Delete or hide photos and videos on iPhone
In the Photos app , you can delete photos and videos from your iPhone or hide them in the Hidden album. You can also recover photos you recently deleted. Photos you delete and hide are saved in the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums, which you unlock using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
When you use iCloud Photos on iPhone, any photos you delete or hide are deleted or hidden on all your devices.
Delete or hide a photo or video
Tap a photo or video, then do either of the following:
Delete: Tap
to delete a photo from your iPhone and other devices using the same iCloud Photos account.
Deleted photos and videos are kept in the Recently Deleted album for 30 days, where you can recover or permanently remove them from all devices.
Hide: Tap
, then tap Hide.
Hidden photos are moved to the Hidden album. You can’t view them anywhere else.
To turn off the Hidden album so it doesn’t appear in Albums, go to Settings
> Photos, then turn off Show Hidden Album.
Tip: If you accidentally delete or hide a photo or video, shake your iPhone (within 8 minutes), then tap Undo Delete or Undo Hide.
Delete or hide multiple photos and videos
While viewing photos in an album or in the Days or All Photos view in your library, do either of the following:
Delete: Tap Select, tap or drag your finger on the screen to select the items you want to delete, then tap
.
Hide: Tap Select, tap or drag your finger on the screen to select the items you want to hide, tap
, then tap Hide.
Unhide photos
You can unhide a photo you previously hid, and it will reappear in your photo library.
Open the Photos app
on your iPhone.
Tap Albums, then tap Hidden (below Utilities).
Tap the photo you want to unhide.
Tap
, then tap Unhide.
Recover or permanently delete deleted photos
To recover deleted photos, or to permanently delete them, do the following:
Open the Photos app
on your iPhone.
Tap Albums, swipe up, then tap Recently Deleted (below Utilities).
Tap Select, then choose the photos and videos you want to recover or delete.
Tap
at the bottom of the screen, then tap Recover or Delete.
Lock and unlock the Recently Deleted and Hidden albums
The Recently Deleted and Hidden albums are locked by default. You unlock these albums using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
To change the default setting from locked to unlocked, go to Settings > Photos, then turn off Use Face ID, Use Touch ID, or Use Passcode.