How many photos can 16GB hold?
The starting size of older iPhones and of many camera cards. Here is what each one fits.
A 16 GB card fits about 5,333 photos at today's iPhone size of 3 MB. From a 24 MP camera it fits about 1,839 JPEGs or 592 RAW files. A 16 GB phone holds far fewer, because the system and apps share the space. Live Photos and video shrink it again.
Old 16 GB phones and the cards that outlived them
The iPhone 6 started at 16 GB, and plenty of people bought the smallest model. Apps and system updates have grown a lot since then, so a phone like that has little room left for new pictures. If one still sits in a drawer, its camera roll may be the only copy of those years. Cards at this size live on in compact cameras and older DSLRs, where they hold a day or two of shooting. Get those photos off for $1/mo: 100 GB holds that phone six times over.
| Photo type | Photos that fit |
|---|---|
| iPhone photo (24 MP HEIF, the default) | 5,333 |
| iPhone 48 MP (HEIF Max) | 3,200 |
| Camera JPEG (24 MP) | 1,839 |
| Camera RAW (24 MP) | 592 |
| iPhone ProRAW (48 MP) | 213 |
How to use the calculator
The tool opens at 16 GB with a recent iPhone's default photo. Pick another photo type to see its count, or type a different size to compare.
How the count is worked out
Each count is the storage divided by the size of one photo, rounded down. Storage is sold in decimal units: 1 GB = 1 billion bytes. Photo sizes are typical, not fixed, because a detailed scene makes a bigger file than a plain one.
When it fills up
Copy the photos you want to keep somewhere with more room before you delete anything. Every StorageBites size and price is on the pricing page, and each file is encrypted in your browser before upload.
Frequently asked questions
How many pictures can a 16GB card hold?
About 1,839 camera JPEGs, or 592 RAW files, from a Canon EOS R50. Phone photos are smaller, so the card takes about 5,333 of those.
How many photos does a 16GB SD card hold in RAW plus JPEG?
About 448, since each shot writes both files. That is roughly one full day at a wedding or a school sports event.
Can a 16GB iPhone still hold photos?
Some, but not many. The operating system and a handful of apps can take most of the space before the camera roll gets any. Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see what is left.
How many 48 MP photos fit on 16GB?
About 3,200 at the HEIF Max size of 5 MB. In ProRAW at 75 MB a frame, it is only about 213.
What should I do with an old 16GB iPhone full of photos?
Charge it, connect it to Wi-Fi, and copy the camera roll somewhere else before anything happens to the battery or screen. Check the copy opens on another device. Only then delete from the phone, or keep the phone as a spare with the originals still on it.