Apple first debuted the ProRaw still image format with the iPhone 12 Pro series in 2020. With the iPhone 13 Pro series, Apple has debuted ProRes format for videos, which gives greater flexibility in post-production while editing videos.

If you've got an iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max, here's how to record ProRes videos with it.

What Is ProRes?

iPhone 13 Pro camera

ProRes is not a new format. It is widely used in the post-production industry for video editing. It is a lossy video compression format developed by Apple that supports up to 8K resolution.

If you are a videographer or cinematographer who uses their iPhone 13 Pro for recording clips, ProRes will be a handy addition as it can capture more details that are useful while editing. This does not mean that videos recorded in ProRes will look better than regular videos—the additional data will only be useful in post-production workflows.

You can only record ProRes videos from one of the three rear or the front cameras of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max—the feature is not available on the front-facing camera or any non-Pro models.

On the 128GB iPhone Pro models, you are limited to recording ProRes videos in Full HD at 30fps. On 256GB and higher storage variants, you can record ProRes videos in 4K at 30fps. However, the codec only supports the regular video mode, with slow-motion and cinematic modes not being supported.

Related: What Is Apple ProRAW and How Do You Use It?

How to Record ProRes Video on iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max

Follow these steps to record ProRes video on your iPhone:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Camera > Formats.
  2. Under Video Capture, enable the Apple ProRes option.
  3. Now, open the Camera app on your iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max and swipe to the Video mode.
  4. You should see a ProRes toggle in the status bar at the top. Enable it and then proceed to record ProRes videos on your iPhone.

Your iPhone will continue to record videos in ProRes until you manually toggle it off again. Do note that ProRes videos take up a lot of space—they are up to 30x larger than HEVC files. Recording a minute of 4K ProRes video can take up nearly 6GB of space on your iPhone.

ProRes Makes Video Editing Easier

Most users are unlikely to find a use for ProRes. However, if you tend to use your iPhone for recording videos for post-production or filmmaking, you will appreciate the extra flexibility that the codec offers.

ProRes do take up a lot of space, though, so make sure to transfer them to your computer regularly to free up space on your phone.