps/swype-photo-cleaner/), our guide on [how much 4K video uses](https://dblabsapps.com/blog/how-much-storage-4k-video-iphone/), [checking what's using storage](https://dblabsapps.com/how-to/check-what-is-taking-up-storage-iphone/), and [iPhone System Data explained](https://dblabsapps.com/blog/iphone-storage-system-data/).

## Free Up GB in Minutes

Swype Photo Cleaner targets the biggest files first — videos, bursts, and Live Photos.

Free · iPhone · iOS 16+

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can iPhone Photos sort by file size?

Not natively. Use Files app to browse the photo library, Settings > General > iPhone Storage, or a third-party app for size sorting.

### What's the largest type of file in my iPhone Photos?

4K videos by far. 1-minute 4K 60fps is ~400-500 MB; 4K ProRes is up to 6 GB/min. Single photos rarely exceed 3-5 MB unless ProRAW.

### Should I delete photos or videos first?

Videos first. 10 minutes of 4K video = ~1,500 photos in storage. Always target videos and ProRes clips first.