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How-To

Updated March 8, 2026

By Jack Smith, iOS Developer at DB Labs

How to Resize Photos on iPhone

Need to reduce a photo's size for email, social media, or a website? Here are three ways to resize photos on iPhone — no third-party app required for most use cases.

Quick answer: iPhone does not have a dedicated resize slider, but you can crop in the Photos editor to reduce dimensions, or use the Mail app's size picker (Small / Medium / Large) when emailing a photo. For exact pixel dimensions, the free Shortcuts app can batch-resize photos to any size you specify.

Method 1: Crop in Photos Editor

Cropping reduces the pixel dimensions of a photo. It is non-destructive — the original is preserved and you can always revert.

  1. Open the photo and tap Edit

    Open Photos, tap the photo, then tap Edit in the top-right corner.

  2. Tap the Crop icon

    Tap the crop icon (overlapping squares) at the bottom of the editing tools.

  3. Drag the corners to crop

    Drag the corner handles inward to select only the portion of the photo you want to keep. The dimensions shown update as you drag.

  4. Tap Done

    Tap Done to save the cropped version. The cropped photo replaces the original view, but the original data is preserved.

Method 2: Mail App Size Picker

When you email a photo, the Mail app offers four size options — this is the easiest way to share a smaller version without editing the original.

  1. Open Photos and share to Mail

    Open the Photos app, select the photo, tap Share, then tap Mail.

  2. Compose your email

    Fill in the To field and subject. You will see the photo attached at the bottom.

  3. Tap Send and choose a size

    Tap the Send arrow. A size picker appears with options: Small (~240 KB), Medium (~600 KB), Large (~2 MB), or Actual Size. Choose the size you need. Only the email attachment is resized — your original photo is untouched.

Method 3: Shortcuts App (Exact Pixel Dimensions)

For precise control over output dimensions, use the Shortcuts app.

  1. Open Shortcuts and create a new shortcut

    Open the Shortcuts app. Tap the + button to create a new shortcut.

  2. Add the Select Photos action

    Search for and add the Select Photos action. Enable "Select Multiple" if you want batch resizing.

  3. Add the Resize Image action

    Search for and add the Resize Image action. Set your desired width (e.g., 1080 pixels). Leave height blank to maintain aspect ratio.

  4. Add Save to Photos

    Add a Save to Photo Album action so the resized versions are saved. Run the shortcut to resize selected photos.

Also try: The How to Reduce iPhone Photo Size guide covers compression techniques beyond just resizing.

Delete Photos You Do Not Need

The fastest way to free up storage is to delete photos you no longer want. Swype makes it easy — swipe left to delete, right to keep.

Download Swype Free

Frequently Asked Questions

Does iPhone have a built-in photo resize tool?

Not in the traditional sense. iPhone's Photos app lets you crop (which reduces dimensions) but does not have a resize slider for specifying exact pixel dimensions. The Mail app offers size options (Small, Medium, Large) when emailing. For exact dimensions, use the Shortcuts app's Resize Image action.

How do I reduce photo file size on iPhone?

Methods include: (1) Crop in Photos to reduce pixel dimensions. (2) Mail app size picker for smaller email attachments. (3) Shortcuts app for batch resizing to exact dimensions. (4) Switch camera to Most Compatible (JPEG) — though HEIC is actually smaller, if you need JPEG compatibility this may simplify workflows.

Can I resize photos in bulk on iPhone?

Yes, using the Shortcuts app. Create a shortcut with Select Photos (enable Select Multiple), a Resize Image action with your target dimensions, and Save to Photos. Run it from the Shortcuts app or add it to the Photos share sheet for easy access from any photo.

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