CineTools · iPhone utility

iPhone ProRes calculator

How much ProRes video fits on your iPhone or an external SSD, from Apple's published data rates and storage limits.

You can record about

 

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Phone
Format
Resolution
Frame rate
Recording to
Storage

Reference

ProRes on iPhone, minute by minute

Gigabytes per minute for the ProRes modes people use most, and where each one can record.

  • ProRes 422 HQ · 4K · 30 fps

    6.6 GB a minute

    884 Mbps · 2 h 23 min per 1 TB

  • ProRes 422 HQ · 4K · 60 fps

    13.3 GB a minute

    1,768 Mbps · 1 h 12 min per 1 TB

    External SSD only

  • ProRes 422 HQ · 1080p · 30 fps

    1.7 GB a minute

    220 Mbps · 9 h 36 min per 1 TB

  • ProRes 422 HQ · 1080p · 60 fps

    3.3 GB a minute

    440 Mbps · 4 h 48 min per 1 TB

Data rates are from Apple's ProRes white paper (ProRes 422 HQ, the format iPhone records). Storage is decimal, as iPhones and drives are sold. On the phone, the calculator keeps free the 10% of storage Apple says ProRes needs (on iPhone 18 Pro it uses the Pro Video Storage you reserved instead); on an SSD it keeps 5% free.

FAQ

iPhone ProRes questions

How many minutes of ProRes fit on my iPhone?
At 4K and 30 fps, ProRes records 884 Mbps, about 6.6 GB for every minute you film. Up to the 17 Pro, iPhone also needs 10% of its storage free to record ProRes; an iPhone 18 Pro records into the Pro Video Storage you reserve in Settings instead. Put your own numbers into the calculator above for a real answer.
Why does ProRes fill my iPhone so fast?
ProRes keeps every frame whole so it edits and grades well, and Apple says its files are up to 30 times larger than HEVC. A minute of 1080p at 30 fps is about 1.7 GB; 4K at 30 fps is about 6.6 GB.
Do I need an external SSD?
For 4K at 60 fps, yes: every Pro iPhone from the 15 Pro to the 18 Pro records it only to an external drive, and for the 15 Pro to 17 Pro Apple asks for one that writes at least 220 MB per second. On 128 GB models (15 Pro and 16 Pro), ProRes on the phone itself is limited to 1080p at 25 or 30 fps, so 4K needs 256 GB of storage or an external drive.
ProRes or HEVC for a game?
For a game you will upload or share, HEVC is the practical choice, since Apple says ProRes files are up to 30 times larger. Pick ProRes when you plan to color grade or edit the footage seriously.
How accurate is this calculator?
It uses the data rates in Apple's ProRes white paper for each resolution and frame rate, and decimal storage, as iPhones and drives are sold. On the phone it keeps free the 10% of storage Apple says ProRes needs (on iPhone 18 Pro it uses your reserved Pro Video Storage instead); on an external SSD it keeps 5% free.

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