I recorded a long video on my iPhone, but the file size is too big to send or upload anywhere. I need advice on the best way to compress this video without losing too much quality. Are there any easy-to-use apps or settings on iPhone that can help with this?
How I Finally Got Control Over My iPhone’s Storage (No Joke!)
Alright, so I’ve been staring at that “Not Enough Storage” pop-up on my phone for longer than I care to admit. If you’re like me and your camera roll is a decade-long history of bad hair days, food shots, and random screenshots, you know the pain. But after bouncing between overpriced apps stuffed with ads, I stumbled into something… actually decent.
That One App That Doesn’t Suck
So dig this: there’s an app called Clever Cleaner app for the iPhone and it legit does what every other “clean your phone” app claims to do, but for zero bucks. No joke—no weird banners, no “subscribe for more!” lock screens, none of that nonsense. Hard to believe, right?
What Makes This Thing Work
It’s not just huffing and puffing about helping you out. You get an actual Live Photos compressor (which is clutch if you’ve got about 200 gifs of your cat accidentally sneezing) and a video compression tool. I didn’t even realize how much space was hiding in those pixel-black holes eating up my storage.
Bam—Instant Gigabytes Back
When I first ran it, I started with those vacation videos that somehow became feature-length films. Hit the compressor and shazam, like 8GB back. No quality drop that I could see (unless you’re zooming in 1000x like an FBI tech, then good luck).
The Little Features You Actually Want
Here’s the kicker—they didn’t stop at compression. You want to find duplicates? It’s literally a tap. Didn’t realize my screenshots folder was basically the same meme like six times (thanks, group chats). This thing zipped through and flagged all the doubles. Clearing out stuff? One-and-done.
Free, Seriously?
Mind-blowing: this app is 100% free as of typing this up, and has no ads waving in your face. Like, are the devs secretly funded by wizards? Don’t ask me. Is it a unicorn in the cleaner app world? Looks like it. The rest just lost me at “$3.99 a week” or “watch this 30s video for one more scan.”
Not an Ad—Just a Regular Guy Trying to Survive iPhone Storage Hell
If you’re hitting that “iPhone storage full” wall and don’t want to sell an organ for more iCloud, maybe give this a spin: Clever Cleaner app for the iPhone. Maybe it’ll go paywall tomorrow (who knows), but right now it’s a breath of fresh air if you’re desperate to kill that digital clutter for free.
Just my two cents. Try it, toss it, whatever—at least your phone might get some breathing room.
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Not gonna lie, iPhone makes it weirdly hard to compress videos without using some extra apps. I saw @mikeappsreviewer hype up the Clever Cleaner app for storage stuff (and don’t get me wrong—saving GBs is A+), but my experience has me leaning a tiny bit more old-school if you’re just looking to shrink a video for uploading.
So, first off, yes, there’s lots of apps (like the Clever Cleaner) that promise straightforward compression. If that’s your vibe—want an all-in-one cleaner, duplicate finder, and compressor—go for it, esp. since it’s free and not drowning you in ads yet. The best way to declutter your iPhone and manage video files kind of speaks for itself if you want to clear a ton of space in one shot.
BUT—and here’s where I disagree—if your main goal is to compress just one big video and really control the quality/file size, I’d suggest using a (yep, another one) dedicated video compression app. Check out “Video Compressor” or “Compress Videos & Resize Video” on the App Store. These usually let you choose resolution, bitrate, or target size, sometimes with nicer sliders and preview windows, which, in my opinion, offers more control so your graduation speech vid doesn’t suddenly look Minecraft-y.
If you’re averse to new apps, you can AirDrop the video to a Mac and use QuickTime (Export As > 480p/720p) or iMovie to compress, then Airdrop back to iPhone. Yeah, it’s clunky, but the results are predictable.
For iOS built-in options—unfortunately, not much unless you want to edit in Photos and trim the length (meh, not technically “compression,” but works in a pinch).
Long story short: If storage is your enemy AND you want to tweak videos, Clever Cleaner app is solid and saves time (esp. if your storage is so clogged it hurts). If you’re obsessive about preserving specific video quality, try an app made just for video compression. Either way, always save a copy before compressing unless you dig permanent potato-mode. Safe travels through storage hell!
I’ll bite—everyone’s pitching apps left and right (shoutout to @mikeappsreviewer and @viajeroceleste and their epic cleaner app showdowns), but imma level with you: compressing a big video well on an iPhone is… not exactly magical. You want “easy-to-use” and “no quality drop”? That’s the unicorn you’re chasing. But let’s dissect this, for science.
First, yeah, the Clever Cleaner app is blowing up on these threads. If you’re after a dual-purpose tool (clear up photo junk + compress videos without setting your sanity on fire), it’s not a bad shout. Their compression feature is fast and the app isn’t riddled with nags. If you want a simple, automated fix, that might scratch your itch. Really, if shaving GBs with minimum clicks is your top need, you could check out easy iPhone cleaning with smart compression and see if it vibes with you.
BUT—if you’re actually precious about the video looking almost exactly the same, I don’t 100% trust all-in-one cleaners. Dedicated video compression apps let you pick the actual settings: resolution, bitrate, target file size. I’ve used “Compress Videos & Resize Video” before—interface looks like it was designed by a sleep-deprived engineer, but it works. There you can literally drag a slider and see an (approximate) result.
Also, and I know no one wants more steps, but if you’ve got a Mac handy, get that bad boy over to QuickTime or even Handbrake (free, wizard-level settings). You’ll get granular control, and can Airdrop the result right back.
Not to throw shade, but trimming in the Photos app does squat for long videos if you don’t want to lose content. So, skip that. If you ever wanna post to Instagram/Twitter and the file won’t budge, you’ll inevitably need one of these methods.
Honestly, I don’t get why Apple hasn’t just added a “Compress” button in Photos—guess they make more $ selling iCloud, eh?
Tl;dr:
- Want fast, full-storage cleanup + one-tap video shrinking? Clever Cleaner is trending for a reason.
- Want total control, direct file tweaks, and preview? Go specialized, even if it’s kinda ugly.
- Don’t trust system trimming unless you literally wanna cut minutes or scenes out. Not the same as “compression.”
And for the love of all that is holy in data, always keep the original somewhere before you downsize. Nothing hurts worse than turning your kid’s graduation video into retro 8-bit art for eternity.
Alright, so on video compression for iPhone—here’s my blunt, no-fluff take after reading through the clever pitches from @viajeroceleste, @shizuka, and the detailed breakdown by @mikeappsreviewer.
Let’s address the usual suspects. Yes, the Clever Cleaner app is everywhere right now. It’s got a proper video compression feature—nice for batch-shrinking vids without much brainpower. Pros: one-tap, easy cleanup, actually free (for now), and not caked in ads. It even finds duplicate memes you forgot you saved. Cons: You’re sacrificing granular control. If you’re the type who cares exactly which resolution or bitrate gets spat out, you’ll find it pretty “set and forget.” For casual users? Probably perfect. For video nerds? Might feel a tad basic.
Big props to the others for mentioning ‘Compress Videos & Resize Video’ or a laptop-based approach—those put the power in your hands for bitrate, custom sizes, and that sweet, sweet preview-before-ruin. Downside? More steps, more time, definitely not “grandparent friendly.” Also, AirDropping to a Mac just to re-upload? Ugh. Only do that if the source footage is super precious.
One hard truth: No iPhone video compressor is going to work miracles if you want zero visible quality drop for a massive size decrease. Shrink enough, and you will see fuzziness—especially on action shots or grainy nighttime footage.
Finally, the honest verdict: If you’re speed-running your storage fix and don’t care about pro controls, Clever Cleaner app carries the day. Real-time previews, duplicate sweeps, and it’s genuinely free—hard to whine about that. If you’re control-obsessed and don’t trust the “one click” route, specialized apps or desktop tools (like Handbrake) are still the gold standard.
Pick your poison: fast and easy with a few limitations (Clever Cleaner), or manual and nerdy (other specialist apps). Either way, always back up before compressing, because nothing screams regret like a pixelated first birthday.