Managing photo storage on iPhones feels easy for those who know how to delete photos and videos well. Whether clearing space or organizing, the process stays simple. Follow these steps to delete single or multiple items permanently.

Before Deleting Photos

How to Permanently Delete Photos on iPhone

Always copy important pictures first. Using iCloud Photos? Deleting one picture removes it from linked Apple devices. Want to avoid losing data? Keep key images safe in another place.

To check free space, go to Settings. Look under General. Then check [Device] Storage.

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Steps to Delete Photos or Videos

After deletion, photos go to the Recently Deleted album. They stay there for 30 days. After that time, they vanish completely. Want to delete a picture?

Deleting One Photo

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Pick the photo or video to remove.
3. Tap the Trash icon. Then confirm by hitting Delete Photo.

Deleting Many Photos

1. Open the Photos app again.
2. Tap Select. Pick several photos or tap and drag to grab many pictures.
3. Tap the Trash icon. Confirm the deletion.

Handling Synced Photos from PC

Photos synced from a computer need a different approach. Can't tap the Trash icon to delete them? The problem probably comes from syncing. Stop syncing to gain control over these pictures again.

‍Getting Rid of Duplicate Photos and Videos

iOS 16.1 and newer versions give an easier way to handle duplicates in the Duplicates album under Utilities. Here's how to combine or remove repeated images

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Scroll down and tap Duplicates under Utilities.
3. Tap Merge to put duplicate photos or videos together, then confirm the action.

When duplicates get combined, the best-quality image stays, and the others move to the Recently Deleted album.

Bringing Back Deleted Photos or Videos

Accidentally delete something? There are 30 days to restore it from the Recently Deleted album. To get back a photo or video:

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Swipe up and tap Recently Deleted under Utilities.
3. If needed, unlock the album with Face ID or Touch ID.
4. Pick the items to bring back and tap Recover, or hit Recover All to restore everything.

Getting Rid of Photos for Good

Need space quicker or want to delete certain photos forever? Take them out of the Recently Deleted album

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Go into the Recently Deleted album.
3. Pick the photos or videos you want gone.
4. Tap the More icon, then pick Delete. Delete All works on everything inside.
5. Confirm by tapping Delete Photo.

Photos deleted for good are gone forever.

Accessing Recently Deleted Albums

On iOS 16.1 and newer, Face ID or Touch ID gets used by default to open Hidden and Recently Deleted albums. Don't want these features?

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps, then Photos.
3. Turn off Use Face ID to stop unlocking these albums by default.

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