When you are low on space on your iPhone, deleting photos and other unnecessary stuff is the first thing that comes to your mind, right? But when you try to delete duplicates and other files, your phone refrains you from doing that.
Do you start thinking, why is my iPhone not letting me delete photos from the Photos app? And in that case, you start looking for alternate solutions and tools that help erase images efficiently.
The article explains some of the best ways you can try to fix the problem and delete photos from the iPhone. Let’s have a look at these solutions.
Why Do You Need to Delete Photos on iPhone?
Numerous reasons demand deleting unnecessary data, including photos from the iPhone, the primary one being lack of storage space. When you are running low on gigabytes, you need to delete data that is no longer needed.
Additionally, when you have duplicate photos available on your phone, removing them is better. This helps optimize storage space and speed up sluggish iPhones. Not only phones, but you must also delete photos regularly from tablets and computers.
More often, you need to delete confidential images from the iPhone after moving them to your backup devices. This is because the photos also include other information such as location, name of the person in the photo, and details of the devices you used to capture the image. All this information is called EXIF data.
If you wish to strip EXIF data from photos, you can try professional tools for better results. Let’s now figure out the ways to fix the persisting issue on your iPhone. If you’re finding similar issues on iPad, these solutions can also help.
Sync Your iPhone to Finder or iTunes
To be able to delete pictures from the iPhone, connect the phone to the computer using a Lighting cable. On a Mac running macOS Mojave or older version, launch iTunes and then click on the iPhone icon displayed near the upper left-hand side of the app window.
On macOS Catalina or later versions, you can use the Finder app to sync and delete photos. In the Finder app, click on your iPhone name under Locations.
Then go to Photos and open Selected Albums to make the file sync process easier. Now locate the photos that you need to delete from the iPhone and deselect them. You may need to check for photos in different folders or locations.
Now, sync your iPhone again to complete the image deletion process. Check if the images you want to delete are removed from the iPhone. You may also want to know an alternate solution, as mentioned in the next step.
Turn Off iCloud Photos
If you are still wondering why my iPhone is not letting me delete photos and other data, here’s another way to fix the issue. Check if the iPhone is synced to another device and that iCloud Photo is enabled. If not, go to Settings on your iPhone, click on your name, and tap iCloud.
Next, click on Photos, and the toggle switch next to iCloud Photos is turned off. If the feature is disabled, the switch will be turned white, else green. Now you can try to remove the photos that are no longer needed on the iPhone.
Make sure to follow the instructions carefully, or else you may end up losing data. Also, ensure that you have a backup available. If not, back up your iPhone by moving data to external storage media so that you can restore data in case anything goes wrong.
Restart Your iPhone
Restarting the device is the easiest solution that helps fix any minor to major issues. If you are not able to delete images on your iPhone, restart your phone and check if it helps fix the problem.
To restart iPhones with Face ID, press and hold down the side button or the volume button until you see the slider. When the slide to power off slider appears, swipe it from left to right to turn off the iPhone. Press and hold down the slide button after a couple of seconds to turn on the device.
If you are using iPhones without Face ID, turn off your iPhone by pressing and holding down the power button. Wait till the slide to power off appears and slide it from the left to right direction to turn off your phone. Again, press and hold down the power button after a few seconds to turn on your iPhone.
Updating the iOS can also help you fix the problem. If the version of the Photos or the Camera app is not compatible with the current version of iOS, you may face issues in editing, enhancing, or deleting the photos. So, check if the latest update is available and install it to fix the issue.
With a degree in IT from Bahria University Islamabad, Hamas Sohail possesses a solid educational foundation that enhances his technical expertise. His time at the university has equipped him with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the ever-evolving field of technology. Combining his academic achievements with his gaming enthusiasm, web and mobile app development prowess, and writing abilities, Hamas continues to make a significant impact in the world of games and technology through his insightful articles and innovative creations.
