The fastest way to delete many photos at once

Open the Photos app and tap Select in the top right corner of the Photos or Albums tab. Then tap each photo you want to remove — a checkmark appears on each one you choose. Once you've selected all the photos you want gone, tap Delete in the bottom right, then confirm by tapping Delete [number] Photos. The whole process takes seconds and works the same way on all iPhone models.

If you want to delete a range of photos taken on the same day or in the same album, you can select the first one, then hold Shift and tap the last one in the range. iPhone selects everything between them automatically. This saves time when you're clearing out a batch of similar shots.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap Select in the Photos app, then tap each photo you want to delete, then tap Delete in the bottom right corner.
  • Use Shift+tap to select a range of photos at once instead of tapping each one individually.
  • Deleted photos move to the Recently Deleted album for 30 days before they disappear permanently from your iPhone.
  • You can recover deleted photos within 30 days by opening Recently Deleted, tapping Select, choosing the photos, and tapping Recover.

Selecting photos one at a time

Open the Photos app and navigate to the album or view where your photos are stored. Tap the word Select in the top right corner — it appears next to the search icon. Your photos now have empty circles next to them, ready to be tapped.

Tap the circle next to each photo you want to delete. A blue checkmark fills the circle when you select it. You can scroll through and keep tapping as many as you need. The number of selected photos appears at the bottom of the screen, so you always know how many you've chosen.

Using Shift to select a range quickly

If you have a long row of similar photos — like multiple shots from the same moment or a burst of photos — you can select them all at once. Tap Select first, then tap the first photo in the group you want to delete.

Now hold down Shift on your keyboard (if you're using an external keyboard) or simply hold your finger on the last photo in the range you want. iPhone highlights all the photos between your first tap and your second tap with blue checkmarks. This method works best when the photos you want to delete are grouped together in your library.

Confirming and completing the deletion

Once you've selected all the photos you want to remove, look at the bottom right corner of your screen. You'll see a Delete button. Tap it, and a confirmation message appears asking "Delete [number] Photos?" Tap Delete Photos to confirm.

The photos don't vanish from your iPhone immediately. Instead, they move to the Recently Deleted album, which you can find in the Albums tab at the bottom of the Photos app. They stay there for 30 days, giving you time to change your mind. After 30 days, they're permanently removed and cannot be recovered.

Recovering photos you deleted by mistake

If you deleted photos and want them back, open the Photos app and go to the Albums tab at the bottom. Scroll down and tap Recently Deleted. You'll see all the photos and videos you've removed in the past 30 days, with a count showing how many days remain before they're gone for good.

Tap Select in the top right, then tap the photos you want to bring back. Once you've chosen them, tap Recover in the bottom right corner. The photos return to their original albums immediately. If you want to recover everything in Recently Deleted at once, tap Select, then tap Recover All.

Deleting photos from specific albums or views

The same selection method works whether you're in the Photos tab (which shows all your photos), a specific album, or a view like Favorites or Screenshots. Navigate to wherever your photos are, tap Select, choose the ones you want to remove, and tap Delete.

One thing to remember: deleting a photo from an album doesn't remove it from your iPhone entirely. It only removes it from that album. The photo still exists in the Photos tab and in Recently Deleted after you delete it. If you want to permanently remove a photo from your iPhone, you need to delete it from the Photos tab or from Recently Deleted after 30 days have passed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo a deletion right after I delete photos?

Not with an undo button, but you can recover the photos immediately by going to Recently Deleted and tapping Recover. They return to their original albums right away. You have 30 days to recover them before they're permanently gone.

What's the difference between deleting from an album and deleting from Photos?

Deleting from an album only removes the photo from that specific album — the photo stays on your iPhone. Deleting from the Photos tab removes it from your library and sends it to Recently Deleted. To truly remove a photo from your iPhone, delete it from Photos or wait 30 days after it's in Recently Deleted.

Do deleted photos take up storage space while they're in Recently Deleted?

Yes, they do. Photos in Recently Deleted still count toward your iPhone's storage until the 30 days are up and they're permanently removed. If you need storage space immediately, you can empty Recently Deleted manually by opening it, tapping Select, and tapping Delete All.

Can I select photos across different albums at the same time?

No, the selection tool only works within one album or view at a time. If you need to delete photos from multiple albums, you'll need to go to each album separately and delete them one album at a time.