Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad

You can delete a single photo or video or delete multiple images at once. You can also recover anything you've accidentally deleted.

Before you delete

Make sure that you back up the photos and videos that you still want. When you use iCloud Photos and delete a photo or video on one device, it will be deleted on all other devices where you've signed in with the same Apple ID. Find out how to delete photos and videos in iCloud Photos.

To see how much storage you have left on your device, go to Settings > General > [Device] Storage. Learn more about managing your device photo storage.

Delete photos or videos

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

If you add photos to your iPhone or iPad by connecting your device to your computer, you can't delete them directly from your device in the Photos app. If the Bin button is grey when you try to delete a photo from your iPhone or iPad, you may need to stop syncing photos from your computer. Learn how to stop syncing photos from your computer.

In iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1 and later, you can start an iCloud Shared Photo Library Anyone can delete, add or edit items in the Shared Library. If someone else deletes a photo or video from the Shared Library, it no longer appears for you, either. Only the person who added the photo or video to the Shared Library can permanently delete or recover it from the Recently Deleted folder. You have 30 days to get a photo or video back from your Recently Deleted album.

Delete duplicate photos and videos

1. In the Photos app, tap Albums.

2. Tap the Duplicates album under Utilities.

3. Tap Merge to combine the duplicates.

4. Tap Merge [Number] Items to confirm.

When you merge duplicate photos, your phone combines the highest image quality and relevant data to keep one photo in your library. The other duplicate photos move to your Recently Deleted album.

The Duplicates album is available on iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 and later. The duplicates detection process happens automatically and may take some time.

Recover deleted photos or videos

1. Open Photos and tap the Albums tab.

2. Tap the Recently Deleted album under Utilities.

3. In iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 or later, use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock your Recently Deleted album.

4. Tap Select.

5. Select the photo or video that you want to keep and tap Recover. If you want to recover all of the photos and videos in the album, tap Recover All.

6. Tap Recover Photo to confirm.

If you accidentally delete a photo or video, you'll have 30 days to get it back from your Recently Deleted album. When you recover photos and videos, they'll appear back in your Library.

Find out what to do if you're missing a photo or video

Make the Recently Deleted album unlocked by default

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap Photos.

3. Turn off Use Face ID.

In iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 or later, Face ID or Touch ID is required to view the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums by default. If you turn off Use Face ID, the Hidden album will also be unlocked by default. Find out how to hide your photos.

Delete photos permanently

1. Open Photos and tap the Albums tab.

2. Tap the Recently Deleted album.

3. In iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 or later, use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock your Recently Deleted album.

4. Tap Select.

5. Select the photo or video that you want and tap Delete. If you want to delete all of the photos and videos in the album, tap Delete All.

6. Tap Delete Photo to confirm.

When you delete a photo from this album, you can't get it back.