{"id":"mac-storage-basics.how-do-i-empty-recently-deleted-in-photos","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-empty-recently-deleted-in-photos","category":{"id":"mac-storage-basics","title":"Mac storage basics"},"subcategory":{"id":"photos-music-video","title":"Photos, music and video"},"question":"Why didn't deleting photos free up space on my Mac?","alt_questions":["photos recently deleted taking space","empty recently deleted album mac","deleted photos still using storage","photos app space not freed","permanently delete photos 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.","answer_markdown":"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**.\n\nIf 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](/faq/mac-storage-basics/why-doesnt-deleting-files-free-up-space-on-my-mac).","answer_html":"

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.

\n

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.

","answer_text":"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.\n\nIf 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.","tags":["photos","recently deleted","free space"],"related":[{"id":"mac-storage-basics.where-is-the-photos-library-stored-on-a-mac","question":"Where is my Photos library stored on my Mac?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-is-the-photos-library-stored-on-a-mac"},{"id":"mac-storage-basics.why-doesnt-deleting-files-free-up-space-on-my-mac","question":"Why doesn't deleting files free up space on my Mac?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/why-doesnt-deleting-files-free-up-space-on-my-mac"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Why didn't deleting photos free up space on my Mac? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Deleted photos stay in Photos' Recently Deleted album for up to 30 days. Open that album and choose Delete All to free the space.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Mac storage basics","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/"},{"name":"Why didn't deleting photos free up space on my Mac?","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-empty-recently-deleted-in-photos"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-empty-recently-deleted-in-photos","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Why didn't deleting photos free up space on my Mac?","alternateName":["photos recently deleted taking space","empty recently deleted album mac","deleted photos still using storage","photos app space not freed","permanently delete photos mac"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"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.\n\nIf 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.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-empty-recently-deleted-in-photos"}}]},"fragment":"
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Mac storage basics · Photos, music and video

\n

Why didn't deleting photos free up space on my Mac?

\n

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.

\n

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.

\n

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.

\n\n

Last reviewed

\n\n

Related questions

\n

Also available as Markdown and JSON.

\n
"}