How to delete all photos from iPhone safely starts with one question: do you want the photos gone everywhere, or only removed from this iPhone? That distinction matters because iCloud Photos works like a mirror. Delete something on one synced device, and the deletion follows it to the others.
Once you know which result you want, clearing the library is straightforward. The iPhone itself works well for smaller libraries, while a computer is usually the easier route when thousands of photos are involved.
1. Before You Delete: Check Your iCloud Photos Setting
Before touching the trash button, check whether your photo library is syncing with iCloud.
Go to:
Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos
Then look at Sync this iPhone.
If it is turned on, photos you delete in the Photos app are also deleted from iCloud and other devices using the same synced library. They remain recoverable in Recently Deleted for 30 days unless you erase them permanently first.
So choose the path that matches your goal:
- Want the photos deleted everywhere? Leave Sync this iPhone on and continue with the deletion steps below.
- Want to clear this iPhone but keep the photos in iCloud? First make sure the library has finished syncing. Then turn off Sync this iPhone and choose Remove from iPhone when prompted. This removes the synced copies from that device without deleting the iCloud library.
- Want to keep certain photos permanently? Save another copy somewhere outside the synced iCloud Photos library before deleting.
That last point is worth remembering: iCloud Photos is mainly a syncing service, not a safety net against intentional deletion.
2. How to Delete All Photos From iPhone
The main Photos library still does not offer a simple Select All button. Apple does, however, let you drag across thumbnails to select many photos quickly.
- Open the Photos app and display your main photo library
- Tap Select
- Touch one photo, then slide your finger across nearby thumbnails
- Keep dragging toward the top of the screen to continue selecting as the library scrolls
- When everything you want is selected, tap the Trash button
- Confirm the deletion
Apple officially documents tapping Select and sliding your finger across multiple photos.
You may also see online tips that involve holding one finger on the selection while tapping the top of the screen with another finger to jump through the library.
That shortcut has worked for some users, but it is a community workaround rather than an Apple-documented feature. For a library with thousands of items, a computer is usually less fiddly.
>>> Read more: How to Check iPhone Storage in Seconds: Simple Guide
3. Permanently Erase Deleted Photos
Tapping Delete is only half the job. Your photos move into Recently Deleted, where Apple keeps them for up to 30 days before removing them permanently.
If the goal is to clear the space immediately:
- Open Photos
- Tap Collections
- Scroll to Utilities and open Recently Deleted
- Tap View Album and unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode
- Tap Select
- Open the More menu and choose Delete All
- Confirm the permanent deletion
Once photos are removed from Recently Deleted, they cannot be recovered through Photos. If iCloud Photos is active, the permanent deletion applies to the synced library as well.
With that cleanup finished, the storage can finally be reclaimed instead of sitting in a 30-day waiting room.
4. Deleting Thousands of Photos? A Computer May Be Faster
Dragging through a few hundred photos is manageable. Dragging through 10,000 can feel like mowing a football field with scissors.
For a very large library, move to a bigger screen.
Use a Mac
If the Mac and iPhone both use the same iCloud Photos library, open Photos on the Mac, select the library, and use Command-A to select everything. Deleting there also deletes those photos from the synced iPhone and iCloud library.
This is different from simply plugging an iPhone into a Mac. If the photos were manually synced from the Mac through Finder, they are controlled by that sync relationship rather than by the iPhone’s normal Delete button.
Use iCloud.com
If iCloud Photos is enabled, iCloud.com is often the cleanest bulk option.
Open Photos on iCloud.com from a computer, then use Command-A on a Mac or Control-A on Windows to select all available photos before deleting them. Apple documents these Select All shortcuts for iCloud Photos.
The same warning still applies: deleting from iCloud.com removes the photos from devices that have iCloud Photos turned on.
5. If Photos Still Take Up Space or Reappear?
If the library looks empty but storage has barely moved, Recently Deleted is the first place to check.
| Issue | What It Means | Quick Fix |
| Storage is still high | Photos remain in Recently Deleted | Permanently clear Recently Deleted |
| Trash button is unavailable | Photos were manually synced from a computer | Remove them through Finder on Mac or Apple Devices on Windows |
| Photos still appear on another Apple device | iCloud Photos may be off on that device or syncing has not finished | Check its iCloud Photos sync status |
| Images remain elsewhere | Copies may exist in Files, Messages, or other apps | Remove those separately |
One thing you generally do not need to do is delete the same iCloud photo manually from every synced device. When iCloud Photos is working normally, the first deletion is supposed to travel with the library.
>>> Read more: How to Turn Off Find My iPhone: Step-by-Step Guide
6. FAQ
Q1. Can you delete all photos at once on an iPhone?
The main iPhone Photos library does not have a dedicated Select All button. You can drag across thumbnails to select many photos quickly, or use iCloud.com on a computer for an easier Select All option when iCloud Photos is enabled.
Q2. How do I delete 10,000 photos from my iPhone?
For a library that large, using iCloud.com or a synced Mac is usually faster than dragging through the iPhone library. If iCloud Photos is active, remember that deleting there also removes the photos from your other synced devices.
Q3. Is there a way to select all photos at once on iPhone?
Not from the main Photos library with one button. Some albums and utilities offer Select All, but the main library requires manual multi-selection. For true bulk selection, a computer is usually the easier option.
Conclusion
Knowing how to delete all photos from iPhone is less about finding the fastest trash button and more about deciding where those photos should disappear from. With iCloud Photos turned on, the library moves as one, so deleting on the iPhone can also mean deleting from iCloud, a Mac, and an iPad.
Once that relationship is clear, the rest becomes much simpler. Use the iPhone for manageable batches, move to a computer for a mountain of photos, and clear Recently Deleted only when you’re sure nothing needs a second chance.
