You can delete multiple photos from your Facebook account in one session, but Facebook doesn't have a bulk delete button — you delete them one at a time or in small groups
Facebook removed the ability to select and delete multiple photos at once several years ago. The fastest way now is to go to your Photos section, find the album or collection you want to clear, and delete each photo individually. The process takes a few minutes for a dozen photos, longer if you have hundreds. If you're trying to remove a large number of photos quickly, you'll need to decide whether to delete them one by one, delete an entire album at once, or use Facebook's archive feature to hide photos without deleting them.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're on a computer or phone, and whether you want to delete photos from a specific album or from your timeline. This guide covers the most common scenarios.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook requires you to delete photos individually or by album — there is no multi-select delete option for individual photos across different albums.
- Deleting an entire album at once is faster than deleting photos one by one if you want to remove a whole collection.
- You can archive photos instead of deleting them, which hides them from your timeline and other people's view without permanently removing them.
- Photos you delete are gone permanently after a short window, so make sure you actually want them gone before you start.
How to delete photos one at a time on a computer
Open Facebook and go to your profile by clicking your name in the top left. Click the Photos section, then select the album that contains the photos you want to delete. Open the first photo you want to remove.
In the top right corner of the photo, you'll see three dots (the menu button). Click it and select Delete Photo. Facebook will ask you to confirm. Click Delete again. The photo is now permanently removed. Repeat this process for each photo you want to delete.
If you're deleting photos from your timeline rather than from an album, the process is the same: find the photo on your timeline, click the three dots in the top right corner, and select Delete Photo.
How to delete photos one at a time on your phone
Open the Facebook app and tap your profile icon at the bottom right. Tap Photos, then select the album containing the photos you want to delete. Tap the photo you want to remove.
Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the photo. Tap Delete Photo, then confirm by tapping Delete again. The photo is permanently removed. Repeat for each photo.
On iPhone, the three dots may appear in the bottom right instead of the top right, depending on your app version. The menu option is the same.
Delete an entire album at once
If you want to remove all photos from a specific album, deleting the whole album is much faster than deleting individual photos. Go to your Photos section and find the album you want to delete. On a computer, click the three dots next to the album name and select Delete Album. On your phone, tap the three dots next to the album and tap Delete.
Facebook will ask you to confirm. When you delete an album, all photos in it are permanently removed. This is the fastest way to clear out old vacation photos, event albums, or any collection you no longer want on your account.
Be careful: you cannot undo this action. If you're not certain you want every photo in the album gone, delete the album photos individually instead, or archive the album first to review it.
Archive photos instead of deleting them
If you're not ready to permanently delete photos but want them off your timeline and out of sight, you can archive them instead. Archived photos are hidden from your profile and from other people's view, but they stay on your account and you can unarchive them later.
To archive a photo on a computer, open it, click the three dots, and select Archive. On your phone, tap the three dots and tap Archive. Archived photos don't appear on your timeline or in your albums, but you can see them by going to your Photos section and looking for an Archive folder or by searching for the photo.
Archiving is useful if you want to clean up your profile without losing the photos permanently. You can always unarchive them later if you change your mind.
What happens after you delete a photo
When you delete a photo, it's removed from your timeline, albums, and other people's view when ready. However, Facebook may keep a copy on its servers for a short period before permanently deleting it. During this window, you cannot recover the photo through Facebook's interface.
If the photo was tagged in other people's posts or comments, those tags remain visible to them, but the photo itself is gone. If you want to remove a photo that someone else posted and tagged you in, you can ask them to delete it, or you can untag yourself from it without deleting the original.
Once the deletion is final, there is no way to recover the photo from Facebook. If you think you might want the photo later, read it to your computer or phone before deleting it.
How to read your photos before deleting them
If you want to keep copies of your photos before you delete them from Facebook, you can read them individually or read all your photos at once using Facebook's read tool.
To read individual photos, open the photo, click the three dots, and select read. The photo will save to your computer or phone's default read location. To read all your photos at once, go to Settings, click Your Information, select read Your Information, and follow the steps to request a copy of your photos and other data. Facebook will prepare a file and email you a link to read it. This process can take a few hours or longer depending on how much data you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete multiple photos at the same time without doing them one by one?
No, Facebook does not have a multi-select feature for deleting individual photos. You must delete them one at a time, or delete an entire album at once if all the photos you want to remove are in the same album. If your photos are spread across different albums or your timeline, you'll need to delete them individually.
What's the difference between deleting and archiving a photo?
Deleting permanently removes the photo from Facebook and you cannot get it back. Archiving hides the photo from your timeline and other people's view, but keeps it on your account. You can unarchive archived photos at any time to make them visible again.
If I delete a photo, can other people still see it?
No, once you delete a photo, it's removed from your profile, albums, and everyone's view. However, if someone downloaded or screenshotted the photo before you deleted it, they will still have their own copy. Deleting from Facebook only removes it from Facebook.
How long does it take to delete a photo?
Deleting a single photo is when ready — it disappears from your profile when ready. If you're deleting many photos one by one, the time depends on how many you're removing. Deleting 10 photos might take 2 to 3 minutes, while deleting 100 photos could take 20 to 30 minutes.
Can I recover a photo I deleted by mistake?
Facebook does not provide a way to recover deleted photos through your account settings. If you deleted the photo recently, contact Facebook Support to ask if they can help, though recovery is not may provide. The best way to avoid losing photos is to read them before deleting them.