Mac storage basics · Photos, music and video
Why didn't deleting photos free up space on my Mac?
Short answer: Deleted photos stay in Photos' Recently Deleted album for up to 30 days. Open that album and choose Delete All to free the space.
Photos keeps deleted items in the Recently Deleted album for up to 30 days, so they still take space. Open Photos, click Recently Deleted in the sidebar (you may need to unlock it with your password or Touch ID), then choose Delete All.
If you use iCloud Photos, deleting a photo removes it from all your devices, and the space on your Mac may also depend on whether it stores originals or optimised versions. A local snapshot may also hold the freed space briefly — see why deleting doesn't free space.