Start with the copy you need to keep
Use Original when preserving the file supplied to Veil matters more than reducing its size. The current implementation encrypts those incoming bytes without an extra photo or video conversion. This describes the file delivered by Photos or Files; it does not promise to reconstruct a camera original, an edit history or a complete Live Photo from another representation.
Optimized JPEG creates a new image
For JPEG and HEIC imports, Optimized JPEG creates JPEG data using an encoder quality setting of 0.8 and a .jpg filename. Apple defines this setting on a scale from 0 to 1. It does not mean “80% of the detail retained” or a predictable percentage saved. Conversion can change detail and metadata, and the current photo path does not guarantee a smaller file. Other image types do not use this conversion.
Smaller MP4 makes a different tradeoff
The video option attempts a medium-quality MP4 conversion. Resolution, detail and HDR appearance can change. Veil keeps the incoming video bytes if the resulting file is not smaller. If conversion fails, choose Original and retry the failed item. A successful conversion still deserves a playback check, including sound and the end of the clip.
Changing the setting does not rewrite your collection
Photo and video preferences apply to new imports and captures. Existing files stay as saved. Photos captured inside Veil are initially JPEGs; choosing Original does not make them RAW. Importing creates a separate encrypted copy. It does not automatically remove the source from Photos or Files.
Try a small sample before a large import
Choose a detailed photo, an image with small text and a representative video. Import them with the intended option, open each result and compare what matters to you. Confirm the right files were saved before accepting any optional removal of Photos originals. Keep a recoverable backup before deleting a source you may need again.
An original in the cloud may need downloading first
Apple explains that Optimize Storage can keep full-resolution originals in iCloud and smaller copies on the device. An import may therefore need a network connection to obtain its source. This is separate from Veil’s import-quality setting. The current input limit is 100 MB per file; video optimization is not a way to import an oversized source.
Choose preservation when you are unsure
Start with Original for irreplaceable material. Use conversion for copies where you have checked the tradeoff and retained any source you still need. Neither option is a metadata-removal guarantee. A readable export and an encrypted recovery backup also serve different purposes: review where each copy will live.