Optimize Your Media Workflow with HEVCut's All-in-One Toolkit

Managing iPhone storage used to mean juggling multiple apps: one to find duplicates, another to compress videos, a third to analyze storage usage, and a fourth to handle photos. Each app had its own interface, its own learning curve, and its own subscription.

HEVCut consolidates the most impactful storage management features into a single app. Video compression, photo optimization, library scanning, batch processing, and intelligent space analysis—all built around Apple's hardware HEVC encoder for maximum speed and quality.

This guide walks through each feature, explains when to use it, and shows you how to build a sustainable media workflow that keeps your iPhone lean without constant maintenance.

Feature 1: Library Scanning and Analysis

Before compressing anything, HEVCut scans your entire Photos library and gives you a clear picture of where your storage is going.

What the scan reveals:

• Total video and photo storage with breakdown by codec and format
• Compression candidates ranked by potential savings (largest wins first)
• H.264 vs HEVC split showing how much of your library uses the older, less efficient codec
• Estimated total savings if you compress everything eligible

This scan answers the question "is it worth compressing my library?" before you spend any time on it. If the scan shows 25 GB of potential savings, that's a clear yes. If it shows 2 GB, you might not bother.

Feature 2: Video Compression

The core feature. HEVCut compresses videos using Apple's hardware HEVC encoder, which is the same silicon chip your iPhone uses to record 4K video.

How it works:

1. Select videos individually or in bulk
2. Choose a compression profile (Balanced is right for most content)
3. Tap compress—hardware encoding processes ~30 seconds per minute of 4K
4. The compressed video replaces the original in your Photos library
5. Metadata (date, location, camera info, HDR, Cinematic Mode) is preserved

Compression profiles:

• High Quality: Minimal compression, maximum quality preservation. Best for professional footage and content you'll edit later. Typical savings: 25-35%.
• Balanced: The sweet spot for most content. Visually indistinguishable from the original on phone and tablet screens. Typical savings: 40-55%.
• Maximum Compression: Aggressive bitrate optimization for maximum space recovery. Slight quality reduction visible on very large screens. Typical savings: 55-70%.

Feature 3: Photo Compression

Photos take less space individually than videos, but they add up. A library of 10,000 photos can consume 20-40 GB, especially if it includes:

• ProRAW photos from iPhone 14 Pro and later (25 MB each)
• Live Photos with their hidden 3-second video clips
• 48 MP full-resolution shots (10-15 MB each)
• Burst sequences with 10-50 frames per burst

HEVCut compresses photos to efficient HEIF format while preserving visual quality. The process is similar to video compression: scan, select, compress, review.

Typical photo compression savings:

Feature 4: Batch Processing

Processing one video at a time isn't practical for a library with hundreds of items. HEVCut's batch processing lets you:

• Select multiple videos or photos from your library
• Queue unlimited items for processing
• Process in the background while you use other apps
• Resume if interrupted (queue state is preserved)

The optimal workflow: queue your entire eligible library, plug your phone in to charge, and let it process overnight. Wake up to a compressed library with all the space reclaimed.

Batch processing performance (iPhone 15 Pro):

Feature 5: Metadata Preservation

This is the feature you don't appreciate until you've lost metadata in another app. HEVCut preserves every piece of metadata attached to your media:

• Recording date and time — your timeline stays intact
• GPS location — videos stay on the world map and in location-based albums
• Camera settings — lens, aperture, ISO, shutter speed
• Dolby Vision HDR — HDR videos remain HDR after compression
• Cinematic Mode depth — focus adjustment still works after compression
• Album membership — compressed files stay in their albums
• Favorites and keywords — all organizational data preserved

Building a Sustainable Media Workflow

One-time compression fixes the immediate storage problem. A workflow prevents it from coming back.

Why monthly?

Most people accumulate 2-5 GB of compressible media per month from:

• New H.264 videos received via WhatsApp, Telegram, or email
• 4K recordings from events and travel
• New ProRAW or burst photos
• Screen recordings and downloaded content

A 15-minute monthly session keeps your library lean and prevents the storage warning from ever returning.

HEVCut on Mac

If you use a Mac alongside your iPhone, HEVCut runs natively on Apple silicon Macs via Mac Catalyst. The Mac version offers the same features with a few advantages:

• Larger cache sizes for faster library scanning
• Processing while plugged in without battery concerns
• Larger screen for reviewing compression results
• Shared iCloud library — compress on Mac, results sync to iPhone automatically

FAQ

Do I need to compress both videos and photos?

Videos deliver the largest savings per item (often 100-400 MB each), so start there. Photo compression adds incremental savings that matter most if you have a large library (5,000+ photos) or shoot in ProRAW.

Will compression affect how videos look in Memories and Highlights?

No. Because HEVCut preserves all metadata including dates, locations, and faces, Apple's ML-powered features (Memories, People album, Places) continue working exactly as before.

Can I undo compression if I don't like the results?

If you haven't deleted the originals yet, simply keep them and discard the compressed versions. HEVCut always gives you the opportunity to review results before deleting originals. Once originals are deleted and Recently Deleted is emptied, the change is permanent.

Does HEVCut work with iCloud Photos?

Yes. HEVCut works with your local Photos library. If you use iCloud Photos, compressed files sync to iCloud automatically—and since they're smaller, they reduce your iCloud storage usage too.

How is HEVCut different from the built-in "Optimize iPhone Storage" in iCloud settings?

iCloud's "Optimize iPhone Storage" keeps thumbnails on your phone and full-resolution files in the cloud. It saves local space but doesn't reduce file sizes—you're still paying for the full-size files in iCloud. HEVCut actually reduces file sizes, saving space both locally and in iCloud.