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Have you ever wondered why your iPhone storage is full even though you have deleted a bunch of photos? The culprit may be your recently deleted photos. When you delete photos on your iPhone, they are not permanently deleted immediately. Instead, they are moved to the "Recently Deleted" album where they will remain for a certain period of time before being permanently deleted. This can cause your iPhone storage to fill up quickly and may slow down your device’s performance.
This blog post will provide you with several methods to clear the recently deleted photos on your iPhone and free up some space on your device. We will also discuss some of the things you should prepare for before attempting to delete these photos and provide some additional tips to help optimize your iPhone’s storage.
Video Tutorial:
The Challenge of How to Clear The Recently Deleted Photos on iPhone
The challenge of clearing the recently deleted photos on your iPhone is that they are not permanently deleted when you delete them. Instead, they are moved to a separate album where they will remain for a period of 30 days before being permanently deleted. During this period, they will still take up space on your device and can slow down its performance.
Another challenge is that there is no direct way to clear the recently deleted photos on your iPhone. You cannot simply select all the photos and delete them at once. Instead, you have to go through each photo one by one and manually delete them from the "Recently Deleted" album. This can be a time-consuming process, especially if you have a large number of photos in this album.
Things You Should Prepare for
Before attempting to clear the recently deleted photos on your iPhone, there are a few things you should prepare for. First, make sure you have backed up your important photos to iCloud or another external storage device. This will ensure that you do not accidentally delete important photos that you may need in the future.
Second, it’s a good idea to review the recently deleted photos album before deleting anything. This will allow you to double-check that you are not deleting any important photos and will give you an idea of how many photos you need to delete.
Method 1: Clear Recently Deleted Photos via Photos App
Method 1 involves using the Photos app on your iPhone to clear the recently deleted photos. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the "Albums" tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Scroll down and tap the "Recently Deleted" album.
4. Tap "Select" in the upper-right corner of the screen.
5. Tap "Delete All" in the lower-left corner of the screen.
6. Confirm that you want to delete all the photos in the "Recently Deleted" album.
Pros: This method is simple and straightforward.
Cons: You have to go through each photo individually before deleting them.
Method 2: Clear Recently Deleted Photos via iCloud.com
Method 2 involves using iCloud.com to clear the recently deleted photos. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Open a web browser and go to iCloud.com.
2. Sign in using your Apple ID and password.
3. Click on "Photos" in the main menu.
4. Click on "Recently Deleted" in the sidebar on the left.
5. Click on "Select All" in the upper-right corner of the screen.
6. Click on the "Delete" button in the lower-right corner of the screen.
7. Confirm that you want to delete all the photos in the "Recently Deleted" album.
Pros: You can delete multiple photos at once.
Cons: You need an internet connection to access iCloud.com.
Method 3: Clear Recently Deleted Photos via iMyFone Umate Pro
Method 3 involves using a third-party software called iMyFone Umate Pro to clear the recently deleted photos. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Download and install iMyFone Umate Pro on your computer.
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
3. Launch iMyFone Umate Pro and click on the "Erase Deleted Files" tab.
4. Click on "Scan" to scan your iPhone for deleted photos.
5. Preview and select the photos you want to permanently delete.
6. Click on "Erase Now" to permanently delete the selected photos.
Pros: You can selectively choose which photos to permanently delete.
Cons: You need to purchase iMyFone Umate Pro to use this method.
Why Can’t I Clear The Recently Deleted Photos on My iPhone?
1. Your iPhone does not have enough free space to permanently delete the recently deleted photos. Solution: Clear up some space on your iPhone by deleting unnecessary apps or files.
2. Your iPhone is not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Solution: Connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network or turn on cellular data.
3. The "Recently Deleted" album is not visible in the Photos app. Solution: Make sure the "Recently Deleted" album is turned on in the Photos app settings.
Additional Tips
1. Regularly delete unnecessary photos and videos to free up space on your iPhone.
2. Use the "Optimize iPhone Storage" feature to reduce the amount of space your photos and videos take up on your device.
3. Use a third-party app like Gemini Photos to easily find and delete duplicate photos on your iPhone.
5 FAQs about Clearing Recently Deleted Photos on iPhone
Q1: Will permanently deleting my recently deleted photos affect my iCloud backup?
A: No. Permanently deleting your recently deleted photos will not affect your iCloud backup.
Q2: Can I recover photos that I have permanently deleted from the "Recently Deleted" album?
A: No. Permanently deleting photos from the "Recently Deleted" album means that they are gone forever and cannot be recovered.
Q3: How long do photos stay in the "Recently Deleted" album?
A: Photos stay in the "Recently Deleted" album for 30 days before being permanently deleted.
Q4: Why are my recently deleted photos taking up space on my iPhone?
A: Recently deleted photos are not permanently deleted immediately. Instead, they are moved to the "Recently Deleted" album where they will remain for a period of 30 days before being permanently deleted. During this period, they will still take up space on your device and can slow down its performance.
Q5: Is it safe to use a third-party app to clear recently deleted photos on my iPhone?
A: It depends on the app. Make sure to read reviews and research the app before downloading and using it on your iPhone.
In Conclusion
Clearing the recently deleted photos on your iPhone can help free up some space and improve your device’s performance. By following the methods outlined in this blog post, you can easily delete the photos in the "Recently Deleted" album and optimize your iPhone’s storage. Remember to review the album before deleting anything and to back up your important photos before attempting to delete anything.