Apple does not allow iPhone user to delete photo album library on their iPhone. In order to delete the whole photo album, you need to sync iPhone with iTunes. This process is same as creating photo album on iPhone. There is no shortcut or simpler way to achieve that unless you install a separate app which store all the photo album inside the app itself. This is mean that all the created photo album is accessible only within the app. You will not be able to view it on iPhone default photo library.
Removing existing photo album on your iPhone is very easy. What you need to do is to follow the instructions below.
- Plug-in your USB cable.
- Wait for iTunes software to open automatically by itself.
- Click on your device. I name my device as “Alvin’s iPhone”.
- Now, click on the “Photos” tab.
- You will see something as below. Make sure you have sync and create new photo album on your iPhone before. Check the selected Photo folder on your computer.
- Open the sync photo directory on your computer(if you have forget, just click “Choose Folder” and it will prompt you the location). Delete all the custom made photo folder on your computer(don’t remove “iPhone/iPod Photo Cache” folder).
- Click on “Apply” button at the bottom right corner to start syncing your iPhone.
- All the deleted photo albums on your computer just now are affected on your iPhone. What you have delete on you computer will be deleted on iPhone also.
Article by Alvin Lim Fong Yee
has written 661 articles on Limfy.com
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{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Alvin,
I’ve tried your detailed steps posted at http://www.limfy.com/2010/10/how-to-remove-or-delete-photo-album-on-iphone/, but unfortunately have not been successful in removing my extra albums. Here’s my scenario:
In my iPhone4′s Photos app, there are now 5 albums:
a) Camera Roll – this is where all photos taken are automatically stored. I can delete photos here from the iPhone directly, or from my computer once I’ve plugged in.
b) Photo Library – icon for this album is a sunflower, which is the same as the Photos app on my iPhone4 main screen.
c) Folder 3
d) Folder 4
e) Folder 5
Folder 3-5 are ones I’d created on my computer (PC, not Mac), filled with some photos, and synced with via iTunes. If I delete any photos or the entire folder, these will be updated accordingly on my iPhone upon syncing. For example, if I delete the entire “Folder 3″ folder in my PC, then sync again via iTunes, I will then only have 4 albums in my Photos app.
However, there isn’t a folder/sub-folder named “Photo Library” anywhere in the parent folder that I sync my iPhone with for photos. Why is this there, and is there anyway to delete this particular “Photo Library” album??
Hi Justin.
Unfortunately, there is no way to delete “Photo Library” album. I have tried with other software but the result remain the same. Hope Apple will make it simple in the next iOS release
Hi i have just deleted a album that i wanted to get rid of, as u helped me out alot
but as i deleted that album i deleted the photo library as well and have no idea how to get it back could u please help me?
Okay so, what do I do?
My problem is, a few days ago, I deleted the “iPhone Photo Cache” and all the photo folders that I synced on my iPhone because I didn’t know that it was of relevance. Now, I need to delete one of my folders.
I do NOT understand the steps. I HAVE already deleted all my custom-made folders but without syncing– I deleted them a few days before, as stated above. So, how exactly do I delete it now that I deleted the “iPhone Photo Cache” and the custom-made folders?
Please answer, this irrelevant photo album that I need to delete is taking up so much space. I have only have so many space.
Hi Ymille. “iPhone Photo Cache” cannot delete. If you do so, iTunes is unable to find back the photos information.
I suggest you copy all the custom albums on iPhones into Camera Roll. Then transfer these photos back to computer where you delete “iPhone Photo Cache”. Make sure the all the albums on you computer before hit sync. Those album you want to delete just don’t copy to computer.
Now, your photo sync directory on computer is exactly what you see on iPhone. Let say your sync directory is “My Pictures”. All the photos and albums you want to copy to iPhone must be here. Remove those you don’t want. Hit sync button and iPhone will remove what folders you have remove in computer.
Is it what you want?
my iphone is not detecting in itunes
when i connect to itunes there is a message coming
like go to factory settings
please give me a good sugestion………..
Hi anil. Probably your USB cable is having problem? Do you try to use another cable and make sure it can detect via iTunes?
This one works…
http://forum.o2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=321653
hello,
i want to delete photos from my iphone when i go to the photo tab, the box says
‘Sync Photos From: My Picture’
and i do not know how to make it say
‘Sync Photos From: iPhone Photos’
can you please tell me how to?
Hi Monique. It means that “My Pictures” is your sync folder. You can just proceed to delete all the photo albums in this folder. After that, click apply button at the bottom.
Hi Monique,
When you see the little bar that says ‘My Pictures’, click the little up and down arrows on the right side of the ‘My Pictures’ bar and it will pull down a menu. The top option will be ‘choose folder’. Click that, and you will be shown a window of folders where you can navigate through and find your iphone folder.
I tried to delete a duplicate album from my I Pod 4 thro’ itunes but failed please help
Do you know what error message it shows?
thanks for the help
it just worked fine with me
I finally did it
What if i no longer have the computer i originally made the album on? how can i delete it then?
sir i have a question how do you remove the pop up message showing cellular date network not open..? what does that even mean?
Hi paupau. Because you have turn off Cellular data on your device, so it will prompt the message whenever it required internet connection.
heres my problem:
I wanted to put pictures from my mac OSX on my iphone4.
after putting them on I now have 2 albums:
1) camera roll
2) photo library
photo library just came up when i uploaded the pictures and i want to get rid of it.
please help!
I too wish to delete the ALBUMS that have been unknowingly uploaded from my laptop to my iphone4 – tried a few of these steps detailed above and not working
If i delete them from my latop, then that deletes my photo folders and that isn’t what i want to do – i just want them OFF my iphone.
Please send reply on same topic as Lyndel, Oct. 13, 2011. I have a new 4Gs and can’t delete ALBUMS from my laptop that I unknowingly uploaded to my iPhone.
Don’t want to delete from laptop. Want OFF my iPhone. Help, please!
Thank you guys. Finally I could delete a folder that previously I syched from the pc that I’m not using it anymore. I just simply create an empty folder in new pc then sync it, all folder I intended to delete it has gone. Nice tips for novice
RidwanPunteuet- Thank You so much for the post! I was able to remove all 8 unwanted albums from my iPhone 4 using your method! There should be a warning to new apple device users about this issue.
I’m glad I could help u.
I too wish to delete the ALBUMS that have been unknowingly uploaded from my macbook to my iphone4 – tried a few of these steps detailed above and not working. Is there a simpler way.
I read your message from Oct 2011. If i make a blank album in my iPhoto on my
macbook it will delete the unwanted albums on my iphone4.
Looking forward to your advice need help pronto lol.:(
Thanks worked wonders. I now have more memory space.
I was able to delete individual pics from an album on my iPhone 3GS. Now it appears I cannot do that with my iPhone 4. Why would Apple DECREASE this functionality?!
On my iPhone 4 (iOS 5), i can delete any pictures I want to, from camera roll folder, but you cant do it if those pictures from sync with PC. You have to delete direct in pc folder than sync again.
Here’s what I did on my Iphone4..just make a new folder on your desktop and then open up itunes. Then go to your photos tab and check sync BUT choose the NEW FOLDER that you just created. Click apply then after that’s done; uncheck the sync box then sync. It worked for me..good luck.
THIS WORKS thanks so much
KAKAKA This really work, thanks a lot !
Hi! I already did the steps but won’t work
still the photos are on my iphone… 
i tried to tick it then untick it, then it prompts to a message that if i want to remove photos from my phone, i tick yes.. but still the photos are there… 
Dear Alvin,
i was follow ur instruction, but i still fail to delete the photo from my i phone,
any others way? please, seeking for help now
Hi Phwei. Try to create an empty folder on your computer and sync it again.
you saved my life thanks
What a joke this is! Why does apple make file management such a nightmare? Some sick agenda I’m sure you could imagine with a small bit of thought. Why else abandon the tried tested and true, drag and drop method. I think I hate apple more than their partner microsoft. Wonderful device mind you, too bad itunes is nothing more than cleverly designed garbage.
It’s true. The name “iTunes” is already misleading at first. They should name it Apple Sync or something. Apple is a hardware company at early years. Their main selling point is Mac and iPhone instead of the software but now they are slowly upgrading their software features.
So is what you are saying then, that itunes is a incomprehensibly inferior device manager(from a users standpoint), because they focused on hardware and not the programming to use it?!!! Or is it by design? The painstaking, callous, arduous task of developing software and products in such a way as to protect the interests of another greedy, hell-bound corporation, under the guise of ease of use and security. All of these otherwise basic tasks are only available at a price. We don’t want a multitude of overpriced, questionable software to manage our files. Which is clearly what apple wants for us. I think at the price we’ve paid for these devices, the least apple can do is provide us functionality and choice. It would only further their sales.
iTunes is actually a song and video management software at first for iPod Touch but they add new functionality to it such as App store and Sync which make it the universal management software for iPhone and other devices. I don’t said their software is bad. Many of the Mac or iPhone apps have high quality features and designs but lack of flexibility due to security concern. That’s why you don’t see much system configuration on iOS if you are a technology geek. The fact is that until today, iOS 5 don’t have any shortcut to turn on 3G network. They could simply add this feature on the notification bar. I am a bit disappointed.
Sorry
hello! I have a photo album on my iphone 4 with a lot of pictures. Some of them i would like to copy over to an album i got on my phone called “private”. How do I delete the photos from photo album so I only have one copy in “private”? It seems like I have to delete the pictures everywhere and not just from one album.
Thanks for the suggestions re deleting albums, great help
day after day
i get disappointed with iPhone(Ijail) .!!! why u say that the answer
1.1 dummy features needed (add ,delete,send via any )
1-bluetooth useless.
2- always need iTunes ??? to jail or trap your media in the phone
3 very hard or impossible to transfer your media BTW the app (consult iTunes)
4- SMS easily can be seen on iPhone search(spotlight) after deleting it from messages
5-no multitasking
6-battery consumer
7- I tried my brother samsung SII all the iPhone headache(ask apple ,consult google nation,try format,reset all) not available on it
Thank you so much! It worked! You saved me from having some pictures on my phone which i did not want!
hello, i uploaded some photos onto my ipod and i deleted the album on my computer and now i cant delete the album on my ipod now so can you please tell me how to delete it.
Thank You Very Much For The Info Work realy great; ;D
Hey,
I don’t want to delete them from my computer, only from my iPhone.
Is there any way to do that??
Help….
thanks for the help! it is a little confusing but i got the principle. if you want to delete, you have to re-sync. I just connected my iphone to my mac (or pc if that is what you use) . I went to itunes, went to photos (last tab), unchecked all the albums and events i didn’t want synced (and in this case i wanted to delete all that i previously uploaded to my iphone so i unchecked all). Then i re-synced (now with 0 photos). checked my iphone afterwards and all albums and events were now removed. The principle is, you control and sync whatever you want to appear on your iphone via your itunes.
This is my first apple product in over 10 years. I just got an Iphone I am really confused about loading images onto it.
I have 4 albums
1. Camera Roll – I understand this is where photos I take on the Iphone go to.
2. Photo Library – Has a copy of all of my photos
3. Models – Has photos I want to be able to control access to
4 – Photos for Iphone – Has some photos taken previously by cell phone
I have tried to upload some of my modeling images up and have downloaded an app called Photo Vault to control the access. Unfortunately, I now find Photo Library has a copy of every photo, even the ones I want to control access too.
After I synced my Iphone for the second time, I noticed I had duplicated most of the photos in #4 folder. So I went in and tried to delete the duplicates. I made the mistake of deleting the iPod Photo Cache (but restored it after sync) and then synced the Iphone again. I came up missing most of my photos, so I had to restore iPod Photo Cache and tried doing the sync again. Now I have most of the photos I wanted but I am confused about the lack of security on my Models album. Is there anyway to hide photos from people and if so why do they show up in the photo library anyway?
Help…..
on itunes it said I have no pictures in cam roll or photo library and last 12 months
on my phone there are 14 pictures I did everything I can to delete the pix but nothing
How do you remove texts from your iPhone 4 to print on paper for leagal reasons
I got it! thanks for this guidelines.
it really solve my problem, now my iphone 4s is clear now.
thanks dude! have a nice day
Sooo If i follow the steps in deleting these albums from my iPhone 4, then am I alaso going to have deleted the pics off of my computer too??? Is there a way to not delete off of my computer and just my phone?
You can install the latest iOS 5. There is an option to Add or Delete photo album on iOS 5. Then, you can rely on iCloud to backup your photos also.
when you re-sync, all you need to do should be to go back to your check boxes and uncheck all the albums you don’t want synched on (or in this case you want removed from) your phone. That should not delete anything.(You shouldn’t have to delete anything. If you are, you are going about it the wrong process.) you’re simply saying ‘i want to re-sync my photo albums, but this time with no pictures.’ so just uncheck your boxes and sync again. and it should do the trick..
i want to delete photos,i tried ur steps to creat an empty folder, but when i click remove photos there is a message come asking if i want to delete 5 application programs i wonder how and why it comes that, the only thing i want to delete is photos please not applicatins help me people
I actually have my own method:
1. Create a folder called “Empty Folder”
2. When you open your iPod/iPhone in iTunes, go to the Photos tab and choose to Sync Photos from Empty Folder.
3. Press “Sync” and check your Photos. Your unwanted photo album has been deleted!
Awesome! that worked.
On a Mac: You can delete all (or multiple) Pics on your iPad via the Preview App on your Mac.
1. In Preview – File>Import from iPad
2. Edit>Select all
3. Delete Button in the Import Window.
Hope this helps
Thank you Ridwan Punteuet
Okay, to delete a Photo Album you must uncheck the “Sync”,first you should save all the pictures to your computer, button under the photos tab. Then it will ask you to delete all previous pictures uploaded on to your Iphone, Ipod, etc. If you select yes then you will have no album inside your device.
Good technique!