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How to delete photos on iPhone by swiping

Go through your iPhone photos one at a time: swipe left to delete, swipe right to keep.

Short answer

Open Scrub and tap Swipe. Swipe a photo left to delete it or right to keep it, then open your Trash bin and tap Delete now. We make Scrub, an iPhone app for cleaning up your camera roll.

How to swipe through your photos

Left to delete, right to keep.

  1. Download Scrub from the App Store and open it. Let it see your photo library. There is no account to make.
  2. On the Home screen, tap Swipe.
  3. Pick which photos to go through, then tap Start session.
  4. Swipe a photo left to delete it, or right to keep it.
  5. Changed your mind? Tap Undo at the bottom right to bring back the last photo.

Choose which photos come first

One month, just your screenshots, or the biggest first.

SettingChoices
DateAll, Year, Month, Day or Range
TypeAll photos or Screenshots
OrderNewest, Biggest, Oldest or Random

Pick Biggest to start with the photos that take the most space.

Empty your Trash bin

Nothing is deleted until you say so.

Every photo you swipe left waits in your Trash bin, so you can look again before anything goes.

  1. Tap Bin at the top right.
  2. Tap any photo you want to keep. Only the ticked ones are deleted.
  3. Tap Delete now.
  4. Your iPhone asks if Scrub may delete them. Tap Delete.

Deleted photos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days. Empty Recently Deleted to get the space back now.

Quick Questions

Does swiping left delete a photo straight away?

No. It goes in your Trash bin. Nothing is deleted until you open the Trash bin and tap Delete now.

Can I undo a swipe?

Yes. Tap Undo to bring back the last photo.

Is Scrub free?

You can try it for free: 20 photos and 20 videos in your Trash bin, and 20 items in each Sweep pile. Keeping is always free. Scrub Pro unlocks unlimited cleaning.

Does Scrub upload my photos?

No. Scrub sorts your photos on your iPhone and does not upload them. It needs no account and shows no ads.

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