iPhone Won’t Delete Photos? Here’s The Step-By-Step Fix (2024)

So you want to delete some photos from your iPhone because it is running low on storage and you want to clean up some olf stuff. However, it seems impossible to delete iPhone photos, no matter what you try. So what do you do when your iPhone won't delete photos? Here are a number of step-by-step fixes.

How Come my iPhone Won't Let Me Delete Photos?

The majority of the time, the primary reason that you cannot delete photos from your iPhone is because they are synced to another device. The only way to delete photos that have been synced to your computer using Finder or iTunes is by connecting your iPhone to the computer to which is it sycned.

If this is not the case, then it is possible that iCloud Photos has been turned on. We'll discuss how to handle both of these situations as well as a possible software issue.

iPhone Won't Delete Photos Fixes 2024

Here are a number of different step-by-step solutions to resolve the problem of the iPhone won't let me delete photos.

1. Disable Using iTunes Or Finder To Sync Your iPhone

Start by using a Lightning cable to link your iPhone to your computer. If the iPhone ask you whether you want to trust this computer, make sure you click on Trust and enter your Passcode.

If your operating system is macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or you are on a Windows machine, open iTunes on your PC or for Mac select the iPhone icon in the upper left-hand corner of the iTunes program. 

Open Finder on a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, then select your iPhone from the Locations menu.

Next, click Photos. To make this process simpler, we advise only syncing photos from Selected Albums.

Find and deselect the images you want to delete from your iPhone. To finish the process, sync your iPhone once more.

Or else, Turn Off the syncing completely as per the screenshot below.

2. Turn Off iCloud Photos

The other possiblity why iPhone won't delete photos is if iCloud backups is turned on.

Check if iCloud Photos is turned on if your iPhone won't let you delete photos and they aren't synced to another device.

To disable this, you can Tap on your name at the top of the screen to access Settings. Next, select iCloud.

Toggle the switch next to iCloud Photos off by selecting Photos from this page. When the switch is white rather than green, you'll know the feature is completely turned off.

3. Restart Your iPhone

If neither of the aforementioned fixes made the issue go away, your iPhone might be having software problems. Restarting your iPhone is our first piece of advice for a fix.

Steps For Restarting Your iPhone

On iPhones with Face ID, hold down both volume buttons and the side button until the slide to power off button appears.

Slide the power icon from left to right. Press and hold the side button to restart your iPhone after a brief delay.

When using an iPhone without Face ID, hold down the power button until the words "slide to power off" appear on the screen. To turn off your iPhone, swipe the power icon from left to right.

To turn your iPhone back on after a brief delay, press and hold the power button once more.

4. Update Your iPhone

Your iPhone's inability to delete photos may be resolved by installing the most recent iOS update.

Apple frequently releases iOS updates to address bugs, add new features and settings, and generally make your iPhone work better.

Start by opening Settings to see if an update is available. Next, select Software Update from General. In the event that there is an iOS update, tap Download & Install.

Read More: How to Split Screen on iPhone

iPhone Storage Suggestions

You can increase the storage space available in Settings. Go to Settings and select iPhone Storage under General.

Apple offers a number of suggestions for freeing up storage space, one of which is to permanently delete Recently Deleted pictures.

Read More: How To Split Screen on iPhone | Video Download Apps on iPhone

Conclusion - iPhone Won’t Delete Photos? Not Anymore!

Now that the issue has been resolved, you can delete photos from your iPhone. Share this article with your family, friends, and coworkers to show them what to do if their iPhone won't delete photos.

iPhone Won’t Delete Photos FAQs

How do I remove photos from my iPad or iPhone's Apple Photos?

If the Apple Photos app is unable to remove the photos, you should use the iCloud website. Go to icloud.com/photos to find out more. Use your Apple account to log in. Then browse via iCloud to remove any photos that you want to delete.

Why am I unable to remove pictures from the camera roll on my iPhone?

You are unable to remove picture because your iPhone is syncing your computer photos with iTunes, iCloud, your Computer or laptop or another third-party app. The Photos app's From My Mac section is where you can find the pictures you can't delete. While photos synced from your computer are stored in the From My Mac section, images taken with your iPhone are stored in the Camera Roll.

About the Author

Author: Daniel LukeWebsite: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellukepe/Email: daniel@collectiveray.com

Daniel is a web designer and developer. He has been a developer for the last 10 years working with various WordPress themes that allows him to compare and contrast different themes, understand the strengths and weaknesses to develop factual, real-world reviews. He is also a mobile app developer and technology reviewer. Over several years, he has developed his own mobile apps, both on Android and iPhone. This hands-on specialisation in mobile and web development allows him to be an authoritative voices when it comes to technology reporting.