Yeah, video files are like those guests who refuse to leave the party—massive, sweaty, and somehow multiplying every time you check your storage. I saw @mikeappsreviewer’s post about using Clever Cleaner for cleaning up Live Photos and finding duplicates (which is actually brilliant if you’ve got a million similar selfies), but when it comes to actual video compression, there’s a bit more to the story.
If your main pain is the sheer SIZE of individual video files and not just duplicates or stray clips, I’d steer slightly away from general cleaners and look for proper video compression apps. Here’s a quick little breakdown:
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Third-Party Video Compressor Apps
Check apps like “Video Compress – Shrink Movie,” “Video Compressor,” or “Videoshop.” They’re usually free for basic functions and let you customize resolution and bit rate so you can compromise less on quality. Most have slider bars for quality vs. file size—nice and simple. -
Shortcuts App (DIY mode)
If you like flexing your nerd muscles, mess with the Apple Shortcuts app. There are downloadable video compression workflows (just Google “iOS video compress shortcut”). Not as pretty, but you can squish a batch of videos automagically and save time. -
Clever Cleaner for Batch Management
Here’s where @mikeappsreviewer’s advice comes in clutch—if your storage is a total disaster, and you’ve got duplicate videos, or (like me) ten thousand TikToks of your dog, this app makes it way less painful to sort, merge, and spot-check which files even need compressing in the first place. Cleared up hours for me before I started compressing. -
iCloud & Offload
Not compression, but just a PSA: If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem, slide those chunky videos into iCloud and just offload from your phone. Quality stays high, you don’t burn your storage, but sure, you’re trusting the Apple gods with your moments.
Real talk: Most compressor apps do cause some quality loss—if you’re archiving precious family stuff, back up the original file before you crush it down. For random memes, go full potato.
By the way, if you want a one-stop cleanup and don’t mind less control over video-specific settings, try out the super straightforward free iPhone storage manager—it’s like a pressure washer for your Camera Roll.
tl;dr: Compressor apps for quality tweaks, Shortcuts for power-users, Clever Cleaner for big cleanup, and iCloud for the lazy. Mix and match and don’t let your storage hold you hostage. Anyone else have tips for keeping quality but dumping size?
