Method 1: browse videos in the Photos app

  1. Open the Videos collection. In Photos, tap Collections, scroll to Media Types and open Videos. Slo-mo, Time-lapse and Cinematic have their own collections.
  2. Spot long clips. The duration is shown on each thumbnail. A clip that runs for minutes is a likely candidate, especially if it was recorded in 4K.
  3. Check the size. Open a video and swipe up (or tap the info button). The file size is listed with the camera details.

This works, but it is slow in a big library because you cannot order by size. The next method fixes that.

Method 2: sort by file size with Shortcuts

The Shortcuts app can sort photos and videos by file size, which Photos itself cannot. Action names vary a little between iOS versions, so treat these steps as a guide:

  1. Create a new shortcut. Open Shortcuts, tap +, and add the Find Photos action. Add a filter for Media Type is Video.
  2. Add a sorting action. Add Filter Files after it, and in its options set Sort by to file size and Order to biggest first. Turn on Limit and set it to about 25.
  3. Show the result. Add Create Album (or Show Result) and run the shortcut. You get the biggest videos in order, ready to review.

Creating an album does not copy the videos. It is only a list that points to the originals, so deleting from it deletes the real video.

Method 3: review videos with sound in GoSwipe

Big files are not always the ones you want to delete. A short clip of your child's first steps may be larger than an hour of a parking lot. GoSwipe's Videos mode plays each clip, with sound, from oldest or newest first, so you can decide quickly:

  1. Choose Videos mode. It shows only videos, oldest or newest first.
  2. Swipe left on clips you do not need. They are queued in the Bin, not deleted.
  3. Review and confirm. Open the Bin, confirm, and approve the iOS dialog. The videos move to Recently Deleted for 30 days.

Free to start

Hear the clip before you delete it.

Videos mode plays clips inline, with sound, so heavy files are easy to judge.

Get GoSwipe on the App Store

If you want to keep a video but not its size

  • Trim it. In Photos, open the video, tap Edit, drag the handles to cut the dull parts and save. Saving as a new clip keeps the original, so delete the original once you are happy.
  • Record smaller next time. Settings → Camera → Record Video shows roughly how much a minute of each setting uses.
  • Move it off the phone. Copy it to a computer or another storage you trust, then delete it from the iPhone.

Then empty Recently Deleted to reclaim the space today. See how to recover or permanently remove Recently Deleted items, and the full camera roll cleanup.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I sort videos by size in the Photos app?

Photos shows the file size for an individual item but does not offer a sort by size. The Shortcuts app can sort by file size, which is the closest built-in way.

How much space does a video take?

It depends on length, resolution and frame rate. Settings → Camera → Record Video shows a rough per-minute figure for each setting on your iPhone. Longer clips at higher resolution take the most.

Do videos in iCloud Photos use my iCloud storage?

Yes. Photos and videos in iCloud Photos count toward your iCloud storage, so deleting heavy videos can help you avoid a bigger plan. See the iPhone and iCloud storage guide.

Can I recover a video I deleted by mistake?

For 30 days, yes. Open Collections → Recently Deleted, unlock it, select the video and tap Recover.

Sources and further reading

General information, not a guarantee. Menu names can differ slightly between iOS versions.