Recently Deleted on iPhone: where it is and how to use it

When you delete a photo on iPhone, it is not gone yet: it moves to the Recently Deleted album and stays there for about 30 days. During that time you can recover it — and it still takes up storage. Here is where to find the album and what you can do in it.

Where is Recently Deleted on iPhone?

• iOS 18 and later: open Photos and scroll down past your library and collections to Utilities → Recently Deleted.
• iOS 17 and earlier: open the Albums tab and scroll to the bottom: Utilities → Recently Deleted.

You can also type “Recently Deleted” in the Photos search.

Why it asks for Face ID

Since iOS 16, Recently Deleted and Hidden are locked by default. Tap View Album and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. You can turn the lock off in Settings → Apps → Photos → Use Face ID (on iOS 17 and earlier, Settings → Photos), but keeping it on is safer if other people use your phone.

How long photos stay there

Each item shows the number of days left before it is deleted permanently — up to 30 days, sometimes a little more. After that, iOS removes it on its own. If iCloud Photos is on, the album is shared across your devices: a photo deleted on the iPhone sits in Recently Deleted on your iPad and Mac too.

How to recover recently deleted photos

1. Open Recently Deleted and unlock it.
2. Tap Select and choose the photos and videos.
3. Tap Recover (or use the … menu, depending on iOS version) and confirm.

The photos return to your library with their original dates and albums. To bring back everything, choose Recover All.

How to delete everything from Recently Deleted

1. Open Recently Deleted and unlock it.
2. Tap Select.
3. Tap Delete All (in some iOS versions it is behind the … button) and confirm.

To delete only some items, select them and tap Delete. This step cannot be undone: there is no other trash on the iPhone, and Apple cannot restore those photos. Scroll through the album first if you are not sure.

Why storage does not free up after deleting photos

• The photos are still in Recently Deleted. Until you empty it, they count toward your storage.
• The numbers have not updated. Settings → General → iPhone Storage recalculates with a delay. Wait a few minutes or restart.
• iCloud Photos with Optimize iPhone Storage. Many photos on the phone are small previews, so deleting them frees less than you expect. They do, however, free iCloud space — see iCloud storage full.
• Other categories. Messages, messenger cache and System Data are not affected by deleting photos.

More reasons are in storage still full after deleting photos.

Delete less by accident

Recently Deleted is a safety net, but it is easier not to need it. When you clean up a large library, decide on each photo one by one rather than bulk-selecting a screen of thumbnails. In Temfy, a swipe left only marks a photo; nothing is deleted until you confirm at the end, and after that the photos still go to Recently Deleted as usual.

FAQ

Can I recover photos after deleting them from Recently Deleted?

Not on the iPhone itself. Check other copies: a computer backup, Google Photos, a shared album or a chat where you sent the photo. An iPhone backup made before the deletion contains them, but restoring it replaces all current data on the phone.

Recently Deleted is missing — why?

Make sure you scrolled to Utilities at the very bottom. If Screen Time restrictions are on, some albums may be hidden.

Do photos in Recently Deleted count toward iCloud storage?

Yes, until the album is emptied or the 30 days pass.