What strategies can you use to save storage with HEIC photos on iPhone?

2 Manage Storage

Regularly managing your iPhone's storage is key to keeping it from getting overwhelmed with photos. Navigate to Settings and select 'General', then 'iPhone Storage'. Here, you'll see a breakdown of what's consuming your space. The iPhone also offers personalized recommendations for freeing up storage, such as reviewing large attachments or offloading unused apps, which can indirectly help you save space for more HEIC photos.

3 iCloud Usage

Using iCloud is an effective way to manage your HEIC photo storage. By turning on iCloud Photos, your images are stored in the cloud, and only thumbnails are kept on your device, saving significant space. To enable this, go to Settings, tap on your name, then 'iCloud', 'Photos', and toggle on 'iCloud Photos'. Remember that iCloud offers limited free storage, so you might need to manage what you store carefully or consider a paid plan.

4 Delete Duplicates

One of the simplest ways to save space is to delete duplicate photos. Over time, you might accumulate several copies of the same image. You can manually go through your photo library to remove duplicates or use the built-in feature in the Photos app that identifies similar pictures, making it easier to keep only the best shots and free up space for more HEIC photos.

5 Storage Optimization

The iPhone offers a built-in feature called 'Optimize Storage' that can help manage your HEIC files efficiently. When enabled, full-resolution photos and videos are replaced with optimized versions on your device, while the originals are stored in iCloud. To activate this feature, go to Settings, tap on your name, select 'iCloud', then 'Photos', and choose 'Optimize iPhone Storage'. This ensures that your phone only keeps smaller, device-sized versions of your images.

6 External Storage

Lastly, consider using external storage solutions for your HEIC photos. You can transfer photos to a computer or an external hard drive periodically. This not only frees up space on your iPhone but also serves as a backup in case of data loss. To transfer HEIC files to a PC, connect your iPhone via USB, trust the computer and use the File Explorer to copy files. For Mac users, the process is even simpler with the AirDrop feature or the Photos app.

7 Here’s what else to consider

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