{"id":54626,"date":"2026-05-14T09:56:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T09:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=54626"},"modified":"2026-05-14T09:56:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T09:56:46","slug":"how-to-mass-delete-photos-from-iphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/mass-delete-photos-from-iphone.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Mass Delete Photos from iPhone"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re like me, your iPhone’s photo library probably resembles a digital junk drawer – pictures of friends and family mixed with random screenshots and saved memes. Not only is an unorganized photo library a pain to use, but it also takes up an unnecessarily large amount of storage space. Fortunately, it takes just a short while to learn how to mass delete photos from iPhone, and in this guide, I’ll walk you through five proven methods to get it done.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>Is There a Way to Delete Multiple Photos on an iPhone at Once?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

✅ Yes, there are ways to delete multiple photos at once on iPhone, including native basic bulk deletion options in the Photos app.<\/b><\/p>\r\n

The only problem is that Apple has kept things nice and simple, so the native features are objectively limited when dealing with large photo collections, lacking truly efficient methods to delete a lot of photos at once on iPhone when you’re trying to clear significant space or organize your way out of a terrible mess.<\/p>\r\n

While numerous changes and improvements to the Photos app have been introduced in iOS 16, iOS 17, iOS 18, and now iOS 26, the core photo management functionality still hasn\u2019t changed dramatically in this regard. This is why I\u2019ve compiled several alternative approaches to help you reclaim storage space more efficiently and tested them on iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and iPhone 17 models (they should also work perfectly fine on any modern iPad):<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  1. The native Photos app selection tool<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Third-party apps designed specifically for photo management<\/a> ✨<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Custom Shortcuts to automate deletion of specific types of photos<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. iCloud and sync options to delete multiple pictures on iPhone but manage them elsewhere<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Mass deleting photos from iPhone on a computer<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Each method has its own advantages depending on your specific needs, so it’s best to familiarize yourself with all of them so that you can combine them when cleaning junk image (and other) files<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

    <\/span>How to Delete Multiple Pictures on iPhone<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

    Now let’s explore the practical methods to clean up your iPhone photo library. This section will offer step-by-step instructions for each approach, making it easy for you to put it to put them all to good use on your own device.<\/p>\r\n

    <\/span>Method 1:<\/span> Delete Photos Manually from the Photos App<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n

    The most straightforward way to delete multiple photos at once on an iPhone is by using the built-in Photos app. I’ve been using this method ever since I became an iPhone user (how long ago was that?), and while it isn’t the most efficient for massive libraries, it’s perfect for regular maintenance.<\/p>\r\n

    Follow these steps to bulk delete photos in the Photos app:<\/b><\/p>\r\n

      \r\n\t
    1. Open the Photos<\/b> app on your device (look for the multicolored flower icon on your home screen).<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. You should see your entire library. If you would like to see only a specific media type, such as screenshots, or a single album, then you switch to the Collections<\/b> tab and select it in the Media Types<\/b> and Albums<\/b> sections, respectively.\"Open<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Tap the Select<\/b> button in the top-right corner and select the images you want to delete by tapping them. You can also tap and drag without releasing your finger to select a large number of consecutive images quickly. If you happen to be in an album, then a Select All<\/b> button becomes visible when you tap the Select<\/b> button.\"Tap<\/li>\r\n\t
    4. Once you’ve made your selection, you can tap the Trash<\/b> icon in the bottom-right corner.\"Tap<\/li>\r\n\t
    5. A confirmation dialog will ask if you’re sure – tap Delete<\/b> to confirm.\"Confirm<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

      Your photos aren’t completely gone yet! They’re moved to the “Recently Deleted” album, where they’ll stay for 30 days before being permanently removed. To delete a lot of photos at once on your iPhone and free up space immediately, go to Utilities \u2192 Recently Deleted \u2192 Select<\/b> (top right) \u2192 Three dots<\/b> \u2192 Delete<\/b>.<\/p>\r\n

      \"Delete<\/p>\r\n

      By the way, if you’re trying to mass delete photos by deleting an entire Album \u2013 it’s not gonna work. Because albums in iOS are essentially just collections of references to your photos, not the actual photos themselves. When you delete an album, you’re only removing the organizational structure, not the photos within it, so don’t be surprised when those photos remain in your library even after you’ve deleted the album they were in!<\/p>\r\n

      💡 Pro Tip<\/b>: The Photos app’s search function can be really helpful when trying to locate specific types of photos. Try typing “screenshot,” “sunset,” or “document” into the search bar to quickly find and bulk delete specific categories of images. You’ll be amazed at how accurately iOS can categorize your photos!<\/div>\r\n

      <\/span>Method 2:<\/span> Remove Photos Using a Third-Party Cleaner App<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n

      While the built-in Photos app works for basic cleanup, the best iPhone cleaner apps<\/a> can dramatically improve the efficiency of managing your photo library. After testing many photo management solutions, Clever Cleaner has emerged as my favorite because:<\/b><\/p>\r\n