How to do it
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Check how big the video is
Open the video in the Photos app and note roughly how long it is. A long clip is the likeliest to be too big, so decide whether you will send it as an email attachment or through Mail Drop.
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Pick the video in PicWay
Tap Compress on the Memories tab, choose the video on the Pick photos or videos to compress screen, then tap Compress. You can also select it in the Photos app, tap Share, and scroll to Compress.
9:41Standard compressionLooks nearly identical
Strong compressionSmaller files for everyday clips
Compress -
Choose Standard or Strong, then compare
The first time you compress, PicWay uses Standard compression. To shrink further, tap the level on the card and switch to Strong compression. When it’s done, tap Compare to check the new video against the original.
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Attach the new video in Mail
Attach the compressed copy to your email. If Mail says the message is too large, let it use Mail Drop. Delete the original later only if you want the space back.
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.