Quick fix: set these 3 options
Settings → Camera → Formats → High Efficiency
(Avoid “Most Compatible”. High Efficiency uses HEIF/HEIC and smaller files.)Settings → Camera → Formats → Apple ProRAW: Off (only on supported models)
(ProRAW photos are very large. If available, keep it off; if you need it, set ProRAW to 12 MP instead of higher values.)Turn off Live Photo in the Camera app
Open the Camera app and tap the LIVE icon at the top so it shows Live Off. Live Photos add extra frames and increase file size.
FAQ
Why “High Efficiency”?
It saves photos as HEIF/HEIC, which keeps quality while using less storage.
Can I upload existing large photos?
Yes—after reducing size (e.g., turn Live off, crop, or duplicate as still). Newly taken photos will already be smaller after applying the settings above.