Image resolution
Also known as: photo resolution, pixel dimensions, image dimensions
Image resolution is the pixel dimensions of a photo — its width by height, such as 4032 × 3024. Higher resolution holds more detail but takes more storage, so larger images make a photo library grow faster.
- Measured as width × height in pixels
- Higher resolution means more detail and bigger files
- Doubling each dimension roughly quadruples the data
Resolution vs megapixels
Resolution is the full pixel grid, written as width × height. Megapixels are that same grid expressed as a single total — 4032 × 3024 is about 12 megapixels. Both describe how much detail an image can hold.
A higher-resolution image is sharper when cropped or printed large, but on a typical screen you rarely see the extra pixels. What you do see is a bigger file.
Why it matters for storage
Bigger pixel dimensions mean more data to store, so high-resolution photos and screenshots take more space than smaller ones. Doubling the width and height of an image roughly quadruples its pixel count.
You can keep libraries lean by capturing at a sensible resolution, and by letting compression and efficient formats do the rest. Downscaling old high-resolution images you no longer need at full size also recovers space.