Why is my storage still full after deleting photos?

Deleted photos move to the Recently Deleted album and keep using storage for 30 days, or until you empty that album. To get the space back now, open Recently Deleted in the Photos app and delete the items for good. Check first, because you can't restore them after that.

What takes up the most space in my photo library?

Videos usually take the most space per item, especially long clips at high resolution. After that, the biggest totals tend to come from many near-identical photos and Live Photos. Screenshots are small individually. Sorting by Media Types in the Photos app shows you how much of each type you have.

Do I need an app to free up photo storage?

No. Everything in the first half of this guide uses tools built into your device, including merging duplicates, deleting videos and emptying Recently Deleted. A cleaner app saves time on the jobs that are slow by hand, such as sorting through bursts or converting Live Photos in bulk.

How to free up photo storage on iPhone and iPad

By the VinciPhoto team. Updated November 4, 2026.

The short answer: check what’s using the space, merge duplicates, delete the videos you don’t need, clear near-identical shots and screenshots, convert Live Photos you don’t need moving, then empty Recently Deleted. The space doesn’t come back until that last step.

1. See how much space your photos use

Go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage (or iPad Storage), and tap Photos. This gives you a starting number, so you can tell whether each step helped.

2. Merge exact duplicates with the built-in tool

In the Photos app, look under Utilities for Duplicates. Tap Merge to combine a set. Apple says it identifies duplicates in your library so you can merge them to save space. It’s free and quick. If you don’t see the collection, it may not have finished indexing your library, or there may be no duplicates to show.

3. Delete the videos you don’t need

A single long video can take more space than hundreds of photos. In Photos, open Videos under Media Types and start with long clips you’ll never rewatch. To see how much a minute of video takes in each format, go to Settings, then Camera, then Record Video.

4. Clear near-identical photos

Bursts and retakes are often the largest source of clutter, and they’re slow to sort by hand because you have to compare shots to choose one. The Duplicates album generally won’t help here, since these are different photos (here’s why). VinciPhoto groups these shots and suggests the best one.

5. Delete old screenshots

In Photos, open Screenshots under Media Types, tap Select, and drag across the ones you want to remove. VinciPhoto can also list them by date and select them all at once. Check for receipts and tickets you still need first.

6. Convert Live Photos you don’t need moving

Each Live Photo includes a short video clip. Converting one keeps the picture and removes the clip. You can do this with VinciPhoto, which shows the savings for each photo. To take fewer in the future, turn off the Live Photos button in the Camera app.

7. Empty Recently Deleted

This is the step people miss. Deleted items stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days and still use storage. Open the album under Utilities in Photos, review it, and delete the items for good when you’re sure.

How to keep your library under control

Delete extra shots soon after you take them, while you remember which one you wanted.
Remove screenshots once you’ve finished with them.
Spend a few minutes a month going through new photos. VinciPhoto’s swipe mode lets you review your library by month.

VinciPhoto is free to download, and its scan is never limited, so you can see how much space you could reclaim before you decide anything. Get VinciPhoto on the App Store.