Is your iPhone camera roll filled with photos you no longer need? Do you want to clear out the clutter and free up some space on your device?
If so, you may have noticed that deleting photos from your iPhone’s camera roll doesn’t necessarily remove them completely. Instead, they are moved to the “Recently Deleted” folder, where they remain for a set period of time before being permanently deleted.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of emptying the trash on your iPhone camera roll and permanently deleting those unwanted photos to reclaim storage space on your device.
How to Empty Trash on iPhone Camera
Emptying the trash on your iPhone camera is a simple process that can help you free up storage space on your device. Follow these steps to clear out the deleted photos and videos from your camera roll:
Step 1: Open the Photos App
Launch the Photos app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Access the Recently Deleted Album
Tap on the “Albums” tab at the bottom of the screen, then scroll down and select the “Recently Deleted” album.
From here, you can view all the photos and videos that have been deleted from your camera roll but are still taking up space in the “Recently Deleted” folder.
Step 3: Permanently Delete the Items
To permanently delete the items and free up space on your device, tap on “Select” in the upper right corner, then choose the photos and videos you want to remove. Finally, tap on “Delete” to erase them permanently.
Remember that items in the “Recently Deleted” album will be automatically cleared out after 30 days, so if you want to free up space immediately, make sure to empty the trash manually.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Unlock your iPhone and go to the Home screen.
- Open the Photos app by tapping on the icon.
- Tap on “Albums” at the bottom of the screen.
- Scroll down and find the “Recently Deleted” album.
- Tap on “Recently Deleted” to open the album.
- Tap on “Select” at the top right corner of the screen.
- Choose the photos or videos you want to delete permanently by tapping on them.
- After selecting the items, tap on “Delete” at the bottom right corner.
- Confirm the deletion by tapping on “Delete X Items” (X represents the number of items selected).
You have successfully emptied the trash on your iPhone camera and permanently deleted the selected photos or videos.
Clearing Deleted Photos
If you want to clear deleted photos from your iPhone camera roll, follow these steps:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
- Go to the “Albums” tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Scroll down and find the “Recently Deleted” album.
- Tap on the “Recently Deleted” album.
- You will see all the photos that have been deleted recently.
- Tap on “Select” in the top right corner.
- Choose the photos you want to permanently delete by tapping on them.
- Tap on “Delete” to remove the selected photos permanently.
Important Note:
Deleted photos will be permanently removed from your iPhone after 30 days from the “Recently Deleted” album. Make sure you want to delete them before confirming.
Managing Storage Space
One of the key aspects of maintaining your iPhone camera and keeping it running smoothly is managing your storage space effectively. Here are some tips to help you free up storage space on your device:
| 1. Delete Unwanted Photos and Videos | Regularly go through your Camera Roll and delete any photos or videos that you no longer need. This will free up valuable storage space on your device. |
| 2. Use iCloud Photo Library | Enable iCloud Photo Library to store your photos and videos in the cloud, freeing up space on your device. You can access your photos from any device with an internet connection. |
| 3. Clear Cache and Temporary Files | Apps and websites often store cache and temporary files on your device, taking up unnecessary space. Clearing these files can help free up storage space. |
| 4. Manage App Data | Check the storage usage of your apps and delete any unnecessary data or apps that are taking up a lot of space on your device. |
| 5. Offload Unused Apps | Enable the Offload Unused Apps feature on your iPhone to automatically remove apps that you rarely use but keep their data. This can help free up space while still retaining important app data. |
Deleting Multiple Items
If you want to empty the trash on your iPhone camera roll, you may need to delete multiple items at once. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Open the Photos App
Launch the Photos app on your iPhone to access your camera roll.
2. Select Multiple Items
Tap on “Select” in the top-right corner and then tap on the photos or videos you want to delete. You can select multiple items by tapping on each one individually.
You can also swipe your finger across the screen to select multiple items quickly.
3. Delete the Selected Items
Once you have selected all the items you want to delete, tap on the trash can icon in the bottom-right corner. Confirm the deletion by tapping “Delete [number] Items”.
Remember that deleted items will be moved to the Recently Deleted album and will be permanently removed after 30 days.
Recovering Deleted Media
If you accidentally deleted photos or videos from your iPhone camera roll, you may still have a chance to recover them. Here are some steps you can take:
- Check the Recently Deleted folder in the Photos app. Deleted items are stored here for up to 30 days before being permanently removed.
- Use a third-party data recovery tool specifically designed for iOS devices to scan your device for deleted media files.
- Restore from an iCloud or iTunes backup if you have one that includes the deleted photos or videos.
It’s important to act quickly to increase the chances of successful recovery. Avoid taking new photos or videos to prevent overwriting the deleted files. Keep in mind that not all deleted media can be recovered, but these steps offer the best chance of retrieving your lost photos and videos.
Automatic Deletion Settings
If you want to automatically delete photos and videos in the Recently Deleted album after a certain period of time, you can adjust the settings on your iPhone. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open Settings
Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap on Photos
Scroll down and tap on “Photos” to access the photo settings.
From here, you can select the option to “Keep Deleted Items” and choose how long you want to keep them before they are permanently removed.
By adjusting these settings, you can ensure that your Recently Deleted album stays clutter-free and doesn’t take up unnecessary storage space on your device.
Final Tips and Tricks
If you want to ensure that your iPhone camera trash is emptied regularly and efficiently, here are some final tips and tricks to keep in mind:
1. Regularly review and delete unwanted photos: Take some time every week to go through your camera roll and delete any photos or videos you no longer need. This will help you keep your storage space free and organized.
2. Use the “Recently Deleted” folder: Remember that when you delete photos from your camera roll, they are not permanently gone until you also delete them from the “Recently Deleted” folder. Be sure to empty this folder periodically to free up space.
3. Utilize iCloud Photo Library: Consider enabling iCloud Photo Library to automatically store your photos and videos in the cloud, reducing the need for local storage on your device. This can help alleviate storage concerns and keep your camera roll clutter-free.
4. Optimize iPhone storage: In your iPhone settings, you can enable the “Optimize iPhone Storage” option to automatically manage the storage of photos and videos on your device. This feature will store full-resolution photos and videos in iCloud while keeping smaller versions on your iPhone, saving space.
By following these tips and tricks, you can effectively manage and empty trash on your iPhone camera, ensuring that you always have ample storage space for capturing new memories.
