Managing storage on your iPad can be a challenge, especially when your photo library starts filling up. Whether you're trying to free up space or just declutter your digital life, knowing how to delete multiple photos at once is an essential skill for any iPad user. In this guide, I'll walk you through several methods to delete multiple photos from your iPad quickly and efficiently.

Why You Might Need to Delete Multiple Photos

Before diving into the how-to steps, let's consider why you might need to bulk delete photos:

• Running low on storage space
• Organizing your photo collection
• Removing duplicate or unwanted images
• Protecting private photos before lending your device
• Preparing to sell or give away your iPad

Whatever your reason, the methods below will help you remove multiple photos quickly.

Method 1: Using the Photos App to Delete Multiple Images

The Photos app is the standard way to view and manage images on your iPad. Here's how to use it to delete multiple photos at once:

Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting Multiple Photos

1. Open the Photos app on your iPad
2. Tap on the "Library" tab at the bottom of the screen
3. Select "All Photos" to view all your images
4. Tap "Select" in the upper right corner
5. Tap each photo you want to delete (a blue checkmark will appear on selected photos)
6. For faster selection, slide your finger across multiple photos
7. After selecting all unwanted photos, tap the trash icon at the bottom right
8. Confirm deletion by tapping "Delete X Photos" in the popup

Remember that deleted photos aren't immediately removed from your iPad. They're moved to the "Recently Deleted" album where they'll stay for 30 days before being permanently removed. This gives you a safety net in case you delete something by mistake.

Selecting Photos by Date

If you want to delete photos from a specific time period:

1. In the Photos app, tap on "Library"
2. Choose "Days," "Months," or "Years" view at the bottom
3. Find the time period containing photos you want to delete
4. Tap "Select" and choose the photos
5. Tap the trash icon and confirm deletion

Method 2: Deleting Photos from Albums

If you've organized your photos into albums, you can delete multiple photos from specific albums:

1. Open the Photos app
2. Tap the "Albums" tab at the bottom
3. Select the album containing photos you want to delete
4. Tap "Select" in the upper right corner
5. Choose the photos you want to remove
6. Tap the trash icon
7. Confirm deletion

Note: When you delete photos from a standard album, they're only removed from that album but remain in your library. To completely delete them, you need to remove them from "All Photos" or the "Recently Deleted" album.

Method 3: Permanently Deleting Photos

To permanently remove photos and free up space immediately:

1. After deleting photos using one of the methods above, tap on "Albums"
2. Scroll down to find "Recently Deleted"
3. Tap "Select" in the upper right corner
4. Choose "Delete All" at the bottom left or select specific photos and tap "Delete"
5. Confirm by tapping "Delete X Photos"

Once you complete this step, the photos are permanently removed and cannot be recovered.

Method 4: Using Select All Feature for Mass Deletion

If you need to delete a large number of photos, the "Select All" feature can save time:

1. Open the Photos app
2. Go to "Library" and then "All Photos"
3. Tap "Select" in the upper right
4. Select one photo, then tap and hold it
5. Without lifting your finger, drag across the screen to select multiple photos in one motion
6. Alternatively, select one photo, then tap "Select All" if it appears at the top left
7. Tap the trash icon and confirm deletion

Method 5: Deleting Photos by Year or Month

For bulk deletion of older photos:

1. Open the Photos app
2. Tap "Library" at the bottom
3. Select "Years" or "Months" view
4. Tap on a specific year or month
5. Tap "Select" in the upper right
6. Choose "Select All" (if available) or manually select photos
7. Tap the trash icon and confirm deletion

Method 6: Using Smart Albums to Find and Delete Specific Types of Photos

Your iPad automatically creates smart albums that can help you find specific types of photos to delete:

Deleting Screenshots

1. Go to "Albums" in the Photos app
2. Scroll down to "Media Types"
3. Tap on "Screenshots"
4. Tap "Select" and choose the screenshots you want to remove
5. Tap the trash icon and confirm deletion

Removing Duplicates

1. In the Albums tab, look for "Duplicates" under "Utilities"
2. Review the duplicate pairs shown
3. Tap "Merge" for each pair you want to combine and delete the duplicate
4. Or select multiple duplicates and tap "Merge X Duplicates" at the bottom

Deleting Videos to Free Up Space

1. Go to "Albums" and tap on "Videos"
2. Tap "Select" and choose the videos you want to delete
3. Tap the trash icon and confirm deletion

Method 7: Using Image Capture on Mac to Delete iPad Photos

If you have a Mac computer, you can use Image Capture to delete multiple photos from your iPad:

1. Connect your iPad to your Mac using a USB cable
2. Open Image Capture on your Mac
3. Select your iPad from the devices list
4. Select multiple photos by holding Command while clicking, or drag to select
5. Press the delete key on your keyboard
6. Confirm deletion

Method 8: Using iCloud Photos to Manage Space

If you use iCloud Photos, you can optimize storage on your iPad while keeping your photos in iCloud:

1. Go to Settings on your iPad
2. Tap your name at the top, then "iCloud"
3. Tap "Photos"
4. Enable "iCloud Photos" if it's not already on
5. Select "Optimize iPad Storage" to keep smaller versions of photos on your device

With this option enabled, full-resolution photos are stored in iCloud while smaller versions remain on your iPad, saving space.

Comparison of Methods for Deleting Multiple Photos

Method	Pros	Cons	Best For
Photos App Standard Method	Simple, built-in, no extra apps needed	Can be time-consuming for very large selections	General use, moderate number of photos
Album Deletion	Organized approach, keeps photos in library	Only removes from album, not device storage	Organizing collections
Select All Feature	Fastest way to delete large numbers	Less precise, might select photos you want to keep	Mass deletion
Smart Albums	Helps find specific types of photos	Limited to predefined categories	Targeted cleanup (screenshots, duplicates)
Image Capture (Mac)	Faster interface for large selections	Requires a Mac and cable connection	Power users with Mac computers
iCloud Optimization	No actual deletion needed	Requires iCloud subscription for large libraries	Those who want to keep all photos

Tips for Efficient Photo Management on iPad

Regular Maintenance

Instead of waiting until your storage is full, set a regular schedule to review and delete unwanted photos. This makes the task less overwhelming and helps maintain optimal iPad performance.

Use the "For You" Tab

The Photos app's "For You" tab sometimes suggests collections of similar photos. This can help you identify groups of photos where you might want to keep only the best ones and delete the rest.

Check Hidden and Recently Deleted Albums

Don't forget to check the "Hidden" album for photos you may have hidden but no longer need. Also regularly empty your "Recently Deleted" album to free up space.

Back Up Important Photos Before Deletion

Before deleting large numbers of photos, ensure you've backed up any important ones. You can use iCloud, Google Photos, or transfer them to a computer.

Use Search to Find Specific Photos

The search function in the Photos app is powerful. You can search for specific locations, dates, or even content like "beach" or "dog" to find groups of similar photos that might contain duplicates or near-duplicates you can delete.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Photos Won't Delete

If you're having trouble deleting photos, try these solutions:

• Restart your iPad
• Check if the photos are synced from another device via iTunes
• Make sure you have the latest iOS version
• Check if Screen Time restrictions are enabled

Photos Reappearing After Deletion

If deleted photos keep reappearing:

• Check if you have iCloud Photos enabled and if the photos are syncing from another device
• Make sure you're completely deleting photos from "Recently Deleted"
• Check if you have automatic downloads enabled in your iCloud settings

Storage Not Freeing Up After Deletion

If you've deleted photos but your storage hasn't increased:

• Empty the "Recently Deleted" album
• Restart your iPad
• Wait a few minutes for the system to update storage calculations
• Check if other types of data are taking up space

Advanced Photo Management Options

Third-Party Apps for Photo Management

While the built-in Photos app works well, some third-party apps offer additional features for managing and deleting photos:

• Google Photos: Offers free cloud backup and has a "Free up space" feature
• Gemini Photos: Specifically designed to find and delete similar photos, screenshots, and blurry images
• PhotoSync: Helps transfer photos between devices before deletion

Using Shortcuts App for Automated Photo Management

For tech-savvy users, the Shortcuts app can automate some photo management tasks:

1. Open the Shortcuts app
2. Create a new shortcut
3. Add the "Find Photos" action
4. Set filters (date, album, etc.)
5. Add the "Delete Photos" action
6. Save and run the shortcut when needed

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. 

Simply download PicBackMan (it's free!), register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will deleting photos from my iPad also delete them from my iPhone?

If you have iCloud Photos enabled on both devices, then yes, deleting photos from your iPad will also remove them from your iPhone and any other device using the same Apple ID with iCloud Photos turned on. This is because iCloud Photos syncs your photo library across all your devices.

2. How can I recover photos if I accidentally deleted them?

You have 30 days to recover accidentally deleted photos from the "Recently Deleted" album. Simply open the Photos app, go to Albums, scroll down to "Recently Deleted," select the photos you want to recover, and tap "Recover." After 30 days, or if you've manually emptied the Recently Deleted album, the photos cannot be recovered unless you have a backup.

3. Why can't I select all photos at once in the Photos app?

The Photos app doesn't have a single "Select All" button that works in all views. However, you can select large groups by tapping "Select," choosing one photo, then dragging across many photos. In some views like Years or Months, you might see a "Select All" option after selecting one photo. For extremely large libraries, you might need to select photos in batches.

4. Does deleting photos from my iPad free up iCloud storage?

Yes, if you use iCloud Photos, deleting photos from your iPad and then removing them from the "Recently Deleted" album will also delete them from iCloud, freeing up iCloud storage. This happens because iCloud Photos keeps your library synced across all devices and in the cloud.

5. How do I delete thousands of photos quickly from my iPad?

For extremely large deletions, the most efficient methods are: 1) Use the Select All feature in monthly views and delete month by month, 2) Connect to a Mac and use Image Capture for faster selection, 3) Consider a third-party app specifically designed for bulk photo management, or 4) As a last resort, you could reset your photo library by turning off iCloud Photos, erasing all content from your iPad, and then selectively restoring only the photos you want to keep.

Conclusion

Managing your photo library on iPad doesn't have to be a daunting task. With these methods for deleting multiple photos, you can keep your device organized and free up valuable storage space. Whether you prefer the straightforward approach of using the Photos app or want to try more advanced methods like Image Capture or third-party apps, you now have the knowledge to efficiently manage your iPad's photo collection.

Remember to regularly review your photos, back up important memories, and clean out your "Recently Deleted" album to maintain optimal performance. By incorporating these habits into your digital routine, you'll enjoy a more organized photo library and a better-performing iPad.