How Many Photos Can You Store Per GB on iPhone?

By Jack Smith · Updated March 8, 2026

You can store approximately 200–400 HEIC photos per GB on a modern iPhone, or about 150–250 JPEG photos per GB. A standard 12 MP iPhone photo in HEIC format averages 2–3 MB, while 48 MP photos from iPhone 15/16 Pro models average 5–7 MB. ProRAW photos are much larger at 25–75 MB each, giving you only about 13–40 photos per GB.

Photos Per GB by Format and Camera

The number of photos you can fit per gigabyte varies dramatically depending on your iPhone model and photo format:

12 MP HEIC (iPhone 11–14, non-Pro): ~2–3 MB each = ~330–500 photos per GB
12 MP JPEG (same phones, High Efficiency off): ~3–5 MB each = ~200–330 photos per GB
48 MP HEIC (iPhone 15/16 Pro): ~5–7 MB each = ~140–200 photos per GB
48 MP JPEG (same Pro phones): ~8–12 MB each = ~85–125 photos per GB
ProRAW (iPhone 14 Pro and later): ~25–75 MB each = ~13–40 photos per GB
Live Photos: Add approximately 2–4 MB to each photo for the 3-second video clip

Why HEIC Stores More Photos Than JPEG

Apple's default HEIC format uses the HEVC codec, which compresses images roughly 40–50% more efficiently than JPEG while maintaining the same visual quality. This means you can store nearly twice as many photos in the same space. HEIC has been the default iPhone format since iOS 11, and unless you've changed your settings to "Most Compatible" (JPEG), your photos are almost certainly in HEIC format already.

How 48 MP Changed the Math

Starting with iPhone 14 Pro, Apple's main camera shoots at 48 megapixels by default. While iOS automatically processes most shots down to a merged 24 MP image (combining four pixels for better light sensitivity), the resulting files are still larger than the older 12 MP standard. If you shoot in ProRAW format, the full 48 MP data is preserved, producing files that can exceed 75 MB each — that's only about 13 photos per GB.

Real-World Storage Estimates

Here's what different storage tiers hold for a typical user shooting HEIC on a modern iPhone (mix of 12 MP and 48 MP shots, averaging ~4 MB per photo):

64 GB: ~10,000–12,000 photos (after iOS and apps take ~15 GB)
128 GB: ~22,000–28,000 photos
256 GB: ~50,000–60,000 photos
512 GB: ~110,000–125,000 photos
1 TB: ~230,000–250,000 photos

These estimates assume photos only. In reality, videos, apps, and system data consume a significant portion of storage. Use our iPhone storage calculator for a personalized estimate.

Videos Are the Real Storage Killers

While photos range from 2–7 MB each in most cases, a single minute of 4K video at 30fps consumes approximately 170 MB — and at 60fps, that jumps to 400 MB per minute. One minute of 4K 60fps video equals roughly 80–100 photos. If you record video frequently, your per-GB photo capacity drops dramatically. See our iPhone video storage guide for detailed breakdowns.

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