Dealing with a cluttered camera roll or running out of space on your iPhone? Sometimes you just need to quickly clear out those old or accidental video recordings.iOS 17 makes it pretty straightforward, but honestly, the process can be a bit confusing if you’re not used to navigating the Photos app or the ‘Recently Deleted’ folder. Plus, there’s always that trap of thinking the video is gone forever when it’s still sitting in that hidden album for 30 days. So, here’s a rundown that covers the essentials, along with some extra tips that helped me finally get a grip on managing videos without losing anything important.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Delete Video Recordings on iPhone
Getting rid of videos on your iPhone isn’t just about deleting them from the main album — you also need to empty out the ‘Recently Deleted’ folder if you want them gone for good. Otherwise, they sit there for a month, eating up space and making you think you’re safe. The whole thing with iOS makes sense but kind of weird, because sometimes a video still appears in your storage info, even after deleting. While the process is generally simple, kinda weird quirks are normal — like videos not showing up right away or needing to restart the app. Here’s what worked for me, and hopefully it saves you some time walking in circles.
Open the Photos app on your iPhone
- This is the main hub for all your media. If the Photos icon isn’t on the home screen, it might be burried somewhere, but mostly it’s there. Basically, this app is where everything you’ve shot is stored.
- Quick tip: If you’re trying to find it faster, just search for “Photos” in the search bar from your main screen.
Why it helps: It’s obvious, but honestly, a lot of folks forget that deleting videos directly from albums sometimes doesn’t fully remove them because they’re still stored in that ‘Recently Deleted’ folder. Expect to see some space freed up, but only after you clear that area too.
Tap on the ‘Albums’ tab at the bottom of the screen
- This is where all the photo categories are. You’ll see options like ‘Recents, ’ ‘Screenshots, ’ and ‘Videos.’
- On some setups, you might not see the ‘Videos’ album immediately—it’s often tucked inside other folders, or under ‘Media Types’.
Why it helps: Organizing videos separately makes it easier to find what you want to clear out. And yes, you can select multiple videos at once here too if needed.
Find and open the ‘Videos’ album
- It’s usually named straightforwardly, but if not, you can always use the search bar within Photos to type “Videos.”
- This album shows everything with a video tag, so it’s easy to pick out the recordings you want to delete. Sometimes videos end up in “Recents” or other albums, so you might want to double-check across your media to make sure you covered everything.
Why it helps: Gives a clear overview, so you aren’t deleting random images or GIFs that look like videos but aren’t actual recordings. Good way to clean up a bit blindly.
Find the video you want to delete and tap on it
- Just scroll or search through and pick the one that’s cluttering your space.
- Once tapped, it’ll open in fullscreen preview mode, giving you a last chance to double-check. Sometimes, videos look different in the preview — don’t delete something important just because you’re tired.
Why it helps: Prevents accidental deletion of the wrong video. Because of course, iOS isn’t always clear when you’re in the delete confirmation — always double-check the preview first.
Tap the trash can icon in the bottom right corner
- That little trash icon is your ticket to deleting the video.
- After tapping, a popup usually appears confirming you want to delete. Sometimes, it’s easy to miss that pop-up or dismiss it too quickly, so be attentive here.
Why it helps: It’s the official delete button, but don’t forget — this just moves the video into the ‘Recently Deleted’ folder, so it’s not fully gone yet.
Confirm ‘Delete Video’ to send it to ‘Recently Deleted’
- Once confirmed, the video moves to ‘Recently Deleted, ’ which is fine unless you want it gone faster.
- Keep in mind, if you want to permanently delete it immediately, you’ll need to clear it from that folder too.
Why it helps: You get a safety net here, so don’t panic if you hit delete by accident — it’s still recoverable for a month. But on some devices, you need a second step to fully delete.
Tips: How to Really Clean Up Videos on Your iPhone
- Always review a video before deleting — sometimes what looks like trash is actually sentimental.
- Empty the ‘Recently Deleted’ album regularly. Just go into it, tap ‘Select, ’ then ‘Delete All’ if you’re sure. This clears space fast.
- Backing up important videos via iCloud or Google Photos saves a headache later. Better safe than sorry, right?
- Use the search feature (swipe down in Photos) and type relevant stuff like date or location — might find that old gem you forgot you shot.
- Long videos or high-res footage eats up a lot of storage. Think about trimming or compressing before deleting other stuff to free up room.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I recover a deleted video?
Go to Albums > Recently Deleted. Find your video, tap on it, then hit Recover. It’ll pop back into your main library.
Can I delete multiple videos at once?
Yeah, in the ‘Videos’ album, tap Select in the top right, pick the videos, then tap the trash can. After that, don’t forget to empty the ‘Recently Deleted’ folder if you want maximum space freed up.
Will deleting videos from my iPhone also remove them from iCloud?
If you’re using iCloud Photos, then yes — deleting from your device deletes from iCloud too. This can be good or bad, depending if you wanted to keep a backup somewhere else.
What if I want to delete videos completely without waiting?
Just head to Albums > Recently Deleted, tap Select, choose the videos, then hit Delete. They’re gone—no waiting required.
Quick recap for the impatient:
- Open Photos
- Go to Albums
- Find ‘Videos’
- Pick your target video
- Tap trash can
- Confirm deletion
Wrap-up
Deleting videos on iOS 17 isn’t too complicated, but you gotta remember about that ‘Recently Deleted’ folder if you really want space plus peace of mind. It’s kind of weird how it hangs on there for 30 days, but honestly, that gives some buffer in case you delete something important by mistake—like a safety net. Just be aware that on some versions or setups, a restart or reopening the Photos app can sometimes help speed up the space calculations and make deleted videos disappear faster. Generally, backing up before hitting delete is never a bad idea, especially if those videos matter.