How Do I Erase Photos From My iPhone?

Deleting photos from your iPhone is a simple process, whether you want to remove a single picture or erase multiple images at once. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for deleting photos from your iPhone, recovering deleted photos, and permanently erasing images. We’ll also cover how to manage your photo storage and deal with duplicates.

Deleting Photos: Step-by-Step Guide

Erasing Single Photos

iPhone showing Delete Photo option

1. Open the Photos app: Locate and tap the Photos icon on your iPhone’s home screen.
2. Select the photo: Tap the photo you wish to delete to view it in full screen.
3. Tap the Trash button: In the bottom right corner of the screen, tap the trash can icon.
4. Confirm deletion: Tap “Delete Photo” to confirm you want to remove the image.

Deleting Multiple Photos

iPhone showing multiple photos selected in the Photos app

1. Open the Photos app: Access the Photos app from your home screen.
2. Tap “Select”: In the top right corner, tap the “Select” button.
3. Choose your photos: Tap each photo you want to delete. Alternatively, drag your finger across multiple photos to select them quickly.
4. Tap the Trash button: Once you’ve selected all the photos you want to remove, tap the trash can icon.
5. Confirm deletion: Confirm the deletion by tapping “Delete [Number] Photos.”

Recovering Deleted Photos

Deleted photos aren’t immediately erased from your iPhone. They’re moved to the “Recently Deleted” album for 30 days, allowing you to recover them if needed.

1. Open the Photos app: Launch the Photos app.
2. Go to “Recently Deleted”: Scroll down to the “Utilities” section and tap “Recently Deleted.”
3. Unlock the Album (if needed): On iOS 16 and later, you might need to use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock this album.
4. Select Photos: Tap “Select” and choose the photo(s) you wish to recover.
5. Tap “Recover”: Tap the “Recover” button at the bottom of the screen. To recover all photos, tap “Recover All”.

Permanently Deleting Photos

To permanently delete photos from your iPhone, you need to remove them from the “Recently Deleted” album.

1. Open “Recently Deleted”: Follow steps 1-3 from the “Recovering Deleted Photos” section.
2. Select Photos for Deletion: Choose the pictures you want to erase permanently.
3. Tap “Delete”: Tap the “Delete” button. Confirm you want to permanently delete the images by tapping “Delete All” or “Delete [Number] Photos.”

Managing Storage and Duplicates

Check Your Storage: Go to Settings > General > [Your Device] Storage to see how much space you have left.

Delete Duplicates:

1. Open Photos: Launch the Photos app.
2. Find Duplicates: Scroll to “Utilities” and tap “Duplicates.”
3. Merge or Select: Tap “Merge” to combine duplicates or tap “Select” to choose specific sets of duplicates to merge. You can also “Select All”.
4. Confirm Merge: Tap “Merge [Number] Items” to confirm.

Before You Delete…

• Back Up Your Photos: It’s crucial to back up your important photos and videos before deleting anything. Use iCloud Photos, iTunes, or another backup method to ensure you don’t lose any precious memories. Remember, deleting photos from an iCloud-synced device will remove them from all your devices using the same Apple ID.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage and erase photos from your iPhone, ensuring you keep only the images you need and free up valuable storage space.