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How-To

Concert videos filling your iPhone? What to keep, and how

A festival weekend can eat gigabytes. You don't need most of them.

A
Ameya Bhanushali
November 2, 2026 · 4 min read

Shoot shorter clips and check your video setting before you go, because that's where most of the space goes. The day after, keep the clips you'd actually watch again, delete the rest, and back up what's left.

High-quality video is big. Your iPhone lists the size per minute under Settings, then Camera, then Record Video. At 4K and 60 fps, Apple puts it at roughly 400 MB a minute, so a few full songs can fill a phone before the headliner is even on.

Before the show

  • Look at Settings, then Camera, then Record Video. 1080p takes far less space than 4K and still looks good on a phone.
  • Film ten to twenty seconds of each moment. The drop and the crowd's reaction are enough.
  • Clear space at home. Deleting old screenshots in a field with one bar of signal is nobody's idea of fun.

The day after

Watch the night back once, the next day, while you still remember it. Keep the clips you'd show a friend. The blurry ones, the black ones and the ones filmed from inside your pocket can go. One good clip of each song you loved is plenty.

Keep the song with the clip

A clip without a song name is hard to find a year later. In Chord, each clip keeps its song, its night and the people you were with. The Library groups everything by Night, and you can search by song, artist, place or friend.

Back up what you keep

Phones go missing at festivals. Turn on a photo backup such as iCloud Photos or Google Photos before you leave, so the clips you care about survive even if the phone doesn't.

How to film a dark stage on iPhone →

Why your camera roll isn't a memory →

Questions people ask

How much storage does a concert video take on iPhone?

It depends on the setting. Your iPhone shows the size per minute under Settings, then Camera, then Record Video. 4K at 60 fps is roughly 400 MB a minute.

What video setting should I use at a concert?

1080p works well at a gig. It takes far less space than 4K and looks fine on a phone. Keep the clips short.

How do I find a concert clip later?

Keep the song and the night with the clip. In Chord, the Library groups clips by Night, and you can search by song, artist, place or friend.

A
Ameya Bhanushali
Founder, Chord

Film the moment. Chord names the song.

At a gig, festival or club night, Chord keeps the clip and the song together. If it can’t name the song, add it in two taps. Open beta on iPhone.

Get the iPhone beta
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