Storage Needs Calculator
The Storage Needs Calculator gives an approximate estimate of how much storage space you will need, starting from your photo, video and other content habits.
The question “will 128 GB be enough?” comes up for everyone choosing a phone or a cloud subscription, and it is usually answered by guesswork. This tool bases the answer on the content you actually have: you enter the total amount of photos, video, music and documents you want to keep. The tool multiplies these by average file sizes and adds a margin for growth to show a recommended capacity.
Tool
Frequently asked questions
How much margin should I add to the estimate when buying a phone?
If you are going to keep the phone for several years, multiplying your estimated yearly growth by that period and leaving a comfortable margin on top — choosing the storage tier above the resulting figure, for instance — is an approach that has proved itself in practice.
Does filming in 4K really make that much difference?
Yes; 4K video takes up roughly several times more space than 1080p and is the fastest-growing item in storage. Saving it for the moments that matter, rather than filming everything in 4K, is one of the most effective savings you can make on space.
What is the relationship between GB and TB?
1 TB is about 1,000 GB. In everyday use, photo archives stay at the level of tens to hundreds of GB, while the archive of someone filming regularly can reach TB scale.
What should I delete to free up space?
The most efficient place to start is usually the largest files: long videos, repeated shots and the downloads folder. Before deleting, make sure important content has a backup; the <a href="/en/tools/backup-plan/">Backup Plan Builder</a> can offer guidance there.
Method and formula
The calculation rests on assumptions about the average size of each type of content: a smartphone photo takes up roughly 3–5 MB, and a minute of 1080p video roughly 100–150 MB; higher resolutions (4K) multiply those figures, while content such as music and documents takes a relatively small share. The totals you enter are multiplied by these averages to find your current need, and a growth margin of about half again is added on top to arrive at the recommended capacity. All results are deliberately presented as approximate; real file sizes vary with the device, the settings and the compression used.
How to read the result
Read the resulting figure not as a number for a shopping list but as an order of magnitude: if your yearly growth is around 50 GB, then 64 GB of space will not last even a year. It is sensible to add a margin to the estimate when choosing storage, because resolutions rise over time and habits tend to expand. The tool adds a growth margin on top of the total you enter; if you foresee a rise in resolution or a new habit ahead, moving up one capacity step is a reasonable choice.
Limits
- The average size assumptions are general; device model, resolution setting and compression format change real sizes markedly.
- Applications’ own data, messaging archives and system space are not part of the calculation.
- The estimate assumes your habits will stay the same; a new phone or a new hobby can change the picture.
- Cloud services’ compression and “optimised storage” options can make real usage differ from the estimate.
Calculator and tool methodology · Nothing you type is sent to a server; results stay in your browser.