You can delete Facebook photos one at a time, in batches, or by removing entire albums

Facebook stores your photos in albums — either ones you created yourself or automatic collections like "Profile Pictures" and "Cover Photos". To remove a photo, you go into that album, select the image, and choose delete. The photo disappears from your profile, from your friends' feeds, and from Facebook's servers, though it may remain in backups for a short time. You cannot delete photos that someone else posted of you without their permission, but you can untag yourself or ask the person who posted it to take it down.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using Facebook on a computer or phone, and whether you want to remove one photo, several at once, or an entire album. The process takes a few minutes either way.

Key Takeaways

  • Photos you posted yourself can be deleted from your profile, timeline, or albums at any time, and the deletion is permanent.
  • Photos someone else posted of you cannot be deleted by you, but you can untag yourself or message the person and ask them to remove it.
  • Deleting a photo removes it from your profile and from your friends' feeds, though Facebook may keep copies in backup systems for a limited time.
  • You can delete photos one at a time or select multiple photos in an album and remove them together.

How to delete a single photo on a computer

Open Facebook in a web browser and go to your profile by clicking your name in the top left. Click the "Photos" section, then select the album where the photo is stored. Click the photo to open it in full view. In the top right corner, you will see three dots or a menu icon — click it and select "Delete Photo" from the dropdown. Facebook will ask you to confirm the deletion. Click "Delete" again, and the photo is gone.

If the photo is on your timeline rather than in an album, you can also hover over it directly on your timeline, click the three dots that appear, and select delete from there. Either method removes the photo permanently.

How to delete photos on your phone

Open the Facebook app and tap your profile icon at the bottom right. Tap "Photos" and select the album containing the photo you want to remove. Tap the photo to open it. At the top right, tap the three dots and select "Delete Photo". Confirm the deletion by tapping "Delete" again.

On iPhone, you may see a trash icon instead of a menu. Tap that icon and confirm. The process is the same on Android — find the menu icon, tap it, and select delete.

How to delete multiple photos at once

If you want to remove several photos from the same album, you can select them together rather than deleting one by one. On a computer, open the album, then look for a "Select" button or checkbox option near the top. Click it to enter selection mode. Now click the checkbox next to each photo you want to delete. Once you have selected all the photos, look for a "Delete" button that appears at the bottom or top of the screen. Click it and confirm.

On your phone, open the album and look for an edit or select option — this is usually represented by three dots or a menu icon at the top. Tap it and select "Select Photos" or similar. Tap each photo you want to remove, then tap the delete or trash icon. Confirm the deletion.

How to delete an entire album

To remove an album and all the photos in it at once, go to your profile and open the "Photos" section. Find the album you want to delete and click on it. Look for the three dots menu at the top right of the album page. Select "Delete Album" from the menu. Facebook will warn you that this action cannot be undone and will remove all photos in that album. Click "Delete" to confirm.

Note that you cannot delete Facebook's automatic albums like "Profile Pictures" or "Cover Photos" — you can only delete individual photos from those albums. You can only delete albums you created yourself.

What happens when you delete a photo

Once you delete a photo, it no longer appears on your profile, in your timeline, or in your friends' feeds. Comments and reactions on that photo disappear as well. The photo is removed from any tags or mentions. However, Facebook may retain copies of deleted photos in its backup systems for a limited period before permanently removing them.

If you change your mind shortly after deleting a photo, there is no undo button — the deletion is permanent from your perspective. You would need to re-upload the photo if you want it back on your profile.

How to handle photos someone else posted of you

If another person posted a photo of you on Facebook, you cannot delete it yourself. However, you have two options. First, you can untag yourself from the photo — this removes your name from it and stops it from appearing on your profile, though the photo remains on the other person's profile. To untag yourself, click on the photo, look for your name or tag, and select "Remove Tag".

Second, you can message the person who posted the photo and ask them to take it down. If they refuse and the photo violates Facebook's policies — for example, if it is explicit or harassing — you can report it to Facebook. Click the three dots on the photo and select "Report Photo". Facebook will review it and may remove it if it breaks their rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a photo after I delete it?

No. Once you delete a photo from Facebook, it is gone from your profile permanently. Facebook does not have a recovery or trash folder for deleted photos. If you want the photo back, you will need to re-upload it from your device or computer.

Does deleting a photo remove it from other people's devices?

Deleting a photo from Facebook removes it from the platform, but anyone who downloaded or screenshot it before you deleted it will still have a copy on their device. Facebook cannot remove files from other people's phones or computers.

What if I delete a photo but someone tagged me in it?

If you posted the photo, you can delete it even if others tagged themselves in it. The photo and all tags disappear. If someone else posted the photo and tagged you, you can only untag yourself — you cannot delete the photo itself.

Can I delete photos from a Facebook album I created years ago?

Yes. You can delete photos from any album you created, no matter how old they are. Open the album, select the photos, and delete them using the same steps as current photos.

If I delete my profile picture, what shows on my profile?

If you delete your profile picture, Facebook displays a generic silhouette or default avatar in its place. Your profile remains active — only the picture changes. You can upload a new profile picture at any time.