Resolution
12, 24 or 48 MP: which one to shoot.
A 48 MP iPhone usually saves 24 MP, often 12 MP, and only sometimes 48. Here is how the sensor works, what each size costs, and which one to pick.
Four pixels, or one.
The 48 MP sensor can work as a 12 MP sensor with bigger pixels.
Apple put the first 48 MP camera into iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. Its quad-pixel sensor groups pixels of the same color in blocks of four. In bright light, each of the 48 million pixels can be read on its own. In normal and low light, Apple says the sensor “combines every four pixels into one large quad pixel”, equivalent to 2.44 µm on iPhone 14 Pro. That gives 12 MP with much less noise.
The same sensor also gives the 2× option on many iPhones: it uses the middle 12 MP of the sensor, which Apple counts as optical quality.
Sources Apple Newsroom, iPhone 14 Pro (September 7, 2022) and iPhone 15 (September 12, 2023). Checked in October 2026.
Why 24 MP is the default.
Twice the pixels of 12 MP, for half again the storage.
Since iPhone 15, Apple’s Camera app saves 24 MP by default. Apple explained how at WWDC26: the camera makes a 12 MP image from several combined frames for clean tones and dynamic range, then the Photonic Engine merges it with a 48 MP frame for detail. Apple says 24 MP doubles the resolution of 12 MP with “only about 50% increase in the file size”.
48 MP is different: Apple says it is “captured using a single frame”. That means more detail in good light, and less help from multi-frame processing when light is low.
Sources Apple Developer, WWDC26 session 304 (June 2026); Apple Support, About Apple ProRAW (April 19, 2024). Checked in October 2026.
When 48 MP is worth it.
Good light, a still subject and a reason to crop.
- Landscapes and architecture in daylight, where fine detail is the point.
- Photos you will crop heavily, or print large.
- RAW editing on a Pro iPhone, if you have the storage: 48 MP ProRAW is about 75 MB per photo.
Stay at 24 or 12 MP for people, moving subjects, evenings and everyday snapshots. Some modes save 12 MP anyway. Apple names Night mode, flash and macro on its ProRAW page, and cameras with 12 MP sensors stay at 12 MP whatever you choose.
| iPhone | Year | 48 MP cameras |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max | 2022 | Main |
| iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max | 2023 | Main |
| iPhone 16, 16 Plus | 2024 | Main |
| iPhone 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max | 2024 | Main, ultra wide |
| iPhone 16e | 2025 | Main |
| iPhone 17, iPhone Air | 2025 | Main (17: also ultra wide) |
| iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max | 2025 | Main, ultra wide, telephoto |
| iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max | 2026 | Main, ultra wide, telephoto |
Sources Apple Newsroom on iPhone 15 Pro (September 12, 2023), iPhone 16 Pro (September 9, 2024), iPhone 16e (February 19, 2025), iPhone 17, iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro (September 9, 2025); iPhone 18 Pro specs. Checked in October 2026.
12, 24 and 48 MP in IIWII.
One switch, with a film look on every size.
On iPhones with a 48 MP camera, IIWII offers 12, 24 and 48 MP in its settings, with 24 MP as the default. An optional button in the top bar switches between them while you shoot.
IIWII makes its 24 MP differently from Apple. Apple’s merged 24 MP photo only reaches apps in a way that cannot pass through a film look. So IIWII captures one 48 MP frame and scales it down to 5712 × 4284 before the look is applied. That keeps the detail and the look together.
Some shots are always 12 MP in IIWII:
- the front camera, Portrait mode and manual exposure,
- Bayer RAW on iPhones without ProRAW (on Pro models, ProRAW follows your resolution),
- lenses with a 12 MP sensor, and moments when the iPhone is short on memory.
For the most natural rendering, pick 12 MP with Natural Processing. For detail, pick 24. Save 48 for the shots you know you will crop.
Questions and answers
Which iPhones can take 48 MP photos?
Every iPhone with a 48 MP main camera, starting with iPhone 14 Pro in 2022, then all iPhone 15 models and later ones such as iPhone 16e, iPhone 17, iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro. iPhone 16 Pro added a 48 MP ultra wide camera, and on iPhone 17 Pro and 18 Pro all three rear cameras have 48 MP.
Is 24 MP just a downscaled 48 MP photo?
In Apple’s Camera app, no. Apple combines a 12 MP multi-frame image with a 48 MP full-sensor frame. In IIWII, 24 MP is a single 48 MP frame scaled down to 5712 × 4284, because Apple’s fused 24 MP cannot be passed through a film look.
Why do some photos stay at 12 MP even when 48 MP is selected?
Some modes save 12 MP only. Apple names Night mode, flash and macro on its ProRAW support page, and cameras with 12 MP sensors stay at 12 MP. In IIWII, the front camera, Portrait mode, manual exposure and Bayer RAW are always 12 MP.
How big is a 48 MP ProRAW file?
About 75 MB, according to Apple. A 12 MP ProRAW file is about 25 MB.
What resolution should I use for everyday photos?
24 MP. Apple says it doubles the resolution of 12 MP for only about 50 percent more file size, which is why it has been the default since iPhone 15. IIWII uses it as the default too.
Try it on your iPhone.
IIWII costs $2 once. No subscription, no account, no ads. Runs on iOS 15 and later.
Apple, iPhone, ProRAW and Apple Log are trademarks of Apple Inc. All other product names are trademarks of their owners. IIWII is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.