The month-by-month method
Make the job smaller: one list, a short session and a clear stopping point. Keep a separate backup of the photos you cannot lose, and check what deletion means on your device.
Start with recent photos
Recent moments are easier to remember and judge. In Swipewipe, open Recents or start with last month. You don’t have to tackle your whole library at once.
Decide photo by photo
Swipe right to keep, left to mark for deletion. If you’re unsure, keep the photo. You can return to it later.
Review before deleting
Look through the photos marked for deletion and change any choice. Nothing is removed until you confirm on the review screen.
Cross off a month
A finished month is crossed out in Swipewipe. Take a break, work backwards or choose another month you’d like to revisit.
What’s worth keeping?
When a photo is hard to judge, keep it for now. For the rest, use a few simple rules.
- Similar shots
- Choose the best one or two from a series. Swipewipe groups identical and near-identical photos in its Duplicates list.
- Screenshots
- Let go of images whose job is done, such as old directions, expired tickets or receipts you’ve already filed.
- Blurry photos
- If it’s your only photo of a moment, it may still be worth keeping. On iPhone, you can try the photo enhancer before deciding.
- Long videos
- Review recordings you won’t watch again. Long videos can take up much more space than individual photos.
- Memes and saved images
- Ask yourself whether you would look for the image again. If its purpose has passed, it may be time to remove it.
Before you delete
iCloud Photos: if it is turned on, a photo you delete on your iPhone is deleted on all your devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
Recently Deleted: on iPhone, deleted photos and videos stay in the Recently Deleted collection of the Photos app for 30 days, then they are permanently removed.
On Android: photos deleted with Swipewipe are removed from your phone for good, without a trash. A copy backed up in Google Photos stays intact.
Keep a backup of the photos you cannot lose. Recover a photo on iPhone or check recovery options on Android.
Make a little room, regularly.
Come back for a short session when it suits you. Sort recent photos while the memories are fresh, then work through each month as it ends.
For a different starting point, On This Day brings back photos taken on today’s date in past years. Revisit a memory and sort a few photos along the way.
Discover On This DayQuestions & answers
A few things worth knowing
How long does it take to clean up a camera roll?
It depends on the size of your library and how many photos you want to review. Work in short sessions and stop whenever you need to. Swipewipe saves your progress so you can pick up where you left off.
Should I delete photos that are backed up in iCloud?
With iCloud Photos turned on, deleting a photo on your iPhone also deletes it from iCloud and your other devices. Delete only the photos you do not want to keep anywhere.
Can I get a deleted photo back?
On iPhone, yes, for 30 days: deleted photos stay in the Recently Deleted collection of the Photos app. Follow the iPhone recovery steps. On Android, photos deleted with Swipewipe cannot be recovered from the phone. Check Android recovery options.