How to Resize an Image on an iPhone?

If you need to post photos on social media or send images via email, you might run into file size limits. Your iPhone captures high-resolution photos that can be too large for certain platforms. Learning how to resize a picture on an iPhone will save you time and storage space. Resizing also makes sharing faster.

You can reduce image dimensions and file sizes without downloading tons of apps or complicated software. Here's everything you need to know about resizing images directly on your iPhone.

Why Resize Photos on iPhone?

There are many reasons why you need to resize your iPhone photos. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have specific image dimension requirements. If you upload oversized photos, they get automatically cropped or compressed. This can ruin your carefully composed shots.

When you resize images yourself, you control how they look. Here is why you should resize photos on iPhone:

Email services also limit attachment sizes

Most email providers restrict attachments to 25MB or less. If you want to send multiple photos, those file sizes add up fast. Resizing photos before attaching them ensures your emails go through without errors.

Storage space on your iPhone is valuable

High-resolution photos can take up several megabytes each. If you have thousands of photos, that storage adds up quickly. You can free up gigabytes of space by downsizing photos you don't need at full resolution.

Website owners need optimized images too

Large image files slow down page loading times. This hurts SEO rankings and user experience. Visitors leave websites that take too long to load. Resized images load faster and keep visitors engaged.

Professional reasons matter as well

Job applications often require profile photos under a certain file size. Government websites and university portals have strict image specifications. You might need passport photos or ID photos at exact dimensions. Knowing how to downsize pictures on iPhone helps you meet these requirements without professional editing software.

Different Ways You Can Resize Images on Your iPhone

You have several options when it comes to resizing photos on your iPhone. Each method works for different situations. Some are built into your iPhone, while others require downloading apps. Here are the most common ways:

The native Photos app offers basic cropping tools. You can change aspect ratios and trim unnecessary parts of images. However, this method doesn't reduce file size as much as other options.
The Shortcuts app provides more control. You can create automated workflows that resize images to specific dimensions. This works great if you resize photos regularly.
Third-party apps give you the most flexibility. Apps designed specifically for resizing offer preset dimensions, batch processing, and compression options. Many are free or inexpensive.

Built-In iPhone Options

Your iPhone comes with two built-in ways to resize photos. The Photos app and Shortcuts app are already installed. You don't need to download anything extra. Both options work offline, so you can resize images anywhere.

Third-Party Applications

Dozens of apps specialize in photo resizing. Some focus on compression, while others offer advanced editing features. Popular options include Image Size, Photoroom, and Compress Photos & Pictures. These apps give you more control over output quality and dimensions.

How to Use the Photos App to Resize Your iPhone Photos

The Photos app is the simplest way to resize images. It's already on your iPhone and requires no setup. While it doesn't technically resize images, it crops them to different aspect ratios. This reduces the overall file size by removing parts of the image. Here is how to use it:

Open the Photos app from your home screen. Select the photo you want to resize. Tap the Edit button in the top right corner. You'll see several editing tools at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the crop icon. It looks like two overlapping right angles. At the top of the screen, you'll see the aspect ratio icon. It resembles multiple rectangles stacked together.
Tap the aspect ratio icon. You'll see several preset options. These include Square, 9:16, 8:10, 5:7, and 3:4. There's also a Freeform option. Freeform lets you drag the corners manually to any size you want.
Select your desired aspect ratio. The image will automatically adjust. You can reposition the crop box by dragging the image underneath it. Pinch to zoom in or out if needed.
When you're satisfied with how it looks, tap Done. The Photos app saves the cropped version over the original. If you want to keep both versions, duplicate the photo first. Select the photo, tap the share icon, and choose Duplicate before editing.

Keep in mind that cropping reduces file size but doesn't give you precise control over dimensions. For exact pixel measurements, you'll need other methods.

How to Use the Shortcuts App to Resize Photos on iPhone

The Shortcuts app gives you much more control. You can set exact width and height values. This method is perfect when you need consistent dimensions across multiple photos. It's one of the best built-in ways for how to resize a picture on iPhone.

First, open the Shortcuts app. If you can't find it, search for it in your App Library. Tap the plus icon in the top right corner to create a new shortcut.
Tap Add Action. In the search bar, type "resize." Select the Resize Image action from the results. This adds the resize function to your shortcut.
Tap on the Image field. Choose Shortcut Input from the dropdown menu. Tap Receive Any and change it to Just Images. This ensures the shortcut only works with photos.
Now set your dimensions. By default, the shortcut resizes to 640 pixels wide. The height adjusts automatically to maintain the aspect ratio. Tap on 640 to change this number. You can enter any pixel value you want.
If you want flexibility, tap 640 and select Ask Each Time. This prompts you to enter dimensions every time you run the shortcut. It's useful when you need different sizes for different purposes.
Add another action to save your resized image. Search for "Save to Photo Album" and add that action. By default, it saves to the Recents album. You can tap Recents to choose a different album.
Tap the dropdown menu near the Done button. Select Rename and name your shortcut something memorable like "Resize Photos." Tap on Show in Share Sheet to enable it. This lets you access the shortcut directly from the Photos app.
Tap Done to save your shortcut. Now go to the Photos app. Select any photo and tap the share icon. Scroll down and you'll see your Resize Photos shortcut. Tap it, enter your desired width if you chose Ask Each Time, and the shortcut will process the image.

The resized photo saves to your chosen album. You can select multiple photos at once and the shortcut will resize all of them together. This makes batch processing incredibly easy.

Using the Image Size App to Resize iPhone Photos

Image Size is one of the most popular free apps for resizing photos. It's simple, fast, and doesn't require an account. Download it from the App Store if you don't already have it. Using an image size app for iPhone like this one gives you precise control. Here is how you use it:

Open the Image Size app. Tap the image icon in the top left corner. It looks like a small photo. The app will ask for permission to access your photos the first time you use it. Tap Allow Access to All Photos.
Browse your photo library and select the image you want to resize. Tap Choose in the bottom right corner. The app displays your photo with the current dimensions shown at the top.
You'll see Width and Height fields with pixel values. You can change these measurements to pixels, millimeters, centimeters, or inches. Tap the unit dropdown to select your preferred measurement.
Enter your new dimensions in the Width and Height boxes. The app shows a preview of the resized image in real time. You can see the old file size and the new file size below the image.
There's a chain link icon between the Width and Height fields. When it's connected, the aspect ratio stays locked. This means changing the width automatically adjusts the height proportionally. Tap the chain to unlink it if you want to set custom dimensions without maintaining the aspect ratio.
When you're happy with the new size, tap the download icon at the bottom. You can choose to save it as PNG or JPG. PNG maintains better quality but creates larger files. JPG creates smaller files with slight quality loss.

The app saves your resized image to the Photos app. You can find it in the Recents album. The original photo remains unchanged.

Image Size also lets you resize multiple photos at once. Select multiple images when you first open the app. All selected photos will resize to the same dimensions you specify. This is great when you need consistent sizing for websites or online stores.

How to Use Smartli's AI Photo Enhancer to Resize Photos for Your iPhone

Smartli offers powerful AI tools designed for e-commerce and content creators. Beyond resizing, Smartli's AI Photo Enhancer can improve image quality while adjusting dimensions. You can access it through the Smartli website at smartli.ai.

Open your browser and navigate to smartli.ai. You'll find the AI Photo Enhancer tool in their suite of features. Smartli also includes a background remover and watermark remover, making it a complete image editing solution.

Upload your photo by clicking the upload button. You can select images from your iPhone's photo library or files. The AI analyzes your image and prepares it for enhancement.
Smartli's AI Photo Enhancer can optimize image sizes automatically. It improves lighting, color correction, and detail while adjusting resolution. You can scale images up or down without losing quality. The AI fills in details intelligently when enlarging photos.
Set your desired output dimensions or resolution. Smartli offers preset sizes for common platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and e-commerce marketplaces. You can also enter custom dimensions.

The AI processes your image and shows you a preview. You can see the before and after versions side by side. If you're not satisfied, adjust the settings and reprocess. When you're ready, download the enhanced and resized image. The file saves to your iPhone's Downloads folder or directly to Photos, depending on your browser settings.

Smartli works particularly well for product photos. If you run an online store or dropshipping business, the AI enhancement makes photos look professional. The resizing feature ensures your images meet platform requirements without manual editing.

Smartli offers bulk processing for paid plans. If you need to resize hundreds of product photos, you can upload them all at once. The AI applies the same settings to every image, saving hours of manual work.

How to Use Photoroom to Resize iPhone Photos

Photoroom is another excellent app specifically designed for product photography and e-commerce. It's available on the App Store and offers a free version with basic features. Photoroom makes it easy to understand how to downsize pictures on iPhone while maintaining professional quality. Here’s how to use it:

Download Photoroom from the App Store. Open the app and navigate to AI Tools at the bottom of the screen. Tap Resize to access the resizing feature.
Upload your image from your camera roll. Photoroom lets you select one or multiple photos. The app displays your photo with various resizing options.
You'll see dozens of preset output sizes. Photoroom includes dimensions for Instagram posts, Instagram stories, Facebook covers, YouTube thumbnails, and e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Shopify. Each preset is optimized for its specific platform.
Select the size that fits your needs. Photoroom automatically resizes your image using AI. The app intelligently crops and adjusts composition to fit the new dimensions. You can reposition the subject if the automatic cropping isn't perfect.
Before downloading, you can add additional edits. Photoroom offers text overlays, shadows, logos, and filter layers. These features help you create polished marketing materials.
When finished, tap Done at the bottom. Then tap Export to download the resized image. The app saves it to your Photos app.

About Photoroom Pro

Photoroom Pro users get access to Batch Mode. This feature lets you resize multiple images simultaneously. Tap Batch at the bottom of the home screen. Tap Start New Batch and select all the images you want to process.

After selecting your photos, tap Add XX Images. The number represents how many you selected. Back in Batch Mode, tap on the new batch and select Resize. Choose your desired dimensions and Photoroom processes everything at once.

Batch Mode is incredibly useful for online sellers. You can resize your entire product catalog in minutes instead of hours. All images maintain consistent dimensions and quality.

How to Use Photoshop to Resize iPhone Photos

Adobe Photoshop Express is available as a free app for iPhone. While it's not as powerful as desktop Photoshop, it handles basic resizing well. Download it from the App Store if you want professional Adobe tools on your phone.

Open Photoshop Express and sign in with your Adobe account. You can create a free account if you don't have one. Grant the app permission to access your photos.
Select the image you want to resize from your library. The app loads it into the editing interface. You'll see various editing tools at the bottom.
Tap the three-dot menu icon. Select Resize Image from the options. You'll see the current resolution displayed at the top.
Choose your desired resolution from the preset options. You can also select a custom resolution. Enter specific width and height values in pixels. There's a lock icon between the dimensions. Keep it locked to maintain aspect ratio.
Photoshop Express lets you choose between percentage reduction or specific dimensions. If you want to reduce file size by 50%, enter 50%. The app automatically calculates the new dimensions.
After setting your dimensions, tap Apply. The app resizes your image and shows you the result. You can use other editing tools to adjust brightness, contrast, or color before saving.
When you're satisfied, tap Save to Gallery. Photoshop Express creates a new file, leaving your original photo untouched. The resized version appears in a separate folder called Adobe Photoshop Express.

Photoshop Express works well for occasional resizing. However, it requires an Adobe account and includes ads in the free version. The paid version removes ads and unlocks advanced features.

Use Compress Photos and Pictures to Resize iPhone Photos

Compress Photos & Pictures focuses specifically on reducing file size. It's free on the App Store and works great when you need to shrink images without changing dimensions. This app is perfect for how to resize a picture on iPhone when file size matters more than dimension changes.

Download Compress Photos & Pictures from the App Store. Open the app and tap the button that says Select Photos to Compress. The app displays your photo library.
Tap Select in the top right corner. Choose the photos or albums you want to compress. The current file size appears beneath each thumbnail in small white text.
After selecting your photos, tap Next in the top right corner. You'll see the Compression Parameters window. This is where you control how much the app compresses your images.
You can reduce image resolution in increments of 10%. Options range from 80% of original quality down to 10%. Higher percentages maintain better quality but create larger files.
There's also an image quality slider. Drag it left to reduce quality and create smaller files. Drag it right to maintain quality but with less compression. The app shows the estimated file size in real time as you adjust these settings.
Balance between resolution and quality to get your desired file size. Watch the total estimated file size at the bottom of the window. When you reach your target size, tap Compress.

What Else to Know

The app processes your images. This usually takes a few seconds per photo. When finished, it shows you the old file size versus the new file size for each image.

You can keep the compressed images or delete them. Tap the trash icon to remove compressed versions you don't like. The app saves compressed images to your Photos library in a dedicated album.

Always test compressed images before using them. Upload them to your intended platform to ensure quality is acceptable. If images look too pixelated or blurry, repeat the process with higher quality settings.

Compress Photos & Pictures works offline. You don't need an internet connection to compress images. This makes it convenient when traveling or in areas with poor connectivity.

Other Third-Party Apps You Can Use to Resize iPhone Photos

Beyond the apps already mentioned, several other options exist. Each has unique features that might suit your specific needs. These are some of the best photo editing apps for iPhone:

Fotor offers comprehensive editing tools along with resizing capabilities. It supports batch resizing and provides specific settings for dimensions. The free version includes basic features, while Fotor Pro unlocks advanced tools.
Pixlr is an all-around photo editor with reliable resizing. You can manually set dimensions or choose from preset aspect ratios. Pixlr supports both individual and batch resizing.
Canva is primarily a design app but includes powerful resizing features. You can resize images for social media posts, stories, and ads. Canva's templates automatically adjust images to platform specifications.
Desqueeze specializes in batch resizing. Its clean interface makes processing multiple photos simple. You can adjust file format, dimensions, orientation, aspect ratio, and quality. Desqueeze works with both photos and videos.
YouCam Perfect focuses on selfie enhancement but includes handy resizing. The one-tap resizer tool makes quick adjustments easy. However, it's only available for iOS devices.
Picsart offers robust resizing alongside creative editing tools. You can resize without compromising quality. Picsart includes filters, effects, stickers, and brushes for additional edits.
Photo & Picture Resizer is available on Android but worth mentioning. It keeps original quality while allowing batch resizing. The app maintains the original aspect ratio or lets you change it.

When choosing an image size app for iPhone, consider your specific needs. Do you need batch processing? Do you want additional editing features? Are you willing to pay for premium features? Most apps offer free versions with limitations and paid versions with full functionality.

Mistakes to Avoid When Resizing iPhone Photos

Resizing photos seems simple, but common mistakes can ruin image quality or cause other problems. Here are errors to avoid.

Don't over-compress images. Reducing file size too aggressively creates pixelated, blurry photos. Quality degradation becomes obvious when compression drops below 40%. Always preview compressed images at full size before finalizing.

Avoid unlinking aspect ratio unless necessary. When you unlock the link between width and height, images can become distorted. Subjects look stretched or squished. Keep the aspect ratio locked unless you specifically need non-proportional dimensions.

Never use digital zoom before resizing. Digital zoom reduces quality significantly. If you need a closer crop, resize first, then crop to your desired area. This maintains better image clarity.

Don't forget to keep originals. Some apps overwrite your original photos with resized versions. Always duplicate important images before editing. You might need the full-resolution version later.

Avoid resizing images multiple times. Each time you resize and save a JPEG, you lose quality. This is called generation loss. If you need different sizes, always start from the original, not from an already-resized version.

Don't ignore platform requirements. Different platforms need different dimensions. Instagram posts work best at 1080x1080 pixels for squares or 1080x1350 for portraits. Facebook cover photos need 851x315 pixels. Research platform specifications before resizing.

Avoid saving in the wrong format. PNG files maintain quality but create large files. JPG files are smaller but use lossy compression. For photos with text or sharp edges, use PNG. For regular photos, JPG works fine.

Don't forget about metadata. Some apps remove EXIF data when resizing. This data includes camera settings, location, and timestamps. If you need to preserve this information, check your app settings.

Never resize images when unnecessary. If a platform automatically optimizes images, you don't need to resize beforehand. Instagram and Facebook already compress uploads. Resizing might cause double compression and quality loss.

Avoid batch resizing different image types together. Portrait and landscape photos need different handling. Applying the same dimensions to all photos can create awkward crops. Process similar images together for best results.

Conclusion

Resizing photos on your iPhone doesn't require complicated software or technical expertise. You have multiple options depending on your needs. The Photos app and Shortcuts app provide built-in solutions. Third-party apps Pictures offer advanced features. Each method works for different situations. Choose based on whether you need precise dimensions, batch processing, or simple compression. Always preview resized images before using them. Keep your originals safe in case you need them later. Try Smartli today!

How to Resize an Image on an iPhone?

Why Resize Photos on iPhone?