Delete photos on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Learn how to delete photos and videos that you don't want, or get them back if you accidentally delete them.

Before you delete

Delete photos or videos

When you delete photos and videos, they go to your Recently Deleted album for 30 days. After 30 days, they'll be permanently deleted.

If you use iCloud Photos, and delete photos and videos from one device, the photos and videos will be deleted on your other devices.

If you add photos to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch by connecting your device to your computer, you can't delete them directly from your device in the Photos app. If you see the gray Trash button when you try to delete a photo from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you might need to stop syncing photos from your computer. Learn how to stop syncing photos from your computer.

How to delete a single photo

iPhone showing Delete Photo option

  1. Open Photos.
  2. From the Library tab, tap All Photos and select the photo or video that you want to delete.
  3. Tap the Trash button, then tap Delete Photo.

How to delete multiple photos

iPhone showing multiple photos selected in the Photos app

  1. Open Photos.
  2. From the Library tab, tap All Photos, then tap Select.
  3. Tap multiple photos, or slide your finger across multiple photos to select more than one.
  4. Tap the Trash button, then confirm to delete the items.

Recover deleted photos or videos

If you accidentally delete a photo or video, you have 30 days to get it back from your Recently Deleted album. When you recover photos and videos, they go back to your All Photos album. Here's how to recover deleted photos or videos:

  1. Open Photos and tap the Albums tab.
  2. Scroll down, tap the Recently Deleted album, then tap Select.
  3. Tap the photo or video that you want to keep or tap Recover All.
  4. Tap Recover again to confirm.

If you're missing a photo or video, you can try these steps to find it. Learn what to do if you're missing a photo or video.

Delete photos permanently

If you want to permanently delete your photos or videos, you can remove them from the Recently Deleted album. When you delete a photo from this album, you can't get it back. Here's how to delete photos permanently:

  1. Open Photos and tap the Albums tab.
  2. Tap the Recently Deleted album, then tap Select.
  3. Tap the photos or videos that you want to delete or tap Delete All.
  4. Tap Delete again to confirm.

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