PicWay

How to make a Live Photo collage that really moves

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

You can make a Live Photo collage in PicWay: pick several Live Photos, and the collage moves. Choose All at once, One by one, or Spotlight. When you export, choose Live Photo if you want to touch and hold it to play, or Video to send it to friends.

Three ways a Live Photo collage can move

All at once: every Live Photo plays together.
One by one: they play one after another in the order you took them, with their original sound.
Spotlight: one fills the whole collage, plays, then returns to the collage.

Choose Still image when you export if you want a regular picture.

Where is the collage saved?

Once you save it, it’s saved once, in the PicWay Creations album in the Photos app. You’ll also find it in PicWay’s Creations, where you can open or share it again. Deleting it from Creations doesn’t remove the copy you saved in your photo library. One you never saved to Photos can’t be recovered.

Can I make one without opening PicWay?

Yes. Select photos in the Photos app, tap Share, and choose PicWay’s collage action. You can also add the quick-collage widget to your Home Screen.

See also: turning a video into a Live Photo, before you make your collage.

How to turn a video into a Live Photo on iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To turn a video into a Live Photo, use PicWay: pick a video, drag the selection to the seconds you want, and tap Export. It’s up to 3.9 seconds by default, or tap No Time Limit to use the whole video. The Live Photo saves to the PicWay Conversions album in Photos.

After you turn a video into a Live Photo

It’s a regular Live Photo in your library. To make it move alongside other photos, use it in a moving Live Photo collage.

Going the other way, the Photos app can turn a Live Photo into a short video: open the Live Photo, tap the More button at the top right, then tap Save as Video (Apple’s guide).

Can I do it without opening PicWay?

Yes. Select a video in the Photos app, tap Share, and scroll to Live Photo.

How to delete similar photos and bursts on iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To delete similar photos on iPhone, use PicWay. It sorts similar shots and bursts into groups, and you go through them one group at a time and pick what to keep. The rest get set aside and stay in your library until you review them and choose to delete. iOS then asks you to confirm.

Similar photos vs. Duplicate items

Similar photos are several shots of the same moment, each a little different, so you choose which to keep. Bursts of the same scene count here too.

Duplicate items are exact matches of a photo or video. There’s less to choose: on the Duplicate items page, tap the button to keep one per group. PicWay keeps the one you favorited, or else the earliest, and sets the rest aside.

The Photos app on iPhone can handle duplicates too: open Duplicates under Utilities in Collections and tap Merge (Apple’s guide). See how to remove duplicate photos on iPhone for more, and PicWay vs. the Photos app to compare the two.

Why don’t I see the card yet?

Finding similar and duplicate photos takes a while, and longer with a bigger library. Turn on Background App Refresh in the iPhone Settings app so PicWay can keep looking while your iPhone is idle. Without it, PicWay still works, but the search pauses while your iPhone is locked, and Similar photos may not find everything.

To see whether it’s on, open PicWay’s settings, then tap Photos & iCloud. The Background processing section shows the Background App Refresh status.

Can I recover what I deleted?

Yes. Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted in the Photos app, and you can recover them for 30 days. You recover them in the Photos app. PicWay can’t empty Recently Deleted for you.

How to compress video on iPhone without losing much quality

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To compress video on iPhone and keep the quality as much as possible, use Standard compression in PicWay. The change in quality is hard to see, so it’s good for videos you’ll want to look at closely. It makes a new video and keeps the original until you’ve compared them and chosen to delete it.

Two levels to compress video on iPhone

Level	Good for	What to expect
Standard compression (default)	Videos you’ll want to look at closely	The change in quality is hard to see
Strong compression	Everyday clips	Shrinks them further

A compressed video won’t be exactly the same as the original. How much you save and how much changes depends on the video. If you’re not sure, start with Standard, then tap Compare and see for yourself. Your original stays until you decide, so there’s no rush.

When PicWay won’t force it

Spatial and Cinematic videos: skipped automatically, so they keep their depth.
Too little to save: for example, if a video shrinks by less than 10%, PicWay discards the compressed copy, leaves the original alone, and tells you why.

Capture time and location are kept after compressing.

What if the video is in iCloud?

It still works. When you’re online, PicWay downloads the original first, then compresses it. By default, videos of 500 MB or more download only over Wi-Fi, not cellular. You can change this in PicWay’s settings under Large videos: Wi-Fi only.

Do I have to keep the app open?

No. Queued compressions continue in the background, as long as Background App Refresh is on for PicWay in iPhone Settings. They pause in Low Power Mode and continue when it’s off. They also pause if your iPhone gets hot and continue when it cools down.

How to search iPhone photos by date range

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To search iPhone photos by date range, open PicWay, tap Search, and type the two dates joined by a hyphen, like 20240801-20240921. You get every photo from the first day through the last. The Photos app searches by month or year; PicWay also takes exact days and ranges, and every search runs on your iPhone.

Other ways to write a date

One day: May 1, 2025 or 1 May 2025.
The same day every year: leave out the year. May 1 finds May 1 in every year of your library.
A whole year: 2024.

Can the Photos app do this?

The Photos app on iPhone searches by month or year, and also by place, category, and text in your photos (Apple’s guide, iPhone User Guide for iOS 27). For an exact day or a range of days, use PicWay. See everything PicWay’s search can find.

How to hide photos on iPhone: Hidden album vs Private Vault

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

There are two ways to hide photos on iPhone. Hide in the Photos app moves them to the Hidden album, which you unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. PicWay’s Private Vault encrypts them on your phone before saving, and it only opens with a pattern you set. If they’re just for you, use the Private Vault.

Two ways to hide photos on iPhone

	Hidden album in Photos	PicWay Private Vault
Once they’re in	No longer appear in your library, other albums, or the Photos widget	No longer appear in PicWay’s reviews, Memories tab, memories, widgets, or search. Originals in your library are deleted after you confirm
How it opens	Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode	A pattern you set. Face ID can’t open it
With iCloud sync on	Hidden on one device, hidden on your others	Encrypted on your phone first, then stored in your own iCloud, and only you can open it

The Photos details come from Apple: Hide photos with the Hidden album and Delete or hide photos and videos.

If you just don’t want photos showing in your library, Hide in the Photos app is enough, and you don’t need another app. If you want a separate pattern that only you know, use the Private Vault.

Where do photos go when I tap Hide in PicWay?

To the Private Vault, not the Hidden album in iOS.

Can it open during screen recording? Does it lock automatically?

While screen recording is on, the Private Vault won’t open, and you need to stop recording before you draw your pattern. It also locks on its own: after 2 minutes without a touch by default. Time spent playing a video doesn’t count. If you leave the app and come back, you draw your pattern again.

What about a new phone, or a forgotten pattern?

With iCloud sync on (it’s on by default), photos, videos, files, and albums are encrypted on your phone, then stored in your own iCloud, and you can get them back on a new phone or after reinstalling.

If you forget your pattern, tap Forgot your pattern? on the unlock screen. You can answer the questions you set up, or enter your 12 words. Get them right and you draw a new pattern.

How to make a photo collage on iPhone with up to 30 photos

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

You can make a photo collage on iPhone with PicWay: up to 20 photos in standard ratios (3:4, 1:1, 4:5, 9:16), or up to 30 in Long strip. You can still change the ratio, layout, and background after it’s made. It’s saved once, in your Photos library, and you can find it again in PicWay’s Creations.

How many photos fit in a photo collage on iPhone?

Up to 20 in standard ratios (3:4, 1:1, 4:5, 9:16), and up to 30 in Long strip. If you switch to a standard ratio, photos over the limit are removed from the collage, and PicWay tells you.

Where is the collage saved?

It’s saved once, in the PicWay Creations album in the Photos app. You’ll also find it in PicWay’s Creations, where you can open or share it again.

Can I make one without opening PicWay?

Yes. Select 2 to 30 photos in the Photos app, tap Share, and scroll to Collage. You can also add the Collage widget to your Home Screen and start with one tap.

If a collage has a Live Photo in it, it moves. See how to make a Live Photo collage.

How much space does 4K video take?

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

Third-party tests put an hour of 4K 30 fps video in HEVC at roughly 10 GB, and 4K at 60 fps at roughly 24 GB. Apple says faster frame rates and higher resolutions make larger video files. In PicWay, Standard or Strong compression makes a smaller copy of a video you already have.

Rough sizes for 4K video on iPhone

Apple does not publish a size per minute. Its video recording guide only says that faster frame rates and higher resolutions result in larger video files. For numbers, you have to rely on outside tests, and they are approximate.

What you record	Rough size	Source
4K at 30 fps, HEVC, 1 hour	about 10.2 GB	DualCam
4K at 60 fps, HEVC, 1 hour	about 24 GB	DualCam
Older H.264 instead of HEVC	roughly double those figures	DualCam
4K at 60 fps, 1 minute	about 400 MB	Compresto
4K ProRes (iPhone 15 Pro and later), 1 minute	up to about 6 GB	Compresto

These come from the vendors named in the table, not from Apple, and your own videos can differ. A busy scene with lots of motion usually needs more data than a still one.

Why video files get so big

Two settings drive most of it: resolution and frame rate. A 4K frame has far more pixels than a 1080p frame, and 60 fps records twice as many frames per second as 30 fps. According to Compresto, iPhone cameras also record at high bitrates to capture as much detail as possible. The format matters too, and HEVC versus H.264 is covered separately.

How big is Cinematic mode?

Apple says Cinematic video is set to record at 1080 HD at 30 fps on supported models, and you can switch to 4K in Settings, Camera, Record Cinematic (see Apple’s video recording settings, iOS 27 edition). Compresto reports that the default produces files of around 150 MB per minute. Treat that as one test’s estimate. Switching Cinematic to 4K raises the size, so leave it at the default unless you need the extra resolution.

What PicWay can do about it

PicWay can compress videos that are already in your library. It offers two levels: Standard compression and Strong compression. The first time you compress, PicWay uses Standard. Both make a new video and keep the original until you have compared them and deleted it yourself.

Compression also lowers the resolution when the video is bigger than the level allows. Standard outputs at most 1920 pixels on the long edge, and Strong at most 1280. A 4K video, which is about 3840 pixels on the long edge, therefore comes out at roughly 1080p-class or 720p-class size. A video whose long edge is already at or below the limit is not scaled up. See compressing without lowering resolution for the trade-off.

PicWay skips Cinematic and spatial videos, because compressing them would lose depth or stereo information. If a compressed video would save less than 10% of the original, PicWay does not delete the original. For the full steps, see how to compress video on iPhone.

Quick answers

How many GB is 1 hour of 4K video on iPhone?

According to DualCam, about 10.2 GB at 30 fps and about 24 GB at 60 fps in HEVC. These are approximate, and your own recordings may be larger or smaller.

Why is a 60 fps video bigger than a 30 fps one?

Apple notes that faster frame rates result in larger video files. For more on this, compare 30 fps and 60 fps in a separate guide.

Does PicWay compress Cinematic videos?

No. PicWay skips Cinematic videos, because compressing them would lose depth information.

Is the original deleted when I compress?

No. The original stays until you compare the two versions and delete it yourself. Space is freed only when the original is deleted.

30fps vs 60fps iPhone: video size

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

Yes. Apple says faster frame rates result in larger video files, and one third-party test found that 30 fps cuts the data rate by about 55% compared with 60 fps. Record at 30 fps for talking, interviews and still scenes, and keep 60 fps for fast action or slow motion.

What changes when you pick 30 or 60 fps

Frame rate is how many pictures per second your iPhone records. At 60 fps there are twice as many frames as at 30 fps, so there is more to store. Apple puts it plainly in its video recording guide: faster frame rates and higher resolutions result in larger video files.

How much larger? According to DualCam, shooting at 30 fps cuts the data rate by approximately 55% compared with 60 fps. That is one vendor’s estimate, not an Apple figure, so expect your own results to differ.

Setting	Rough size per hour (HEVC, 4K)	Source
4K at 30 fps	about 10.2 GB	DualCam
4K at 60 fps	about 24 GB	DualCam

When 30 fps is enough

DualCam calls 30 fps the most effective way to conserve storage for content such as interviews and podcasts, where little moves on screen. Family dinners, talks, screen-heavy clips and most everyday videos fit the same pattern.

When 60 fps is worth the space

Pick 60 fps when you film sports, kids running, pets or panning shots and want smoother motion. Apple also notes that videos you record at faster frame rates can be played back at slower speeds in the Photos app, and that the playback speed options depend on the format you captured (see Apple’s guide to trimming video and adjusting speed). So if you want a slow-motion effect later, shoot at a higher rate.

Compatibility is another reason to stay low. Apple says that on some older devices, resolutions of 1080p or lower and frame rates of 60 fps or lower are more broadly compatible, as explained on its HEIF and HEVC page.

How to change the frame rate

In Camera, switch to Video mode and tap the resolution and frame rate values at the top of the screen to pick one. To make more formats available, go to Settings, tap Camera, then tap Record Video and choose from the list your iPhone supports. Apple lists 24, 25, 30, 60 and 120 fps as the possible rates, depending on your model.

What PicWay can do about 60 fps videos you already have

PicWay can compress videos that are already in your library, with two levels: Standard compression (the default) and Strong compression. It makes a new video and keeps the original until you compare them and delete it yourself.

Compression caps the long edge of the picture, at most 1920 pixels for Standard and 1280 for Strong. A video whose long edge is already at or below the cap is not scaled up. If a compressed video would save less than 10% of the original, PicWay does not delete the original.

Quick answers

How much space does 30 fps save over 60 fps?

One vendor test found about 55% less data at 30 fps, but results depend on the scene and on your iPhone. Treat it as a rough guide.

Is 60 fps better quality?

It looks smoother in fast motion. For slow scenes, you may not notice the difference, but the file is still larger.

Can I turn 60 fps into 30 fps afterwards?

This guide does not describe a way to do that. What PicWay’s two compression levels do is cap the resolution, as described above.

Which setting should I use for everyday videos?

If storage matters, 30 fps is usually enough. Keep 60 fps for action and for clips you may want to slow down.

HEVC vs H.264 on iPhone: which one?

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

Use High Efficiency (HEVC) unless you need to share with older devices. Apple says HEVC offers better compression than H.264, so it uses less storage while keeping the same visual quality. One third-party test puts the saving at about 50%. Most Compatible records H.264 and JPEG, which more devices can open.

HEVC and H.264 in plain terms

HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also known as H.265) is the newer video format. H.264 is the older one. Apple explains on its HEIF and HEVC page that HEIF and HEVC offer better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they use less storage space on your devices and iCloud Photos while preserving the same visual quality.

On the iPhone, the choice appears in Settings, Camera, Formats:

Camera format	Video	Photos	Good for
High Efficiency	HEVC	HEIF	Saving space; Apple recommends it
Most Compatible	H.264	JPEG	Older devices and other systems

How much space does HEVC save?

Apple does not give a percentage. According to Compresto, HEVC cuts file size by about 50% compared with H.264 at the same visual quality. DualCam found that H.264 roughly doubles the size of an hour of 4K video compared with HEVC. Both are approximate vendor figures, and results vary by video.

When to use Most Compatible

Apple’s page says capturing in HEIF and HEVC is recommended, but you can set the iPhone to the older formats, which are more broadly compatible with other devices and operating systems. To do it, tap Formats, then tap Most Compatible. All new photos and videos then use JPEG or H.264. To go back, choose High Efficiency.

Apple adds that on some older devices, HEVC playback is affected by resolution and frame rate, and that resolutions of 1080p or lower and frame rates of 60 fps or lower are more broadly compatible.

You may not need to change the setting at all. Apple says that when you share with AirDrop, Messages or email and the receiving device does not support the newer formats, the media might automatically be shared in a more compatible format such as H.264.

In the Photos app, open a video, tap Share, then tap Options. Apple’s sharing guide says you can tap Automatic for the best file format for the destination, Current to prevent a file format conversion, or Most Compatible, where files may convert to JPEG or MOV.

Where PicWay fits

Camera format is an iPhone setting. What PicWay can do is shrink videos that already take up space. It has two levels: Standard compression and Strong compression. The first time you compress, PicWay uses Standard. Each makes a new video and keeps the original until you tap Compare, check the result, and delete the original yourself.

For the full steps, see how to compress video on iPhone.

Quick answers

Is HEVC the same as H.265?

Yes. Apple describes HEVC as also known as H.265.

Will HEVC videos play on other devices?

Often, but not always on older devices. If a receiving device does not support the newer format, Apple says the media might be shared in a more compatible format automatically.

Does switching to Most Compatible change old videos?

Apple says all new photos and videos use the older formats. It does not say existing ones change.

Does High Efficiency lower the quality?

Apple says HEVC preserves the same visual quality as H.264 while using less space.

Compress video without losing resolution?

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

Not with PicWay. Its Standard compression caps the long edge at 1920 pixels and Strong compression at 1280, so a 4K video comes out smaller in pixels too. A video already within the cap keeps its pixel size. Some other apps reduce the bitrate and keep the resolution, according to one third-party guide.

The honest answer for PicWay

PicWay cannot compress a video and keep its resolution when the video is larger than the level’s limit. It offers two levels, Standard compression and Strong compression, and each one sets a maximum for the long edge of the picture:

Level	Longest edge, at most	A 3840 × 2160 (4K) video becomes
Standard compression	1920 pixels	about 1920 × 1080
Strong compression	1280 pixels	about 1280 × 720

A video bigger than the cap is scaled down so its long edge fits the cap, and a video within the cap is not scaled up. The sizes in the table are worked out from those caps, and real outputs may differ by a pixel or so.

PicWay offers only these two levels, so there is no setting that keeps the full resolution of a 4K video.

When the resolution does not change

Because videos are never scaled up, anything already within the cap keeps its pixel size. A 1080p video compressed at Standard stays 1080p, and a 720p video stays 720p at either level. For those videos, the resolution you see after compressing is the same one you started with.

Cinematic videos are skipped because compressing them would lose depth information.

Why other apps can keep the resolution

According to Compresto, you can reduce the bitrate and quality without changing resolution. That keeps the same pixel dimensions. It is a different approach from PicWay’s, which lowers the pixel count for large videos.

Is 4K to 1080p worth it?

For most clips watched on a phone or sent to friends, 1080p looks fine. For footage you plan to edit, crop, or watch on a large screen, the extra pixels may matter, so compress a copy, check it, and keep the original until you are sure. PicWay makes a new video and keeps the original. Space is freed only when you delete the original.

For the full steps, see how to compress video on iPhone.

Quick answers

Does PicWay keep 4K?

No. Standard compression outputs at most 1920 pixels on the long edge and Strong compression at most 1280.

Will a 1080p video get blurrier?

A 1080p video is not scaled up or down at Standard, so its pixel size stays the same. Whether it looks different depends on the video, so use Compare to check.

Can I undo a compression?

Your original stays until you delete it yourself, so you can compare first. If you change your mind, tap Put back on the compression card in Set aside.

Do I have to accept the lower resolution?

No. If you prefer the original, tap Put back on the compression card in Set aside.

Compress video in the Photos app?

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

Apple’s Photos guide covers trimming a video, adjusting its speed and editing audio, and it does not describe a compress option. Trimming off the ends can make a file shorter, but it is not compression. One third-party guide says Photos has no compression or export settings. PicWay adds a Compress action to the Share sheet.

What Apple’s Photos guides cover

Apple’s guide to trimming video length, adjusting speed and editing audio (iOS 26 edition) introduces three things in the Photos app: trimming where a video starts and stops, changing the playback speed, and editing sound with Audio Mix. Apple’s guide to sharing photos and videos adds one more: before you share, you can adjust the format, file type and information that goes with the item.

Neither guide describes a compress option. That is a statement about what the guides say, not about everything iOS can do.

One third-party guide is more direct. CleverFiles says the Photos app lets you trim videos but does not offer any compression or export settings, and suggests the Shortcuts app, iMovie or a third-party tool to actually reduce the file size.

Trimming is not compression

According to Apple, you open a video, tap the edit button, drag either end of the frame viewer to change the start and stop times, and tap Done. Then choose Save Video to keep only the trimmed video, or Save Video as New Clip to keep both. That edits the length of the video; Apple’s steps do not mention any change to compression.

Apple also notes that a video saved as a new clip can’t be reverted to the original, so use Save Video as New Clip with care.

Apple says that when you share a photo or video you can tap Options and choose Automatic for the best file format for the destination, Current to prevent a file format conversion, or Most Compatible, where files may convert to JPEG or MOV. This is about the format, and Apple’s page does not say it makes a video smaller. For background on the formats, see Apple’s HEIF and HEVC page.

How PicWay adds compression

In the Photos app, tap Share and scroll to Compress, or touch and hold a video in PicWay’s library and choose Compress. You can also tap Compress on PicWay’s home screen.

PicWay offers two levels: Standard compression and Strong compression. The first time you compress, PicWay uses Standard. They limit the long edge of the picture to 1920 pixels and 1280 pixels, so a 4K video comes out smaller in pixels as well as in size. PicWay makes a new video and keeps the original. Tap Compare to check the two versions, and delete the original yourself when you are happy. Space is freed only once the original is deleted.

Quick answers

Does trimming a video make it smaller?

A shorter clip usually takes less space, but trimming changes the length of the video. Apple’s guide presents it as editing, not compression.

Is there a hidden compression setting in Photos?

Apple’s guides describe trimming, speed, audio and share-format options. CleverFiles reports no compression or export settings in the Photos app.

With PicWay installed, yes. Tap Share and scroll to Compress.

Does PicWay delete my original?

No. It keeps the original until you compare the versions and delete it yourself.

iPhone video too large to send? Fixes

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

Messaging and email services cap attachment sizes, and an iPhone video can easily pass them. One test found a one-minute 4K video can exceed 400 MB. Apple’s Mail Drop sends attachments up to 5 GB by email. You can also make a smaller copy first, for example with PicWay.

Why the limit gets hit

Most apps and email providers set their own size limits. Apple’s sharing guide notes that the size limit of attachments is determined by your service provider. A short iPhone video can pass those limits quickly: according to Compresto, a one-minute 4K iPhone video can exceed 400 MB.

Rough limits by service

These figures come from one third-party source and may change, so check each service’s own help page before relying on them.

Service	Rough limit according to Compresto
iMessage	about 100 MB, though it applies its own compression
WhatsApp	16 MB for videos
Email	typically 25 MB

For email, Compresto suggests aiming for under 20 MB, which leaves room for the message itself.

Option 1: Mail Drop for email

Apple says Mail Drop lets you send attachments up to 5 GB through iCloud, right from the Mail app on your iPhone. Attachments do not count against your iCloud storage. If a message and its attachments are larger than your Internet Service Provider limit, Mail asks you to send the attachments using Mail Drop. Recipients have 30 days to download them, and Apple notes the recipient’s email app might have a smaller message size limit that prevents delivery.

Option 2: Make a smaller copy first

If the app you want has a small limit, shrink the video before sharing. PicWay offers two levels, Standard compression (the default) and Strong compression. Standard caps the long edge of the picture at 1920 pixels and Strong at 1280, so 4K videos come out smaller in pixels as well as in size. You can tap the level on the card to switch to Strong compression if the first result is still too big.

PicWay makes a new video and keeps the original. Tap Compare to look at the two versions, then share the smaller video the way you normally would. It is not guaranteed to fit a limit as small as 16 MB, so check the size after compressing. Compression happens on your iPhone. If a compressed video would save less than 10% of the original, PicWay does not delete the original.

What PicWay does here

PicWay’s part is making the smaller copy of a video. Which app you send it with, and that app’s own size limit, are separate.

Quick answers

What is the video size limit for iMessage?

Compresto puts it at roughly 100 MB, and says iMessage applies its own compression. Treat it as a rough figure.

How do I send a video bigger than my email limit?

Use Mail Drop, which Apple says handles attachments up to 5 GB. Mail offers it when a message is larger than your provider’s limit.

Will compressing make the video blurry?

PicWay lowers the resolution for videos above 1920 pixels (Standard) or 1280 pixels (Strong) on the long edge. Use Compare to judge the result before sharing.

Do I lose the original?

No. The original stays in your library until you delete it yourself.

Compress video for email iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To compress a video for email on your iPhone, make a smaller copy first, for example with PicWay’s Standard or Strong compression, then attach that copy. Both levels lower the resolution of larger videos. If the message is too big, Apple’s Mail Drop can send attachments up to 5 GB instead.

What Mail Drop allows

You don’t always need to shrink the video. Per Apple’s Mail Drop limits page, Mail Drop lets you send attachments up to 5 GB from the Mail app on your iPhone, and the attachments don’t count against your iCloud storage. If a message and its attachments are larger than your internet provider’s limit, Mail will ask you to send the attachments using Mail Drop.

Mail Drop fact	What Apple says
Largest attachment	Up to 5 GB
Link lifetime	Recipients have 30 days to download after you send
Storage cap	1 TB of Mail Drop storage, and each attachment expires after 30 days
Possible catch	The recipient’s email app might have a smaller message size limit

That last row matters. A big video that leaves your phone can still be refused at the other end. A smaller file gets through more often.

When a smaller video is the better fix

Apple’s page itself suggests trying to make attachments as small as possible if a message is over the limit. For ordinary mailboxes, one blog post on Compresto says most email providers cap attachments at about 25 MB, and recommends aiming for under 20 MB. Treat those figures as a rough guide, because every provider sets its own limit.

How PicWay compresses a video for email

PicWay has two compression levels for video: Standard compression and Strong compression. The first time you compress, PicWay uses Standard. It makes a new video and keeps the original until you have compared the two and decided to delete it.

Be aware of what changes. Compression lowers the resolution of larger videos:

Level	Longest side of the new video
Standard compression	At most 1920 px
Strong compression	At most 1280 px

A video that is already smaller than the limit is not enlarged. PicWay offers just those two levels. If the result is still too big for your email provider, send the original through Mail Drop instead.

Cases where no smaller copy is made

Spatial and Cinematic videos are skipped, so they keep their depth information.
Too little saved: if the new video would save less than 10%, PicWay discards it and leaves the original alone.

Compression runs on your iPhone, and the original stays in your library until you remove it.

Quick answers

Can I email a video that is bigger than 25 MB?

Sometimes. Mail will offer Mail Drop when a message is over your provider’s limit, and Apple says Mail Drop attachments can be up to 5 GB. The person receiving it still has only 30 days to download.

Will compressing in PicWay lower the resolution?

Yes, for larger videos. Standard compression outputs at most 1920 px on the long side and Strong at most 1280 px. Videos already below that size keep their size.

Does it delete my original video?

No. Your original stays until you compare and delete it yourself. Space is only freed once the original is deleted.

How to organize kids photos on iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To organize kids photos on iPhone, start with the near-copies. In PicWay, Similar photos and bursts are sorted into groups, and you pick what to keep from each. Then add a tag, such as your child’s name, to the moments you want to find again, and search by date, place, or tag. Nothing is deleted until you confirm.

Why do kids photos pile up so fast?

You take ten shots of one smile and keep all ten. A parent on r/NewParents wrote that they often snap 8–10 quick photos at once, more than half of them blurry, and go back later to keep only the best few from each set. Another parent on r/Parenting wrote that with 6,000+ photos of their two-year-old, it takes forever to find one specific moment. Those are single posts, not survey results.

Both problems have separate fixes: cut each set of near-copies down to one, then make the keepers easy to find.

Which PicWay tool fits which problem?

Your problem	Where to look in PicWay	What it does
Ten almost-identical shots	Similar photos (bursts of the same scene count here too)	Groups them and puts what it thinks is the best shot first. You choose.
A burst from a game or a party	Clean up bursts	Opens your burst groups for cleanup. The card appears if you have bursts.
One moment among thousands	Add tags and Search on the Photos tab	Search covers dates, places, journeys, and tags you add.
Old photos you never look at	On This Day, and Memories by month, album, or place	Brings back past photos.

How do I find one moment later?

You can add your own tags. Touch and hold a photo in your library, tap Add tags, and type a tag. A tag is text you choose: a name, a nickname, or “first steps”. A tag can be 1–32 characters, and each photo can have up to 24. To find the photo, search for the tag.

Search also takes a date, or two dates joined by a hyphen, and a place. When you search a place, PicWay shows journeys first. All searches run on your iPhone.

If you only remember roughly when it happened, the bottom bar on the Photos tab also lets you switch to Time.

What about Live Photos of my kids?

A Live Photo records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take the picture, according to Apple’s Live Photos guide. If your kid’s videos and Live Photos fill your storage, PicWay gives you a few choices:

Choice	Result
Compress Live Photo	Still a Live Photo. The photo and the motion both get smaller.
Convert to still photo	Removes the motion and keeps the still.
Compress photo	Smaller, and may lose some detail.

For more on this, see compress photos on iPhone.

Will I lose anything by tidying?

Photos you set aside stay in your library until you review them and confirm deleting. If you delete several at once, PicWay first asks you to confirm in the app, and then iOS asks you to confirm. See how to recover deleted photos if you change your mind. For a closer look at the cleanup flow, read how to delete similar photos and bursts.

Quick answers

How do I find photos of my child later?

Add a tag with your child’s name to the photos you want, and search for the tag later.

Does PicWay delete my kids’ photos for me?

No. It sorts near-copies into groups and puts what it thinks is the best shot first, and you choose what to keep. The rest are set aside, not deleted.

How many tags can a photo have?

Up to 24 per photo, each 1–32 characters, with no line breaks.

Where do the photos go when I search?

Searches run on your iPhone.

Too many photos on iPhone? Sort them before you delete

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

If you have too many photos on iPhone and don’t want to delete them, you don’t have to yet. In PicWay, swipe right to keep and left to set aside. Set-aside photos stay in your library, and you can put them back anytime. When you have time, review them and confirm before anything is deleted.

Why not delete right away when you have too many photos on iPhone?

You don’t have to decide right away. Set-aside photos are all still in your library, and you can look through them again when you have time. Before anything is really deleted, iOS asks you to confirm.

If you prefer it the other way, open PicWay’s settings, tap Review settings, and change Set Aside direction to the right.

How long does it take?

You don’t have to finish in one go. A little each day is fine. The flame in PicWay counts your streak, and next time you can pick another set.

Lots of similar shots, or videos taking up space?

You don’t have to swipe through similar shots and bursts one by one. You can clean them up group by group. If space is tight, see what to do when iPhone storage is full.

How to organize vacation photos on iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To organize vacation photos on iPhone, find the trip first, then thin it out. In PicWay, search by date or place, or open the journey it builds for you. Then go through Similar photos, bursts, and screenshots, and compress long videos. Anything you set aside stays in your library until you confirm deleting.

Why does a trip leave so many photos?

On a trip you shoot the same view from five angles, grab a screenshot of every booking, and film long videos. A traveler on r/travel asked what people do with the thousands of photos they take after coming back. Another r/travel commenter said they delete duplicates, blurry shots, bad angles, and eyes-closed photos. These are single posts, not survey results.

A good order is to find the trip, thin out the near-copies, clear the clutter, then deal with the heavy videos.

How do I find a trip in PicWay?

Way	How
Search a date	Type a date, or two dates joined by a hyphen, for example the first and last day of the trip
Search a place	Type a place. PicWay shows journeys first
Open a journey	Photos taken away from home over several days in a row become a journey on their own, even if you change cities along the way
Memories by month, album, or place	On the Memories tab, PicWay brings back past photos

Searches run on your iPhone. PicWay doesn’t use your phone’s location. It only reads the coordinates saved with your photos.

One commenter on r/solotravel wrote that they pick a particular day, such as August 13, and search their photos for it. In PicWay, you can search a date too.

What do I clean up first?

Clutter	Where in PicWay	What you do
Several shots of the same view	Similar photos (bursts of the same scene count here too)	Pick one to keep per group
Burst shots	Clean up bursts	Same, group by group. The card appears when you have bursts
Screenshots and screen recordings	Screen captures under Quick tidy	Swipe left or right to move on, swipe up to set one aside

Set-aside photos stay in your library, so you can still tap Put back. For more, see how to delete similar photos and bursts and how to clean up screenshots.

Which video compression level should I use for travel videos?

PicWay compresses a video into a new one and lowers its resolution. It never enlarges a video that is already smaller.

Level	Longest side of the output, at most
Standard compression (default)	1920 px
Strong compression	1280 px

If you need to keep the exact resolution, compression is not the right tool. Your original stays until you compare the two and choose to delete it. Spatial and Cinematic videos are skipped, and if a video shrinks by less than 10%, PicWay discards the compressed copy. Capture time and location are kept. Compression happens on your iPhone. More on compressing video.

Quick answers

Does PicWay use my phone’s location?

No. PicWay only reads the coordinates saved with your photos to group them by place.

Will tidying delete my photos?

No. Photos you set aside stay in your library until you review them and confirm deleting. You can get them back until then.

What if my trip videos are still in iCloud?

By default, videos of 500 MB or more are downloaded only over Wi-Fi.

What if I want to free up space fast?

Start with the biggest videos. See how to free up iPhone storage for the other options.

Send long video iPhone to Android

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To send a long video from iPhone to Android, skip text messages and send a link instead, for example through Mail Drop or a cloud storage service. Apple says Mail Drop attachments can be up to 5 GB. If a link isn’t an option, make the video smaller first, then send it.

Why a long video is hard to send to Android

Apple’s own tools are built around Apple devices. Apple’s Share guide says AirDrop shares with a nearby iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Vision Pro, so it can’t reach an Android phone. The same page says the size limit of attachments is determined by your service provider.

According to Clean Email, iMessage doesn’t work between iPhone and Android, and it is best to avoid MMS because it heavily compresses videos and reduces quality. That is one site’s advice, not an Apple statement.

Ways to send it, compared

Way	Good for	Watch out for
Mail Drop	Long videos, up to 5 GB per Apple	Recipients have 30 days to download
Cloud storage link	Very long footage	The same site suggests cloud storage for an hour of footage
Message attachment	Short clips	Size limit is set by your service provider
AirDrop	Apple devices only	Not for Android

Mail Drop details come from Apple’s Mail Drop limits page: attachments up to 5 GB, no cost to your iCloud storage, and the attachment expires 30 days after sending. Remember that the receiving email app might have a smaller limit of its own.

Pick a format Android is likelier to open

In the Photos app, tap Share, then tap Options. Apple’s guide lists three file format choices: Automatic for the best format for the destination, Current to prevent a format conversion, and Most Compatible, where files may convert to JPEG or MOV. If the video will not play on the other phone, try Most Compatible.

When to shrink it first with PicWay

If a link is not practical, PicWay can make the video smaller before you send it. It has two compression levels: Standard compression and Strong compression. PicWay makes a new video and keeps the original until you have compared the two.

This does lower the resolution of larger videos:

Level	Longest side of the new video
Standard compression	At most 1920 px
Strong compression	At most 1280 px

A video already below those sizes is not enlarged. If PicWay would save less than 10%, it discards the new copy and leaves your original as it was. The compressed copy is saved to your Photos library, so you can share it from there.

Quick answers

Can I AirDrop a video to an Android phone?

No. Apple describes AirDrop as sharing with a nearby iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Vision Pro.

Why does my video look worse after texting it?

According to Clean Email, MMS heavily compresses videos and reduces quality. Sending a link avoids that step.

How long can the person download a Mail Drop video?

Apple says recipients have 30 days after you send the email.

Does compressing in PicWay change the picture size?

Yes, for larger videos. Standard compression outputs at most 1920 px on the long side and Strong compression at most 1280 px.

Why burst photos take up storage on iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

Burst photos take up storage on iPhone because a burst is many photos taken in rapid succession, not one. Apple’s Burst mode is built to give you a range of photos to choose from. In the library a burst can look like a single thumbnail, but according to one third-party guide, each frame is roughly 2 to 4 MB.

Why do bursts add up so fast?

Apple describes Burst mode as a way to take multiple high-speed photos so you have a range of photos to choose from (Apple’s Burst guide). You drag the Shutter button left, and the camera takes photos in rapid succession until you lift your finger.

That is the whole reason they take up storage: every shot in the burst is a photo. The Photos library groups them under one image, so the pile is easy to miss.

How big is a burst?

Apple’s page doesn’t give file sizes. The numbers below are from a third-party guide, so treat them as rough.

Item	Rough size	Source
One frame of a burst	about 2 to 4 MB	According to KeptPhotos
One casual burst of 30 frames	about 90 MB	The same guide’s estimate

The same guide says bursts are the quietest storage hog on an iPhone because a burst of forty looks like a single picture. Your own bursts may be larger or smaller, because file size depends on the scene and your settings.

How do I see what is inside one burst?

According to Apple, tap the Burst thumbnail, then tap Burst (number) in the top-left of the screen. Gray dots below the thumbnails mark the suggested photos to keep. Tap the circle in the lower-right corner of each photo you want to save as an individual photo (Apple).

If you would rather not open bursts one by one, the PicWay route is below.

Can PicWay help clear them?

Yes, for the bursts that are already in your library. PicWay’s Clean up bursts card sits under Next up on the Memories tab, and it only shows when you have burst groups. Bursts of the same scene also count as Similar photos.

In each group you choose what to keep. Photos you don’t want can be set aside first, and they stay in your library. When you are ready, open Set aside and choose Continue deleting. For the full walkthrough, read how to delete similar photos and bursts.

Quick answers

Does deleting a burst free up real space?

Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted, and you can recover them for 30 days, so the space is not back until they are cleared there. iOS doesn’t let an app empty Recently Deleted for you, so clear it in the Photos app under Albums. See how to recover deleted photos.

How do I start a burst?

Apple’s page says you drag the Shutter button left to start a burst, and that holding the volume up button works too after you turn on Use Volume Up for Burst in Settings > Camera.

Do I have to delete the whole burst?

No. Apple’s page says you can save the frames you like as individual photos, and it separately lets you delete the entire burst.

How to keep the best photo from a burst on iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To keep the best photo from a burst on iPhone, open the burst in Photos, tap Burst (number), and tap the circle on each frame you want to save as an individual photo. Gray dots mark the frames Apple suggests keeping. Then decide what to do with the rest of the burst.

How to pick the best frame in the Photos app

Apple’s steps are short (Apple’s Burst guide):

Tap the Burst thumbnail, then tap Burst (number) in the top-left of the screen.
Gray dots below the thumbnails mark the suggested photos to keep.
Tap the circle in the lower-right corner of each photo you want to save as an individual photo, then tap the button to confirm.

Apple’s page also says you can delete the entire burst: tap the thumbnail in Camera, or tap the burst image in your Photos library, then tap the delete button.

What happens to the frames I didn’t pick?

Apple’s page doesn’t spell out what happens to the unselected frames, so here is what a third-party guide reports. According to KeptPhotos, you tap Select at the bottom, tap the frames you want so a checkmark appears, then tap Done. iOS then asks whether to keep only your favorites or keep everything. If you choose to keep only the favorites, the rest go to Recently Deleted.

This wording is not from Apple, so read the prompt on your own iPhone before you tap.

Will deleting the burst delete the photo I saved?

The same third-party guide says no: once you save a favorite out of a burst, it becomes its own photo in your library, and clearing the leftover stack doesn’t touch it. Apple’s page says the photos you select are saved as individual photos. Apple’s page doesn’t say what deleting the rest does to them, so this part rests on the third-party guide.

How do I do this for many bursts in PicWay?

Opening bursts one at a time gets slow. In PicWay, Clean up bursts is under Next up on the Memories tab. It only appears when your library has burst groups. Bursts of the same scene are also counted under Similar photos.

In each group, PicWay puts what it thinks is the best shot first, and you choose:

Button	What it does
Tap Keep on a photo, then the Keep button at the bottom	Keeps the photos you marked
Keep all	Keeps the whole group
Set all aside	Keeps nothing from the group for now

Set-aside photos are still in your library. Open Set aside to look again, and tap Put back on any you want to keep. If you delete several at once, PicWay first asks you to confirm in the app, and then iOS asks you to confirm. Full steps are in how to delete similar photos and bursts.

Quick answers

Can I recover a frame I deleted by mistake?

Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted, where you can recover them for 30 days. See how to recover deleted photos.

Does PicWay choose the best frame for me?

It puts its suggested best shot first in each group. You still decide what to keep.

Do I need PicWay for one burst?

No. For a single burst, the Photos app steps above are enough.

Send large video iPhone to iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To send a large video from iPhone to iPhone, use AirDrop: open the video in Photos, tap Share, and choose AirDrop. Both iPhones need AirDrop turned on. If the other person isn’t nearby, Apple’s Mail Drop can send attachments up to 5 GB by email.

AirDrop: the quickest way when you are together

Apple’s Share guide says you can use AirDrop to share photos and videos with anyone nearby on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Vision Pro. To send from one iPhone to another, each iPhone needs to be turned on, unlocked, and have AirDrop turned on. Items you send this way are added to the recipient’s Photos library.

Apple’s AirDrop page adds two things to check if it will not work:

Both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.
The recipient’s AirDrop setting must be Contacts Only or Everyone.

Mail Drop: when the other person is far away

Apple’s Mail Drop limits page says you can send attachments up to 5 GB from the Mail app on your iPhone, and they don’t count against your iCloud storage. Recipients have 30 days to download them. Apple also notes the recipient’s email app might have a smaller limit.

Which way to choose

Situation	Best fit	Source
In the same room	AirDrop	Apple’s Share guide
Far away, one big file	Mail Drop, up to 5 GB	Apple’s Mail Drop page
An hour of footage	Cloud storage	Suggested by Clean Email

Adjust the file format before sharing

In the Photos app, open a video, tap Share, then tap Options. Apple’s guide lists three choices: Automatic for the best file format for the destination, Current to prevent a file format conversion, and Most Compatible, where files may convert to JPEG or MOV.

When a smaller copy helps

If the video is huge and you have slow internet, PicWay can make a smaller copy before you send it. It offers Standard compression and Strong compression, and keeps the original until you have compared the two and deleted it yourself.

The new video can have a lower resolution. Standard compression outputs at most 1920 px on the longest side, and Strong compression at most 1280 px. Videos already smaller than that are not enlarged. If a compressed copy would save less than 10%, PicWay discards it and leaves the original untouched.

Quick answers

Does AirDrop work without Wi-Fi?

Apple says both the sender and recipient should have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.

Is there a size limit for AirDrop?

The pages we checked don’t state one, so we can’t give a number. If AirDrop fails on a very long video, try Mail Drop or a cloud link.

Where does the video land on the other iPhone?

Apple says items shared this way are added to the recipient’s Photos library.

Do I have to compress before AirDrop?

No. Compress only if you want a smaller file, and expect a lower resolution on larger videos.

How to turn off burst mode on iPhone

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To turn off burst mode on iPhone, open Settings, tap Camera, and switch off Use Volume Up for Burst if your iPhone shows it. According to one third-party guide, there is no setting that removes Burst mode completely, so you also need to tap the shutter button instead of sliding it.

How do bursts start on iPhone?

Apple says you drag the Shutter button left to take photos in rapid succession, and you lift your finger to stop. It also says you can press and hold the volume up button to take burst shots, if you turn on Use Volume Up for Burst in Settings > Camera (Apple’s Burst guide).

So there are two triggers to deal with: the shutter slide, and the volume up button.

What can I switch off?

Trigger	What to do	Source
Volume up button	Go to Settings > Camera and switch off Use Volume Up for Burst	Apple names this setting in its Burst guide
Sliding the shutter	Tap the shutter instead of sliding it or holding it	According to HEVCut

The same third-party guide says there is no setting that removes Burst mode completely, and that the volume option is only there if your iPhone shows it. Apple’s page doesn’t describe a setting for the shutter slide.

I already have too many burst photos. What now?

Switching the setting off only stops new bursts. The ones you already took are still in your library, and each frame takes up space.

PicWay can help with that part. Clean up bursts is under Next up on the Memories tab, and it only shows when your library has burst groups. Photos you set aside there stay in your library. The full walkthrough is in how to delete similar photos and bursts.

Quick answers

Is there one switch that turns off burst mode?

According to HEVCut, no. The setting you can switch off is Use Volume Up for Burst, and only if your iPhone shows it.

Why did my phone take a burst when I only tapped once?

Apple’s page says a burst starts when you drag the Shutter button left, or hold the volume up button with that setting on. A slide or a long press can start one without you meaning to.

Will turning the setting off delete my old bursts?

No. It only changes how new photos are taken. Your existing bursts stay in the library until you delete them.

Send video on WhatsApp without compression

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

According to CleverFiles, WhatsApp compresses every video sent as media, and you can’t turn that off. Its tip is to send the video as a document instead of a photo or video. PicWay can make a smaller copy of a video in your library, but that is a separate step from how WhatsApp sends it.

What WhatsApp does to videos

We could not read WhatsApp’s own help pages when writing this, so the claims here come from a third party. According to CleverFiles, WhatsApp automatically compresses every video you send, and there’s no way to disable this. If quality matters, the same page says to send the video as a document instead of a media file.

Treat that as one source’s report. WhatsApp can change how it behaves, so check what the person receives.

The document method, compared

Way to send	What CleverFiles says
As a photo or video (media)	WhatsApp compresses it automatically
As a document	The suggested way to try to keep quality

Can PicWay fix WhatsApp blur?

Not by itself. How WhatsApp handles a video is WhatsApp’s own business, so anything PicWay does happens before you send.

What PicWay does is compress a video copy in your photo library. It has two levels, Standard compression and Strong compression, and it keeps the original until you have compared and chosen to delete it.

It also lowers the resolution of larger videos. Standard compression outputs at most 1920 px on the longest side, and Strong compression at most 1280 px. Videos already smaller than that are not enlarged. That is a reason not to compress first if sharpness is your goal.

PicWay is useful when the video is simply too big to send, because a smaller copy leaves less to upload. If a copy would save less than 10%, PicWay discards it and leaves the original in place.

Before you send, a short checklist

Play the video in Photos. If it is soft there, nothing you send will fix it.
Send it as a document if sharpness matters, as CleverFiles suggests.
Keep the original until the other person confirms it arrived.
Use PicWay when file size is the problem, not when sharpness is.

Quick answers

Why does my iPhone video look blurry on WhatsApp?

According to CleverFiles, WhatsApp compresses every video sent as media.

Does sending as a document always avoid compression?

We can’t promise it. CleverFiles suggests it as a way to try to keep quality, but we could not confirm it on WhatsApp’s own help pages.

Can PicWay stop WhatsApp from compressing?

PicWay works on a copy of a video in your library. How WhatsApp handles the video is separate from that.

Duplicates album doesn’t find similar photos

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

The Duplicates album doesn’t find similar photos because Apple’s guide describes it as a place for duplicate photos and videos, and one third-party source says that as of iOS 26 it cannot flag photos that are not exact copies. Shots taken a second apart, or from a burst, are different photos. You sort those by hand or with a similar-photos tool.

What does the Duplicates collection cover?

Apple’s guide says the Photos app identifies duplicate photos and videos in your library in the Duplicates collection, and that you can merge them to save space (Apple’s merge guide). Apple doesn’t describe how close two photos must be to count.

For why the album can be missing, and how merging works, see how to remove duplicate photos on iPhone. This page is about the other problem: it is there, but your near-identical shots are not in it.

Why do similar photos not show up?

According to HandyRecovery, as of iOS 26 the built-in Photos app can’t merge or flag photos that are not exact duplicates, so two shots that look almost the same but differ slightly are not picked up. This is a third-party statement, not Apple’s.

Kind of photo	In Apple’s Duplicates collection?
The same photo saved twice	Described by Apple as duplicates
Three shots of one moment	Per HandyRecovery, not flagged
Frames from a burst	Not described by Apple as duplicates; per HandyRecovery, near matches are not flagged

Where does PicWay draw the line?

PicWay splits the two groups on purpose. Duplicate items only holds photos with the same dimensions that look the same when compared, and videos with exactly the same length and file size. Bursts of the same scene go under Similar photos, not in Duplicate items.

So the near-identical shots your iPhone leaves alone are exactly what Similar photos is for.

How do I sort similar photos in PicWay?

In Similar photos, tap Keep on a photo to mark it, then tap the button that keeps what you marked. Keep all keeps the group, and Set all aside keeps nothing from it for now.

Set-aside photos are still in your library. Open Set aside to review them, and tap Continue deleting when you are ready. For the full steps, including bursts, read how to delete similar photos and bursts. To compare the two apps, see PicWay vs. the Photos app.

Quick answers

Does merging in the Photos app also merge similar photos?

Apple’s guide describes merging for sets of duplicates. According to HandyRecovery, it does not apply to photos that are not exact copies.

Can I make the Duplicates album find similar photos?

Apple’s pages don’t describe a setting for that. Its support article only says the album appears once your iPhone has indexed your library and found duplicates (Apple).

Is a burst the same as a duplicate?

In PicWay, no. Bursts of the same scene are grouped as Similar photos.

How to save a Live Photo as video

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To save a Live Photo as video, open the Photos app, swipe up to Media Types, tap Live Photos, select one, tap the More button at the upper right, and choose Save as Video. Apple says the new video appears in the Recently Saved album, and the Live Photo stays where it was.

Save a Live Photo as video with the Photos app

Apple’s guide to turning a Live Photo into a video gives these steps: in the Photos app, swipe up to find Media Types, then tap Live Photos. Select a Live Photo, tap the More button in the upper-right corner, then choose Save as Video.

What you do	What happens
Choose Save as Video	A new video is created
Look in Recently Saved	Apple says your new video is there
Look in Live Photos	The original Live Photo is still there

Apple adds that you can use iMovie to combine multiple videos that were created from Live Photos.

How a Live Photo is built

Per Apple’s Live Photos guide, your iPhone records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take the picture. To see one move, open the Photos app, tap Collections, scroll to Media Types, tap Live Photos, open a photo, and press and hold the screen. That short stretch of motion is what Save as Video turns into a clip.

If you edit a Live Photo in a third-party app, Apple warns you might lose any Live Photo effects you applied, such as Loop, Bounce, or Long Exposure. So it is worth saving a video before you edit elsewhere.

You don’t always need a video. Apple’s Live Photos guide says that if you share a Live Photo via Mail, it is sent as a still image, and adds that you can turn a Live Photo into a video on your iPhone. To share only the still photo, tap LIVE in the upper-left corner of the photo before you share.

The Share guide also says that on devices or services that don’t support Live Photos, a Live Photo is shared as a still photo.

PicWay works in the other direction

For saving a Live Photo as a video, use the Photos steps above. PicWay’s Live Photo tools go in the other direction:

Video to Live Photo: pick a video and tap Export. The clip is up to 3.9 seconds by default, or tap No Time Limit to use the whole video. The new Live Photo goes to the PicWay Conversions album in Photos. See how to turn a video into a Live Photo.
Live Photo to still photo: PicWay can remove the motion and keep only the still. Choose Convert to still photo or Keep one frame, as described in the photo compression guide.

Quick answers

Where is my new video after Save as Video?

Apple says to look in the Recently Saved album.

Does Save as Video delete the Live Photo?

No. Apple says the Live Photo remains accessible in the Live Photos album.

Can PicWay save a Live Photo as a video?

PicWay’s tools go the other way: it can turn a video into a Live Photo, and it can turn a Live Photo into a still. To get a video from a Live Photo, use Apple’s Save as Video in Photos.

Live Photo lock screen wallpaper

2026-11-01T00:00:00Z

To use a Live Photo as lock screen wallpaper, touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap the add button, choose Photos, and pick a Live Photo. Apple says that if it can be translated into slow motion, you tap a button to play it when the device wakes up. You can also make one from a video with PicWay.

Set a Live Photo as your Lock Screen wallpaper

Apple’s custom Lock Screen guide says to touch and hold the Lock Screen, then tap the add button to create a new Lock Screen. If you don’t see it, touch and hold your Lock Screen again, then enter your passcode. Then tap one of the wallpaper options.

You can also go through Settings. Apple’s wallpaper guide says to open Settings, tap Wallpaper, tap Add New Wallpaper, and use a button at the top of the gallery such as Photos to design your wallpaper. Tap Add, then choose whether to use it for both the Lock Screen and Home Screen with Set as Wallpaper Pair.

Make it move

Apple’s custom Lock Screen guide describes one option for this: if you select a Live Photo that can be translated into slow motion, tap the Live Photo button to play the Live Photo when the device wakes up.

Choice	What Apple says
Live Photo that can be translated into slow motion	Tap the Live Photo button to play it when the device wakes up
Other photos	Apple’s page doesn’t describe this motion option for them

Apple doesn’t say how long the motion plays on the Lock Screen. Apple’s Live Photos guide says a Live Photo records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take the picture. According to videolivephoto.com, saving a clip as a Live Photo does not guarantee the wallpaper result, and Apple’s instructions do not guarantee the Lock Screen playback length of every converted clip. That site is a vendor, so treat it as a caution rather than a rule.

Use a video as a Live Photo with PicWay

The Apple wallpaper pages we checked describe photos, not videos. If you start with a video, PicWay can turn it into a Live Photo first, and then you set that Live Photo as above.

In PicWay, pick a video and tap Export. The clip is up to 3.9 seconds by default, or you can tap No Time Limit to use the whole video. The new Live Photo is saved to the PicWay Conversions album in Photos. The full steps are in how to turn a video into a Live Photo.

How the Live Photo plays on your Lock Screen depends on iOS, and Apple only describes the slow-motion option above. After you set it, wake the screen and see for yourself.

Quick answers

Does every Live Photo play on the Lock Screen?

Apple’s page says the play option applies to a Live Photo that can be translated into slow motion. Try yours and see.

Can I use a video directly as wallpaper?

The Apple pages we checked don’t describe that. Turn the video into a Live Photo first, for example in PicWay.

Where does the Live Photo from PicWay go?

The new Live Photo is saved as a new item in the PicWay Conversions album in Photos.

Why iPhone screenshots are PNG

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According to FreeToolOnline, iPhone screenshots are PNG because iOS saves side-button captures and Markup exports as PNG rather than HEIC, and PNG keeps solid colors, sharp edges, and on-screen text crisp. Apple’s screenshot guide doesn’t name the file format, so treat the format detail as third-party.

What do we know about the screenshot format?

According to FreeToolOnline, screenshots come from the side-button capture and Markup export, and iOS saves those as PNG rather than HEIC. The same guide says that is so solid colors, sharp edges, and on-screen text stay crisp with no compression artifacts.

Apple’s screenshot guide doesn’t mention PNG. It says screenshots are automatically saved to your photo library, and that you can save screenshots in SDR or HDR format in the screen capture settings (Apple’s screenshot guide). The format claim on this page is the third-party source’s, not Apple’s.

Where do I find my screenshots?

Apple says to open Photos, tap Collections, scroll down to Media Types, then tap Screenshots. They are mixed into your main library too, which is why they are easy to forget.

Do screenshots really take up that much space?

Neither Apple’s page nor the third-party guide gives a size per screenshot, so this page doesn’t quote one. What adds up is volume: receipts, maps, chats, and codes you captured once and never looked at again.

Question	What the sources say
What format?	PNG, according to FreeToolOnline
Where are they saved?	Your photo library, per Apple
How many do I have?	Check Collections > Media Types > Screenshots

How do I clear them in PicWay?

PicWay has a Screen captures page for this. Open it from More ways to tidy on the Memories tab. Swipe left or right to move between screenshots, swipe up to set one aside, and double-tap to favorite one you want to keep.

The cleaner has an exit button, so read its label before you tap it. The setting No screenshots or documents in memories is on by default, so screenshots stay out of your memories. The full steps are in how to clean up screenshots on iPhone.

Quick answers

Are all iPhone screenshots PNG?

According to FreeToolOnline, side-button captures and Markup exports are saved as PNG. Apple’s guide doesn’t state the format, so check a screenshot’s details on your own iPhone if it matters.

Can I get deleted screenshots back?

Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted, where you can recover them for 30 days. See how to recover deleted photos.

Will clearing screenshots free much space?

It depends on how many you have. For other ways to make room, see how to free up storage on iPhone.

How does the Hidden album work on iPhone?

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When you hide photos and videos on iPhone, they move to the Hidden album and don’t appear anywhere else in Photos, like the Library, other albums, or the Photos widget on your Home Screen. The album is locked by default in iOS 16 and later. With iCloud Photos on, photos you hide on one device are hidden on your others too.

What happens when I hide a photo?

Apple says that when you hide photos and videos, they move to the Hidden album, so they don’t appear anywhere else in Photos, like the Library, other albums, or even the Photos widget on your Home Screen (Apple’s Hidden album page).

To hide one, open Photos, touch and hold the photo or video, tap Hide, then confirm.

Is the Hidden album locked?

Per Apple, in iOS 16 and later your Hidden album is locked by default and requires authentication to unlock in Photos. On iPhone, you tap View Album and use Face ID or Touch ID. Apple’s page also mentions Optic ID or a passcode for Apple Vision Pro.

Can I make the album disappear?

Yes. In iOS 14 and later you can choose not to show the Hidden album. Open the Settings app, tap Apps, tap Photos, scroll down, and turn off Show Hidden Album. On iPhone it is on and visible by default. When it is off, any photos or videos you’ve hidden won’t be visible in the Photos app.

Does it sync across devices?

If you use iCloud Photos, Apple says the photos you hide on one device are hidden on your other devices too.

Setting	What Apple says
Hide a photo	It moves to the Hidden album
Album lock (iOS 16 and later)	Locked by default, authentication needed
Show Hidden Album	On by default on iPhone; turn it off to remove the album from view
iCloud Photos on	Hidden on one device, hidden on your others

Where does PicWay come in?

PicWay’s Hide works differently from the Hidden album. See how to hide photos on iPhone for the comparison.

Quick answers

Does hiding a photo delete it?

No. Apple’s page says hidden photos move to the Hidden album. Deleting is different. Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted, covered in how to recover deleted photos.

How do I unhide a photo?

Open Hidden under Utilities, tap View Album, unlock it, touch and hold the item, then tap Unhide.

No. Apple says they don’t appear in the Photos widget on your Home Screen.

Are photo cleaner apps safe? How to check

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Whether a photo cleaner app is safe depends on the app. According to SnapSift, look for apps that process everything on your device without uploading your photos to any server. You can check this yourself: read the privacy policy, look at the App Store privacy label, and notice what the app asks to access.

So, are photo cleaner apps safe?

There is no yes or no for the whole category. Cleaner apps differ in what they do with your photos. According to SnapSift, safety depends on the app, and you should look for apps that process everything on-device without uploading your photos to any server.

That gives you one question to ask of any app: do my photos leave my phone?

How can I check any photo cleaner app?

What to check	Where to look	What to look for
Where photos are processed	Privacy policy, the app’s own privacy screen	A plain statement on whether photos are uploaded
What the developer reports	The App Store page, App Privacy section	Data types collected, and whether they are linked to you or used to track you
What it asks to access	The permission prompt, then iPhone Settings	Whether the access matches what the app does
How deletion works	The app’s review steps	A review before deletion, then an iOS confirmation

Apple explains that the App Store privacy information is self-reported by the developer, and that it shows the data types an app may collect and whether the data is linked to you or used to track you (Apple). It is a good start, and the app’s own privacy policy adds detail.

What does PicWay do?

Here is PicWay’s own statement, so you can compare it with any other app on the list above. PicWay browses, analyzes, compresses, organizes, and deletes photos and videos on this device only. Photos, videos, and their contents aren’t uploaded. It has no accounts, ads, or behavior tracking, and no third-party SDKs. Before anything is deleted, you review it first, then iOS asks you to confirm.

Two exceptions are worth knowing. If you turn on Precise Places, a photo’s coordinates go to Apple’s location service to get a place name, and PicWay has no server that receives those coordinates. And Private Vault items are stored encrypted in your own iCloud, and only you can open them, unless you turn its iCloud sync off. The full list is on PicWay’s privacy page.

Quick answers

Does an on-device app mean nothing is ever sent?

Not necessarily. Read the policy for exceptions, like PicWay’s Precise Places option above.

Is it safer to use only the Photos app?

The Photos app is Apple’s own. If you only want to merge exact duplicates, it may be enough. See how to remove duplicate photos on iPhone and PicWay vs. the Photos app.

What if I change my mind about an app?

Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted for 30 days, and you can recover them there.

iPhone storage full? Free up space from photos and videos

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If your iPhone storage is full, first check what’s taking up the space in Settings. If it’s photos and videos, use PicWay to compress large videos, clear duplicates and similar shots, and set aside what you don’t want. Set-aside photos stay in your library, and space only frees up once you really delete them.

Why is my iPhone storage still full after deleting?

Set-aside photos are still in your library, and a compressed copy only saves space once you delete the original. After you really delete them, photos and videos go to Recently Deleted in the Photos app and stay there for 30 days (Apple’s guide). To remove them sooner, do it in the Photos app, since PicWay can’t empty it for you.

PicWay adds up the space you’ve freed on the Memories tab.

Are there other ways besides cleaning up?

The iPhone has its own options worth a look:

Optimize iPhone Storage: on by default when you use iCloud Photos. Full-resolution photos and videos are stored in iCloud, and your iPhone keeps space-saving versions (Apple’s support article). Your iCloud needs enough space.
Move them to a computer: transfer photos and videos you don’t want to keep in iCloud (same article).

These work alongside PicWay. If a photo is in iCloud and not on your iPhone, PicWay can download it when you’re online and then compress it.

Do Live Photos take up space? How to compress Live Photos

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To compress Live Photos or regular photos on iPhone, tap Compress on PicWay’s Memories tab, pick your photos, and tap Compress. They get smaller and may lose some detail, while photo info stays as it was. Compressed Live Photos stay Live unless you choose to convert them to stills, and your original stays until you confirm.

Will compressing make my photos blurry?

Compressing makes a photo smaller and may lose some detail, so you can compare every photo before and after, and delete the original only if it looks fine to you. Capture time, location, and other photo info stay as they were.

If it saves too little space, PicWay keeps the original and changes nothing.

Do Live Photos take up space?

Yes. Besides the photo, a Live Photo records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take it (Apple’s guide), and both parts take up room. How much depends on each photo, so check the actual size on your iPhone.

Can you compress Live Photos?

Yes, and there are two choices:

Compress Live Photo: it’s still a Live Photo, with both the photo and the motion smaller.
Convert to still photo: removes the motion when you only want the still. On the Set aside page, tap the level on the compression card and choose Keep one frame.

Can I compress without opening PicWay?

Yes. Select photos in the Photos app, tap Share, and scroll to Compress.

Recover deleted photos from Recently Deleted on iPhone

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You can recover deleted photos from Recently Deleted for 30 days. Open the Photos app, tap Collections, tap Recently Deleted under Utilities, unlock it, and recover what you want. After 30 days, they’re permanently deleted and can’t be recovered.

The Photos steps come from Apple: Recover deleted photos and Delete or hide photos and videos. Menu names can vary by iOS version.

Why is my storage still full after deleting?

These are the three most common reasons:

They’re still in Recently Deleted. Deleted photos and videos stay here for 30 days before they’re permanently removed from your iPhone, iCloud, and your other devices (Apple’s guide). To remove them sooner, select them here and delete them permanently. You can’t get them back after that.
You only set them aside in PicWay. Set-aside photos are still in your library until you delete them on the Set aside page. The same goes for compressed copies: space frees up once you delete the original.
Optimize iPhone Storage is on. Your iPhone may be holding space-saving copies, with full-resolution versions in iCloud (Apple’s support article), so deleting frees up less than you might expect.

To see how much space is left, go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage. For more, see what to do when iPhone storage is full.

Not in Recently Deleted, or past 30 days?

Apple says items in Recently Deleted stay for 30 days, then are permanently deleted and can’t be recovered. Anything you permanently deleted by hand during that time isn’t there either. PicWay can’t recover or empty Recently Deleted for you, so this step only happens in the Photos app.

How to avoid deleting by mistake

When you tidy in PicWay, photos you don’t want are set aside first and stay in your library. Nothing is deleted, and you can review them on the Set aside page when you have time.

Swiped the wrong way? Undo appears right below the photo. Tap it and the photo comes back.
Really deleting? You review first, then iOS asks you to confirm. If you delete two or more at once, PicWay first asks you to confirm the count.

How to remove duplicate photos on iPhone and keep just one

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There are two ways to remove duplicate photos on iPhone. The Duplicates album in the Photos app merges each set into one and moves the rest to Recently Deleted. In PicWay, tap Keep one per group and confirm, and the rest are set aside for you to review. If you only want to merge, the Photos app is enough.

How to merge duplicate photos on iPhone in the Photos app

Open Photos, tap Collections, tap Duplicates under Utilities, then tap Merge and confirm. Apple says merging combines the best image quality and related data, keeps one photo in your library, and moves the others to Recently Deleted (Delete photos, Apple’s guide).

Why isn’t the Duplicates album showing?

It doesn’t appear if your library has no duplicates. For it to appear, your iPhone also has to index your library and find duplicates first. That requires your iPhone to be locked and connected to power, and it could happen quickly or take a few days (Apple’s support article).

How does PicWay decide something is a duplicate?

Only photos with the same dimensions that look the same when compared, or videos with exactly the same length and file size, go in Duplicate items. For near-matches and bursts, see how to delete similar photos.

iPhone storage still full after deleting photos? Why

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Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted for 30 days, and they keep using space until they’re deleted for good. After you empty it, iPhone Storage usually updates within minutes, but one third-party guide says a big cleanup can lag an hour or more. Check Settings, General, iPhone Storage again later.

Where do deleted photos go?

When you delete a photo or video, it moves to the Recently Deleted album for 30 days. After 30 days it’s permanently deleted (Apple’s guide to deleting photos). Until then it still takes up room, which is the most common reason the number in iPhone Storage hasn’t dropped.

How long does iPhone Storage take to update?

Apple doesn’t give a time. A guide from the data-recovery company CleverFiles says the number usually updates within a few minutes once Recently Deleted is empty, and that it can lag an hour or more after a big cleanup, because the information in Settings is calculated in the background (CleverFiles). Treat that as a rule of thumb, not an Apple promise.

What you did	Space comes back when
Deleted a photo in Photos	After it’s deleted for good: when you delete it from Recently Deleted, or after 30 days
Emptied Recently Deleted	Once Settings recalculates, usually minutes, sometimes longer
Set a photo aside in PicWay	After you delete it for real, then the same Recently Deleted rule applies

How does PicWay fit in?

PicWay’s set-aside photos are still in your library, and space only frees up when you delete the original. iOS doesn’t let an app empty Recently Deleted for you, so that last step happens in the Photos app.

Why doesn’t the Photos number match what I see?

If you use iCloud Photos with Optimize iPhone Storage, your iPhone keeps smaller copies and full-resolution versions live in iCloud (Apple’s storage guide). Deleting from an optimized library may free less than you expect.

Can I still get a photo back?

Yes, until it’s deleted for good. Open Recently Deleted, select it, and tap Recover (Apple’s guide). Once you delete it from Recently Deleted, it’s gone.

How many photos do you need to delete to free up 10 GB?

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On average, about 4,000 to 5,000 photos, according to CleverFiles, which puts a 12 MP HEIC photo from a modern iPhone at about 2 MB. Deleting a few hundred barely registers. Videos and Live Photos are much bigger per item, so start with those and check iPhone Storage first.

How big is a photo, a Live Photo, and a burst?

These sizes are estimates from third-party guides, and your own files will differ.

Item	Rough size	Source
12 MP HEIC photo	about 2 MB	CleverFiles
Live Photo	5 to 9 MB (a standard photo is 2 to 3 MB)	Tidy
Burst of 30 frames	about 90 MB	Kept
1 minute of 4K 60 fps video	roughly 400 MB	Compresto

CleverFiles puts it at roughly 4,000 to 5,000 photos on average to free 10 GB (CleverFiles).

Why did deleting hundreds of photos barely change anything?

Because a few hundred photos at about 2 MB each add up to roughly 1 GB at most. Also, deleted photos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days (Apple), so the space doesn’t come back until they’re deleted for good.

Where does PicWay help?

In PicWay, scroll down the Memories tab to More ways to tidy, tap View all, then open Large videos under Smart tidy. Space only frees up once you delete the original.

Is there another way to free up space without deleting?

Yes. When you use iCloud Photos, Optimize iPhone Storage keeps full-resolution versions in iCloud and smaller copies on your iPhone (Apple). You need enough iCloud storage for that.

What does Optimize iPhone Storage do to your photos?

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When Optimize iPhone Storage is on, iCloud Photos keeps full-resolution photos and videos in iCloud and puts space-saving copies on your iPhone when it needs room. Deleting from that library only removes the small local copies and also deletes the photo everywhere, so it’s no shortcut to free space.

What does Optimize iPhone Storage change?

By default, photos and videos are stored on your iPhone in their original, high-resolution version. With iCloud Photos, Optimize Storage is on by default, so your iPhone can keep less while you still reach the full-resolution collection (Apple). Your iPhone starts with the photos and videos you access least when it needs more room (Apple).

Why did deleting 1,000 photos free so little?

Vendor guides such as Lumina Clean note that with an optimized library, deleting only removes the small local version. Apple adds that deleting a photo with iCloud Photos on removes it from all your other devices too (Apple). So deleting is a way to remove photos, not a way to shrink the library.

What changed in iOS 27?

In iOS 27 or later, you tap iPhone Storage first, then choose Optimize iPhone Storage (Apple). Earlier versions go straight to Optimize iPhone Storage.

Where can PicWay help?

Space only frees up once you delete the original, and iOS doesn’t let an app empty Recently Deleted for you, so that last step happens in the Photos app.

Does Optimize Storage delete my originals?

No. Full-resolution photos and videos stay in iCloud as long as you have enough iCloud space (Apple). Keep a backup of anything important anyway, because iCloud Photos isn’t a backup (Apple says photos aren’t duplicated in your iCloud backup).

How to delete photos from iPhone but keep them in iCloud

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You can’t do it by deleting in Photos, because with iCloud Photos on, that deletes the photo everywhere. To free space while keeping everything in iCloud, turn on Optimize iPhone Storage so the iPhone keeps smaller copies. Or move photos you don’t want in iCloud to a computer first.

Why can’t I just delete them?

With iCloud Photos on, a deleted photo or video is deleted on all other devices signed in with the same Apple Account (Apple). The delete is the sync.

What about turning sync off first?

Some third-party guides describe turning off Sync this iPhone and choosing to remove the local copies, which they say leaves the iCloud library alone (Vaultaire). Apple’s pages don’t describe this as a way to free space, and the order matters: that guide warns that deleting first and turning sync off afterwards is the mistake. Make sure you have a backup before you try it.

Which option should I pick?

Goal	Option
Keep everything in iCloud, use less iPhone space	Optimize iPhone Storage
Keep some photos out of iCloud	Transfer them to a computer, then delete
Remove a photo from all devices	Delete it in Photos (it stays in Recently Deleted for 30 days)

Where does PicWay come in?

Space only frees up once you delete the original, and iOS doesn’t let an app empty Recently Deleted for you, so that last step happens in the Photos app. If iCloud Photos is on, that delete also reaches your other devices.

Will anything be lost?

Not with Optimize iPhone Storage: full-resolution photos and videos stay in iCloud (Apple). Apple also says iCloud Photos isn’t duplicated in your iCloud backup, so keep backup copies of your library.

Do iPhone shared albums use iCloud storage in iOS 27?

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It depends on when the album was created. Shared albums made in iOS 27 or later store full-resolution originals and count toward the owner’s iCloud storage, including what others add. Albums made in iOS 26 or earlier, and temporary albums, don’t count. Upgrading an old album keeps its existing items uncounted.

What are the rules?

Album	Counts toward iCloud storage?
Created in iOS 27 or later, you own it	Yes. Originals at full resolution, and what participants add counts too
Temporary shared album	No
Created in iOS 26 or earlier	No, but photos are reduced to 2048 pixels on the long edge
Upgraded old album	Existing items don’t count; new items count toward the owner

All rows are from Apple’s pages on shared album limits and upgrading shared albums.

Who pays for the storage?

The organizer. Apple says the organizer of a shared album provides the iCloud storage space for its content, and albums set to expire don’t use any iCloud storage (Apple).

What happens when I upgrade?

Upgrading is optional. After an upgrade, newly shared photos and videos are in their original resolution. A copy of each old album stays in Shared Albums settings for six months, then it’s permanently deleted (Apple).

How do I recover the old version?

Go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, tap Photos, and under Sharing tap Shared Albums. Tap Archived Shared Albums, then Recover (Apple).

What if my iCloud storage fills up?

With the new rules, there’s no album-size limit beyond the owner’s available iCloud storage (Apple). Free up room first: see free up iPhone storage from photos and videos.

Do shared albums reduce photo quality on iPhone?

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In shared albums created in iOS 26 or earlier, yes: photos are reduced to 2048 pixels on the long edge, panoramas up to 5400 pixels wide, and videos are delivered at up to 720p. Shared albums created in iOS 27 or later store originals at full resolution, but they count toward the owner’s iCloud storage.

What are the old limits?

Item	Shared album from iOS 26 or earlier
Photos	Reduced to 2048 pixels on the long edge
Panoramas	Up to 5400 pixels wide
GIFs	100 MB or smaller
Videos	Up to 15 minutes, delivered at up to 720p
Photos and videos in one album	5000 combined

Source: Apple’s Shared Albums limits.

What changes in iOS 27?

Photos and videos in shared albums you own are stored in iCloud in their original formats at full resolution, and they count toward your iCloud storage. Temporary shared albums don’t count (Apple). Starting in iOS 27, Shared Albums adds full-resolution sharing, new filters, emoji reactions, and new ways to invite others (Apple).

Can everyone use the new albums?

Participants whose devices aren’t on the latest software have to update or view the album on iCloud.com. Friends and family can also join and contribute on the web, even without an Apple Account or Apple device (Apple).

What did iOS 27.1 add?

Apple’s iOS 27.1 notes say Shared Albums in Photos adds editing captions and comments, avoiding adding duplicate photos, and a reminder before albums expire so participants can save important photos and videos (Apple).

What is Sync Immediately for iCloud Photos on iPhone?

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Apple’s support pages say that in iOS 27 or later, Sync Immediately prioritizes syncing items added to your iCloud Photos library after you turn it on. Go to Settings, your name, iCloud, Photos, then Sync Immediately and choose For Today. It turns off by itself after one day, and may use more battery and cellular data.

What does it prioritize?

iCloud Photos prioritizes syncing items that are added to your library after Sync Immediately is turned on (Apple). It’s available in version 27 or later of iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS (Apple).

Does it use more battery or data?

Apple says Sync Immediately may affect battery and cellular usage. If you allow Photos to use cellular data, this could lead to higher data usage (Apple).

Can I pause uploads instead?

Apple also describes a separate Pause option. In iOS 26 or later, open the Photos app, tap Collections, tap the profile button, then tap Pause. You can pause for one day. Depending on your library status, pause might not be available (Apple).

How long do uploads take?

It depends on the size of your collection and your internet speed, and larger collections take more time (Apple).

Does uploading free up my iPhone?

Apple’s page on iCloud Photos lists on-device space as a separate setting, Optimize Storage. See what Optimize iPhone Storage does.

How big is a Live Photo? Storage vs a regular photo

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A Live Photo is a still image plus a short video clip, so it takes more room. One third-party estimate puts a Live Photo at 5 to 9 MB against 2 to 3 MB for a standard shot, about 2 to 3 times as much. Your own numbers vary, so check what your iPhone actually stores.

What’s inside a Live Photo?

Your iPhone records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after you take the picture (Apple). Under the hood, an app-maker guide describes two files paired by a shared identifier: a 4032 × 3024 still and a 1920 × 1440 clip at about 30 fps (AI Frame Grabber).

How much bigger is it?

	Regular photo	Live Photo
Typical size	2 to 3 MB	5 to 9 MB

Source: Tidy, a third-party estimate.

How much does removing the motion save?

As a simple example, if the motion part averages 5 MB, removing it from 1,000 Live Photos frees about 5 GB, according to Live Photo Cleaner. Your library may be higher or lower.

What can PicWay do?

Two choices:

Compress Live Photo: it stays a Live Photo, with the photo and the motion smaller.
Convert to still photo: removes the motion when you only want the still. On the Set aside page, tap the level on the compression card and choose Keep one frame.

Compressing may lose some detail. You can compare before and after, and delete the original only once the new version looks right.

Does iCloud keep Live Photos as Live Photos?

Yes. iCloud Photos stores special formats such as Live Photos in their original form (Apple).

How to turn off Live Photos on iPhone permanently

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Tap the Live Photo button in the Camera app to turn it off, then go to Settings, Camera, Preserve Settings and turn on the switch next to Live Photo. Without it, the Camera app turns Live Photo back on automatically. Turning it off only affects new photos, not the ones you already took.

Why does Live Photo keep turning back on?

Live Photo is on by default, and the Camera app turns it on again automatically. Turning on Preserve Settings for Live Photo keeps your choice (Apple).

Does turning it off delete my old Live Photos?

No. Turning off Live Photos in the Camera app only changes future shots. Existing Live Photos remain in your library until you edit them, convert them to stills, or delete them, according to Live Photo Cleaner.

Can I just turn the Live effect off on a photo?

Yes, for one photo at a time: when you’re editing it, tap the LIVE button at the top of the screen to turn it off or back on (Apple). See turning off Live vs converting to a still for what that does to storage.

How do I get rid of the motion on photos I already have?

PicWay can convert a Live Photo to a still. It removes the motion when you only want the still. On the Set aside page, tap the level on the compression card and choose Keep one frame.

What if I only turn it off sometimes?

Leave Preserve Settings off, and the Camera app switches Live Photo back on the next time you open it (Apple).

How to see On This Day photos on iPhone, with a reminder

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To see On This Day photos on iPhone, open the Memories tab in PicWay. When the date has photos from past years, On This Day appears there. To get a reminder, turn it on in PicWay’s settings. It comes at 9:30 AM by default, and only when that date really has photos from past years.

When does the reminder for On This Day photos come?

Only when that date really has photos from past years. Photos you chose to skip won’t appear in it.

Are skipped photos deleted?

No. Skipping only affects what PicWay suggests to you (On This Day, journeys, Moments, Tidy, reminders, and widgets), and you can still see those photos when you open your library or an album. To undo it, remove the rule on the Memories to skip page.

Does On This Day include screenshots?

Not by default. Reviews, On This Day, memories, and widgets leave out screenshots, screen recordings, and animated images. They’re all still in your library.

Live Photo off vs converting to a still: what saves space?

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Switching the Live effect off in the Photos edit screen turns the photo into a still of its key photo, but it doesn’t save storage and you can switch it back on. According to CleverFiles, a true conversion to a regular still can’t be undone. Convert only after you’re sure.

What does the Live button in Photos actually do?

In the Photos edit screen, tapping the Live button turns off the Live feature, and the Live Photo becomes a still of its key photo (Apple). A third-party guide notes this saves no storage, and you can switch back to Live whenever you like (CleverFiles).

Method	Saves space?	Can you get the motion back?
Live effect off in Photos edit	No	Yes, switch it back on
Converted to a new still file	Yes, once the original is deleted	No (per CleverFiles)

The second row is from CleverFiles, which says that if you converted a Live Photo to a regular still, you can’t restore the Live effect.

Does the still lose quality?

CleverFiles says that with its tool, the duplication method, or the Shortcuts method, the still keeps its original resolution and quality (CleverFiles). In PicWay, you can compare before and after before you delete the original.

Will deleting the original Live Photo delete the new still?

CleverFiles says converted stills are separate files, so deleting the original Live Photos doesn’t affect the new copies. In PicWay, when you delete, the original is removed and the still stays.

Is conversion the same as compression?

No. In PicWay, Compress Live Photo stays a Live Photo, with a smaller photo and motion. Convert to still photo removes the motion and keeps only the still.

How to pick the best frame of a Live Photo and save it

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Per Apple, open the Live Photo, tap Edit, tap the Live Photo button, drag the white frame to your favorite moment, and tap Make Key Photo, then Done. To keep a separate still, a MacPaw guide suggests Duplicate as Still Photo from the More menu. Apple’s way to flatten the photo itself is turning Live off.

What does Make Key Photo do?

The key photo is the frame shown as the Live Photo’s thumbnail. Your iPhone records what happens 1.5 seconds before and after the shot, so there are frames to choose from (Apple).

What else can I do in the editor?

Apple lists these in the Live Photo editor: set a key photo, trim the length by dragging either end of the frame viewer, mute the sound, and turn the Live Photo into a still photo (Apple).

Is there a catch on newer iPhones?

Yes. Live Photos taken on an iPhone 15 model or later with a portrait effect lose the portrait effect if you change the key photo (Apple).

Does duplicating keep the original?

Apple says you can duplicate a photo or video while preserving the original version, and the copy appears next to the original in your library (Apple). Check the result on your own iPhone before deleting the Live Photo.

Can PicWay turn a Live Photo into a still?

Yes. Convert to still photo removes the motion when you only want the still. On the Set aside page, tap the level on the compression card and choose Keep one frame. You can compare before and after, and delete the original only once the new version looks right.

Which method is better?

Goal	Method
Keep the Live Photo and a separate still	Make Key Photo, then Duplicate as Still Photo
Turn this photo into a still	Tap LIVE to turn Live off

What happens when you save a Live Photo to the Files app?

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According to CleverFiles, saving a Live Photo to the Files app strips the video and keeps only the still as a regular JPEG file. The original Live Photo stays in your Photos library unchanged, so no storage space is saved unless you delete it afterward.

What does the Files copy contain?

CleverFiles says iOS strips the video portion and keeps the still, giving a regular JPEG file (CleverFiles). Apple’s own guide says that if you share a Live Photo by Mail, it’s sent as a still image (Apple).

Does it save space?

No, by itself. The original remains in Photos (CleverFiles). Deleted photos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days (Apple).

Yes. Open the photo, tap Share, and tap LIVE in the upper-left corner to share the still photo and not the Live Photo (Apple).

Can I turn it into a video instead?

Yes. Select a Live Photo in Media Types, tap the More button, and choose Save as Video. The video shows in Recently Saved and the Live Photo stays in the Live Photos album (Apple).

How to turn several Live Photos into one video on iPhone

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Open Photos, tap Collections, then Live Photos under Media Types. Tap Select, pick your Live Photos, tap the three-dot button, and choose Save as Video, according to MacRumors. Apple’s own guide covers one at a time and suggests iMovie to combine the videos. PicWay can export a Live Photo collage as a video.

What does Apple document?

Apple’s guide covers one Live Photo at a time: select it in Media Types, tap More, choose Save as Video. The new video is in Recently Saved, and the Live Photo stays in the Live Photos album (Apple). Apple adds that you can use iMovie to combine multiple videos created from Live Photos.

Does it work for several at once?

MacRumors describes selecting several Live Photos and choosing Save as Video to join them into one video (MacRumors). That article dates from January 2026, so menus may differ on your iOS version.

Method	Result
Save as Video on one Live Photo	One short video per photo
Select several, then Save as Video	One video from the selection (per MacRumors)
iMovie	Combine the separate videos

Can PicWay make one moving video?

PicWay’s Live Photo collage can export as a Live Photo or as a Video. See how to make a Live Photo collage that really moves.

Does Save as Video delete the Live Photo?

Apple’s guide says the Live Photo remains accessible in the Live Photos album (Apple).

What is a temporary shared album on iPhone in iOS 27?

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Per Apple, a temporary shared album, available when you create a shared album in iOS 27, expires after 30 days. Apple says albums set to expire don’t use any iCloud storage, and participants can see when it expires and save items before then. A temporary album can hold up to 5000 photos and videos combined.

What are the rules for a temporary album?

Rule (per Apple)	Detail
Expires	After 30 days
iCloud storage	Doesn’t count toward your iCloud storage
Size	Up to 5000 photos and videos combined from all contributors; file size of each item isn’t limited
Participants	Up to 100, including the owner

Sources: Apple’s Create shared albums and Shared Albums limits.

Can participants save photos before it expires?

Yes. Apple says participants can see when a temporary album expires and save items before that date (Apple). iOS 27.1 adds a reminder before albums expire so participants can save important photos and videos (Apple).

What else did iOS 27.1 add?

Apple’s iOS 27.1 notes list editing captions and comments and avoiding adding duplicate photos (Apple).

Who can join through a link?

If you pick People You Choose and the link reaches someone you didn’t invite, they can request access to the album, and you can grant or deny it (Apple).

Should I use a temporary or a regular album?

Use a temporary album for a one-off event so it doesn’t use your iCloud storage. For photos you want to keep, a regular album created in iOS 27 stores originals at full resolution and counts toward your storage. See do shared albums use iCloud storage.

Why is Photos in iPhone Storage bigger than my library?

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According to CleverFiles, the figure next to Photos in iPhone Storage counts more than your visible library: it includes items in Recently Deleted, cached thumbnails, and the local copies iCloud keeps on the device. Empty Recently Deleted first, then check iCloud Photos and Optimize iPhone Storage.

What does the Photos number include?

CleverFiles lists three things beyond your visible library: items in Recently Deleted, cached thumbnails, and the local copies iCloud keeps on the device (CleverFiles).

Source	What to do
Recently Deleted	Delete items there, or wait 30 days (Apple)
Local copies from iCloud	Use Optimize iPhone Storage (Apple)
Cached thumbnails	Counted in the number per CleverFiles; not something you manage in Photos

Why did it not shrink after I deleted photos?

Deleted photos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days (Apple). See why iPhone storage is still full after deleting photos.

Where can I see overall storage?

In Settings, General, iPhone Storage you can see how much storage you have left and which apps use the most space (Apple).

Does Optimize iPhone Storage change this number?

When Optimize Storage is on, your iPhone keeps space-saving copies of photos and videos when it needs room, while full-resolution versions stay in iCloud (Apple).

Why do deleted photos keep coming back on iPhone?

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According to CleverFiles, if sync was off or interrupted when you deleted the photos, they were only removed locally, and iCloud downloaded them back the next time it connected. With iCloud Photos on, a delete should reach all your devices, so confirm sync is on and delete the photos in Recently Deleted too.

Why would a deleted photo come back?

CleverFiles says it’s because iCloud Photos is restoring them: if sync was off or interrupted when you deleted the photos, they were removed only locally, and iCloud downloaded them back the next time it connected (CleverFiles).

How should deletes work with iCloud Photos on?

Apple says that with iCloud Photos, when you delete photos and videos on one device, they’re deleted everywhere you use iCloud Photos (Apple). They go to Recently Deleted for 30 days first (Apple).

Case	Likely result
Deleted with sync on	Deleted on your other devices too
Deleted with sync off or interrupted	Can return from iCloud (per CleverFiles)
Deleted from Recently Deleted	Permanently deleted

What if the Trash button is gray?

If you added photos by syncing from a computer, you can’t delete them directly in Photos. Apple says you may need to stop syncing photos from your computer (Apple).

Can I get a photo back on purpose?

Yes, within 30 days from Recently Deleted. See recover deleted photos on iPhone.

PicWay

How to make a Live Photo collage that really moves

Three ways a Live Photo collage can move

Where is the collage saved?

Can I make one without opening PicWay?

How to turn a video into a Live Photo on iPhone

After you turn a video into a Live Photo

Can I do it without opening PicWay?

How to delete similar photos and bursts on iPhone

Similar photos vs. Duplicate items

Why don’t I see the card yet?

Can I recover what I deleted?

How to compress video on iPhone without losing much quality

Two levels to compress video on iPhone

When PicWay won’t force it

What if the video is in iCloud?

Do I have to keep the app open?

How to search iPhone photos by date range

Other ways to write a date

Can the Photos app do this?

How to hide photos on iPhone: Hidden album vs Private Vault

Two ways to hide photos on iPhone

Where do photos go when I tap Hide in PicWay?

Can it open during screen recording? Does it lock automatically?

What about a new phone, or a forgotten pattern?

How to make a photo collage on iPhone with up to 30 photos

How many photos fit in a photo collage on iPhone?

Where is the collage saved?

Can I make one without opening PicWay?

How much space does 4K video take?

Rough sizes for 4K video on iPhone

Why video files get so big

How big is Cinematic mode?

What PicWay can do about it

Quick answers

How many GB is 1 hour of 4K video on iPhone?

Why is a 60 fps video bigger than a 30 fps one?

Does PicWay compress Cinematic videos?

Is the original deleted when I compress?

30fps vs 60fps iPhone: video size

What changes when you pick 30 or 60 fps

When 30 fps is enough

When 60 fps is worth the space

How to change the frame rate

What PicWay can do about 60 fps videos you already have

Quick answers

How much space does 30 fps save over 60 fps?

Is 60 fps better quality?

Can I turn 60 fps into 30 fps afterwards?

Which setting should I use for everyday videos?

HEVC vs H.264 on iPhone: which one?

HEVC and H.264 in plain terms

How much space does HEVC save?

When to use Most Compatible

Choose the format when you share

Where PicWay fits

Quick answers

Is HEVC the same as H.265?

Will HEVC videos play on other devices?

Does switching to Most Compatible change old videos?

Does High Efficiency lower the quality?

Compress video without losing resolution?

The honest answer for PicWay

When the resolution does not change

Why other apps can keep the resolution

Is 4K to 1080p worth it?

Quick answers

Does PicWay keep 4K?

Will a 1080p video get blurrier?

Can I undo a compression?

Do I have to accept the lower resolution?

Compress video in the Photos app?

What Apple’s Photos guides cover

Trimming is not compression

The format choices when you share

How PicWay adds compression

Quick answers

Does trimming a video make it smaller?

Is there a hidden compression setting in Photos?

Can I compress straight from the Share sheet?