Ever taken the perfect photo only to realise it’s too large to share or store? Worry no more! With the magic of your iPhone or iPad, you can easily resize or reduce photo sizes. Whether you want to send a quick snap without the hefty file size or make some space on your device, here’s how to do it effortlessly using the Shortcuts app.
Shortcuts: Your New Best Friend
The Shortcuts app is Apple’s built-in automation wizard. It’s like having a little assistant on your device that can perform multi-step tasks for you in a snap. Let’s get started on creating a shortcut to resize your photos.
Step 1: Create Your Image Resize Shortcut
- Open Shortcuts App: Launch the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Create a New Shortcut: In the “My Shortcuts” tab, tap the plus (“+”) button in the top-right corner to create a new shortcut.
- Add Resize Action: Tap the “Add Action” button, then search for and add the “Resize Image” action.
Step 2: Customise Your Shortcut
- Set the Input: Tap the “Image” button. In the pop-up, choose “Shortcut Input”. This allows the shortcut to resize any image you send to it.
- Adjust Dimensions: By default, the shortcut resizes images to 640 pixels wide. Tap the “640” button to change this or select “Ask Each Time” for more flexibility.
- Auto Height: Keep the “Auto Height” option on to maintain the aspect ratio.
Step 3: Save Resized Images
- Add Save Action: Search for “Save to Photo Album” in the search bar at the bottom of the screen and add it. This action saves your resized images back to your Photos app.
- Choose Album: By default, it saves to “Recents”, but you can tap “Recents” to select a different album if you prefer.
Step 4: Name and Share Your Shortcut
- Name Your Shortcut: Open the drop down near the “Done” button, select “Rename”, and give your shortcut a logical name like “Resize Photos”.
- Enable Share Sheet: Tap the “Nowhere” field, enable “Show in Share Sheet”, and then tap “Done” to save your changes.
Step 5: Use Your Shortcut
- Launch Photos: Open the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Select Photos: Choose the photo(s) you want to resize and tap the Share button (a square with an upward arrow).
- Run Your Shortcut: Scroll down and select the shortcut you created. Enter your desired width in pixels and tap “Done”.
Voila! Your resized images will be saved to the Recents album, ready for sharing or saving space on your device.
Extra Tips for Photo Management
- Crop Photos: Use the Photos app’s built-in editor. Tap “Edit” on any photo, and select the crop tool.
- Resize on Mac: If you’re on a Mac, use the Preview app for quick resizing.
- Third-Party Apps: For more advanced options, there are several third-party apps available on the App Store.
With these easy steps, managing your photo sizes becomes a breeze. Enjoy the flexibility and keep snapping those memories without worrying about file sizes!
Source: How-To-Geek
