On iPhone, resolution and frame rate are two separate choices, and Apple says both lists depend on which iPhone you are holding. The phrasing in Apple's user guide is worth reading closely, because it is the reason two people following the same tutorial end up with different options on screen.
This guide walks through what the official pages actually list, how to tell whether your model can do 4K at 60 fps, and what changes about the file once you pick it.
Before you start
You need an iPhone, its Camera settings, and a rough idea of where the footage is going — the right setting for something you will edit is not the right setting for something you will text to a friend an hour later.
Apple's page Record a video with your iPhone camera states the available options verbatim:
"Depending on your iPhone model, you can record video in high-quality formats, like HD, 4K, HD (PAL), and 4K (PAL). Also depending on your model, you can change the fps rates to 24, 25, 30, 60, or 120."
Two things fall out of that sentence. First, there are four format entries, not two — HD and 4K each come in a PAL variant. Second, the fps list tops out at 120, but the phrase "depending on your model" is doing real work, as the next section shows.
The taps to reach these controls are documented on Apple's Change video recording settings on iPhone page, which has a version picker — open the one matching your iOS version rather than trusting a screenshot from an older release.
Step 1: Check what your model can actually record
This is where the generic tutorials fall down. Compare the Video Recording rows on Apple's tech specs pages for two phones from the same generation:
| Mode | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| 4K Dolby Vision | "at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 100 fps (Fusion Main), or 120 fps (Fusion Main)" | "at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps" |
| 1080p Dolby Vision | "at 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, or 120 fps (Fusion Main)" | "at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps" |
| Slo-mo | "1080p up to 240 fps and 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps (Fusion Main)" | "1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps" |
| QuickTake | "up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps" | "up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps" |
| Action mode | "up to 2.8K Dolby Vision at 60 fps" | "up to 2.8K Dolby Vision at 60 fps" |
Read the 4K row twice. Both phones shipped in the same year, both list 4K at 60 fps — and the 100 fps and 120 fps entries appear only on the Pro, each carrying the qualifier "(Fusion Main)". That parenthetical is not decoration: those frame rates are listed against the Fusion Main camera specifically.
The practical conclusion: 4K at 60 fps is the highest 4K frame rate both models share. Anything above it is a Pro-only row with a camera qualifier attached.
Apple publishes a tech specs page per model (iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17). On a different model, look up its own page rather than assuming the rows carry over.
Step 2: Pick the resolution, and know what PAL is
HD and 4K are the obvious pair. The PAL variants are the ones people select by accident and then wonder why their footage looks subtly different. Apple defines it in a note on the same page:
"Note: PAL is a television video format used in many countries and regions in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America."
In practice the PAL entries are the ones that pair with 25 fps rather than 30 fps. If you are not delivering to a broadcast standard that expects it, the non-PAL entry is the one you want.
Step 3: Pick the frame rate
Apple's guide gives the default outright: "By default, iPhone records video at 30 frames per second (fps)." Moving to 60 fps is a deliberate change, and it comes with a stated consequence:
"Faster frame rates and higher resolutions result in larger video files."
There is a second behaviour worth knowing before you lock in a number. Apple notes that "iPhone can improve the video quality in low-light situations by automatically reducing the frame rate to 24 fps." So the setting you chose is not always the frame rate you end up with — in dim conditions the phone may step down on its own.
The upside of shooting faster: "Videos you record at faster frame rates can be played back at slower speeds in the Photos app." Apple's editing page adds a qualifier — "The larger the format you capture, the more options are available."
Step 4: Decide the codec separately
Resolution and frame rate are one decision; the codec is another, and it lives under Settings → Camera → Formats. Apple's HEIF/HEVC page spells out both sides:
- High Efficiency captures HEVC, "also known as H.265," for videos.
- Most Compatible: "All new photos and videos will now use JPEG or H.264 format."
Apple's stated reason for the default is compression: "HEIF and HEVC offer better compression than JPEG and H.264, so they use less storage space on your devices and iCloud Photos, while preserving the same visual quality." One qualifier not to drop — Most Compatible "is available only on iPhone and iPad devices that can capture media in HEIF or HEVC format."
A line on that same page maps directly onto this topic: "On some older devices, support for HEVC is affected by the resolution and frame rate (fps) of the video. Resolutions of 1080p or lower and frame rates of 60 fps or lower are more broadly compatible with older devices." That is Apple quantifying compatibility in terms of resolution and fps, not just codec. For more on the trade-off, see High Efficiency vs Most Compatible.
What to do about the file size
Apple is explicit that faster frame rates and higher resolutions produce larger files. The official pages we could find do not give a per-minute figure for 4K or for 60 fps — check the current numbers in Apple's official documentation rather than planning storage around a figure you read elsewhere.
The usual friction shows up later, when a 4K 60 clip is too big for whatever you are sending it through. Shrink it before you send rather than letting a messaging app decide:
Try it right here
Runs in your browser. Your file is not uploaded anywhere.
That runs in your browser tab — the file is read from disk, re-encoded locally, and handed back, so nothing is uploaded. See all Clapr tools, or compress video to control the settings yourself.
Common mistakes
- Assuming 120 fps is available because the guide lists it. The fps list Apple gives is 24, 25, 30, 60, or 120 — prefixed with "depending on your model." The tech specs page for your model is the authority.
- Ignoring the "(Fusion Main)" qualifier. On iPhone 17 Pro, 100 and 120 fps at 4K are listed against that camera. Treat it as part of the spec.
- Picking a PAL format by accident. PAL is a television format used in specific regions; choose it deliberately or not at all.
- Expecting stabilisation to leave the frame alone. Apple notes "the Enhanced Stabilization setting zooms in slightly to provide improved stabilization while recording in Video mode or Cinematic mode. Enhanced Stabilization is on by default."
- Confusing Cinematic mode's setting with the main one. Apple documents Cinematic separately: it "is set to record at 1080 HD at 30 fps. To switch to 4K at 24 fps or 4K at 30 fps, go to Settings > Camera > Record Cinematic."
FAQ
Can every iPhone record 4K at 60 fps? Apple's guide says the available formats and fps rates both depend on your model. On the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro tech specs pages, both list 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps. Check the tech specs page for your own model rather than assuming.
What is the difference between 4K and 4K (PAL)? Apple lists HD, 4K, HD (PAL) and 4K (PAL) as separate format entries, and defines PAL as "a television video format used in many countries and regions in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America."
Why did my video record at 24 fps when I chose something else? Apple states that "iPhone can improve the video quality in low-light situations by automatically reducing the frame rate to 24 fps." That behaviour is documented, not a bug.
Does 4K 60 fps use more storage than 4K 30? Apple's guidance is directional: "Faster frame rates and higher resolutions result in larger video files." The official pages we could find do not give a per-minute size for 4K or 60 fps — check Apple's current documentation.
Will a 4K 60 fps HEVC clip play on an older computer? Apple's compatibility note is that "resolutions of 1080p or lower and frame rates of 60 fps or lower are more broadly compatible with older devices," and that HEVC support on some older devices is affected by resolution and frame rate. If playback fails, see HEVC video won't play on Windows.
Specifications cited from Apple's iPhone User Guide and tech specs pages, checked 16 September 2026. Apple revises these pages per iOS version — open the version selector before relying on a step. More walkthroughs in how-to guides.
