To delete trash on iPhone 13, open the Photos app and go to the Recently Deleted album under Utilities. This is where your deleted photos and videos are stored for 30 days before being permanently removed, so clearing them out is the direct way to start freeing up phone storage space.
Understanding the Trash on iPhone 13
The "trash" on your iPhone 13 is the Recently Deleted album in the Photos app. You can find it by opening Photos, tapping Collections, then scrolling to the Utilities section and tapping Recently Deleted. In iOS 16 and later, you must tap View Album and unlock with Face ID or Touch ID to see the contents. Apple keeps deleted photos and videos here for 30 days before they are permanently removed from your iPhone, iCloud, and all other devices signed into the same Apple Account.
Deleting Individual Items from Trash
If you want to know how to get to the trash on my phone and remove specific files, follow these steps:
- Open Photos, then tap Albums.
- Scroll to Recently Deleted under Utilities and tap it.
- Tap Select in the top-right corner.
- Tap each photo or video you want to permanently delete.
- Tap the Delete button (the label may also read Delete from All Devices or Delete Photos I Added depending on your iOS version).
- Tap Delete again to confirm.
Once confirmed, those items are gone forever and cannot be recovered.
Emptying the Entire Trash Folder
To remove everything in the Recently Deleted album at once and reclaim storage:
- Open Photos, tap Albums, then tap Recently Deleted under Utilities.
- Tap Select in the top-right corner.
- Tap Delete All at the bottom of the screen.
- Confirm by tapping Delete again.
Apple warns that after you delete items from Recently Deleted, you cannot get them back. All selected photos and videos are permanently erased from your iPhone, iCloud, and any other device using the same Apple Account.
What Happens After You Delete Items from the Trash
When you delete items from Recently Deleted, they are immediately and permanently removed. This action cannot be undone. If you leave items alone, they will automatically delete after 30 days. This applies to your iPhone 13, your iCloud storage, and every device signed into your Apple Account. For Google Photos users on iPhone, backed-up items go to a separate Trash that retains them for 60 days, while non-backed-up items follow a 30-day retention. On Android, Google Photos trash retention is 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover photos after emptying the Recently Deleted album?
No. Apple states that items deleted from Recently Deleted cannot be recovered. Google also confirms that items permanently deleted from Trash cannot be restored. To restore items in Google Photos, you must first empty Trash only when ready to lose recovery access.
Does this apply specifically to iPhone 13?
Yes. The steps for accessing and deleting from Recently Deleted work on iPhone 13 and all iPhones running the same version of iOS.
Is the retention period the same everywhere?
No. Apple keeps deleted photos and videos for 30 days on iPhone. Google Photos keeps them for 30 days on Android and for 60 days for backed-up items on iPhone and iPad.
Why do the button labels sometimes look different?
Apple uses varying labels depending on your iOS version. You may see Delete, Delete All, Delete from All Devices, or Delete Photos I Added as the confirmation choice. In iOS 16 and later, you must tap View Album before accessing the folder.
