Trying to take the best picture and video possible on your iPhone or iPad? You can easily increase the video resolution in the Camera app. Though there’s no way to adjust photo resolution directly, you can switch to the HEIF format for the highest-quality photos. This guide will show you how to improve photo and video resolution on an iPhone or iPad.
A step-by-step guide to improving photo and video resolution
Follow these methods to adjust your camera settings for higher quality photos and videos.
Method 1: Changing media formats for better photo quality
- Open your iPhone’s Settings app. You’ll usually find this on the home screen.
- Scroll down and tapCamera.
- TapFormats at the top of the Camera options.
- Select a format that works best for your needs:
- High Efficiency: Compresses photos and videos to HEIF and HEVC formats, which are smaller files than JPEG and H.264. HEIF images can be high quality since they have a broader dynamic range than JPEG, but they are less compatible.
- Most Compatible: Saves photos in the JPEG format. This image type doesn’t support transparency but tends to be more compatible on different systems and software.
- To change photo resolution from 12 MP to 24 MP, navigate to Settings > Camera > Formats.
- To increase photo resolution to 48 MP, enableRAW or Resolution Control in the same Formats menu.
- Note that you can convert HEIF files to JPEG later using the Photos app’s export function.
Method 2: Changing video resolution
- Open your iPhone’s Settings app from the home screen.
- Scroll down and tapCamera.
- TapRecord Video to see a list of resolution options.
- Select a higher resolution option. The options will vary by phone or tablet model, and the setting will take effect immediately.
- 4K is the highest resolution option available.
- Increasing the frames per second (fps) will increase the smoothness of the video.
- Warning: Increasing the resolution will increase the file size for videos.
Now that you’ve adjusted your resolution settings, take some test photos and videos to see the difference in quality. Compare shots taken in HEIF format versus JPEG to decide which works best for your needs. If you share photos frequently with others who use different devices, you may want to stick with the Most Compatible setting.
Consider exploring other camera settings like Smart HDR, Deep Fusion, and Night Mode to further enhance your photography. These features work alongside your resolution settings to produce stunning images. Remember that higher resolution photos and videos take up more storage space, so you may need to manage your iPhone storage more frequently or consider upgrading your iCloud storage plan.







