There is no theoretical limit to how long you can record a video on your iPhone, and most should be capable of capturing multiple hours in a row. However, your storage space, battery life, and the heat of your device will help determine the time.
One of my favorite things to do on the iPhone is take videos. This could be videos of my dog, videos of wildlife, or even videos while at concerts or sports events. But I often wondered how long my iPhone could record video continuously without stopping.
This could be valuable for time lapses, recording classes, and so much more. If you have also been curious about the limits of the iPhone when it comes to recording video, you’ve come to the right place.
Keep reading to learn more about what sort of factors will influence how long you can record an iPhone video.
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Key Takeaways
- In most cases, you will be able to continuously record videos for multiple hours on your iPhone, but the exact amount of time depends on a few factors.
- There is no theoretical limit to how long you can record, but the storage space on your device and the battery life it has will need to be considered. If not, they could hold you back from capturing content for as long as you would have liked.
- The heat of your device will also come into play. After recording video for a long period, especially out in the sun, the device could overheat.
Factor 1: Storage Space
As mentioned earlier, there is technically no limit to how long your iPhone will record a video, but there are several factors that will dictate it. The first factor that will influence how long you can record an iPhone video is the storage space on your phone.
Videos can take up a lot of space on your device, so the more available storage you have, the longer you can record a video before it fills up your device.
As a result, if you have a 256 GB iPhone 14 with a lot of space to spare, you should theoretically be able to record and save videos much longer than someone with an iPhone X with 64 GB.
Videos take up more space than you might think, but the exact amount varies on things like the frame rate and resolution. Someone taking 60 FPS 4k video will generally fill up their device much faster than someone recording 720P video at 30FPS.
Before you leave your phone somewhere to record for hours, make sure you do your homework and ensure you have enough available storage space to allow for the video to be recorded and saved. If not, you could end up having the video get cut short.
Factor 2: Battery Life
The battery life of your device also impacts the amount of time you can spend recording. A better battery means the ability to record longer without the phone running out of juice. Battery life varies from device to device, but newer models of iPhones generally have better batteries.
Also, over time, the battery life on a device will slowly get worse. So even if your phone was once able to last all day without a charge, the same might not be true as it ages. Rigorous tasks like recording video can cause your battery to run out faster than normal usage, as well.
It is a good idea to run a test beforehand, to ensure you have enough battery life to record the type of video you want.
If you plan to record multiple hours in a row, it is a good idea to have your device plugged in while it’s recording. Recording video can be intensive, and even the best devices will struggle to do it for hours without being charged up at some point.
Factor 3: Heat of the Device
How hot your device gets is another thing to think about when recording video continuously. As you perform various tasks on a device, it will heat up. This is especially true when doing something intensive like playing games, watching videos, or recording.
If you are going to record for a long time, it is a good idea to keep your device in a cool and shaded spot. Make sure to check on it every now and then to ensure it isn’t overly hot and is still working as expected.
If the device is overheating, it is a good idea to stop recording, turn the iPhone off, and take it somewhere cool to sit for a while. You should leave it off for a couple of minutes (if not longer) before trying to turn it back on.
Not only can overheating cause the device to shut down, but can do some damage in some cases. It can permanently impact the battery, as well as other internal components. While this type of permanent damage from overheating is rare, it isn’t worth the risk.
Final Thoughts
Whether you like to capture time lapses, film your child’s sports game, or capture a family get-together, knowing how long the iPhone can record is an important thing to think about. It will be different for each person, so be sure to consider the factors I’ve mentioned earlier.
I hope this guide has been able to help you learn how long an iPhone can record video, and what sorts of factors help determine the length.
What sorts of long-form videos do you like to capture with your iPhone’s camera? Let me know in a comment below.
