iTJMacattack

Q: How to delete pictures permanently from Photos app in my entire mac?

Within the Photos app for OS X you cannot delete a picture permanently from your Mac.

 

(I have imported my existing iPhoto library when I migrated to Photos on 10.10.3)

 

When I delete a picture from Photos. Photos then puts the picture in a trash bin that is hidden in the File button on the task bar - "Show Recently Deleted". When you select this it then shows all of your deleted pictures you selected in Photos. If you then select to "Delete All" it asks you again are your sure and you click ok. Photos then cannot see these photos. BUT IT DID NOT DELETE THEM FROM YOUR MAC!

 

I then opened iPhoto, found the photos that I deleted inside the Photos app and viola they are still there, (these are not thumbnails!) these are the exact picture. HOW DO YOU VERIFY? In iPhoto if you select the picture then go to File - "Reveal in Finder" it will show that the picture you THOUGHT you deleted in Photos, is still there in the Master folder in your library!!

FYI there is no way in Photos to find the file location, very sneaky because the app is not deleting these files. This very frustrating coming from Apple who is pushing thinner profiles so SSD's with very limited storage, to give you the assumption that you are actually deleting these photos and videos when in fact you are not.

 

Question again is...

How to delete pictures permanently from Photos app in my entire Mac?

Does anyone have a solution other than don't use Photos.

 

This question was asked and solved already but I have verified that "Delete All" in the hidden trash can in Photos does in fact not delete from your disk space! Have a video on my YouTube Channel iTJMacattack that shows this issue - for proof.

 

Please real help and a solution!!

 

Thanks,

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 12, 2015 9:28 AM

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Q: How to delete pictures permanently from Photos app in my entire mac?

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  • by FoxFifth,

    FoxFifth FoxFifth Apr 12, 2015 9:40 AM in response to iTJMacattack
    Level 7 (26,294 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 12, 2015 9:40 AM in response to iTJMacattack

    See the following for a detailed explanation of the relationship between iPhoto and Photos and how it doesn't duplicate the storage space -- but also doesn't result in deleting a photo from both libraries when deleted from one: http://sixcolors.com/post/2015/02/the-hard-link-between-photos-and-iphoto/

  • by iTJMacattack,

    iTJMacattack iTJMacattack Apr 12, 2015 9:55 AM in response to FoxFifth
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Apr 12, 2015 9:55 AM in response to FoxFifth

    I am quite aware of the relationship between the two, however the shared link doesn't revolve the question.

     

    I understand that the library is not duplicated, but the important thing to note is that if users are under the impression that they are clearing disk space by the statement that Photos says "Are you sure you want to delete the 1 photos permanently?" - "You cannot undo this action." They are under the impression that this is in fact permanently deleting the file and clearing disk space. Which in fact they are not because the file can be found in the Masters folder under your library and disk space is still being consumed... Rather than the before in iPhoto it would move from the trash inside the iPhotos app to the trash bin on your dock then could be emptied and permanently deleted from your disk space. It would no longer be in the Masters folder.

     

    The bottom line as of right now that there is not a solution within Photos app to permanently delete a file and clear disk space. DONT delete your native iPhotos or Aperture app because if you want to do real deletion of files you need to possess one or the other to locate the file, which cannot be done inside the Photos app.

  • by Linmukai,

    Linmukai Linmukai Apr 22, 2015 7:23 PM in response to iTJMacattack
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 22, 2015 7:23 PM in response to iTJMacattack

    I was just having a little trouble figuring out how to really delete photos from Photos myself which is why I am here.

     

    After deleting a bunch of stuff, I figured there must be some form of trash or whatever in Photos to actually delete them completely. I had just taken a look at the Photos Library file and it was obvious nothing had really been deleted out of it yet. I was further confused because the UI of the Photos app offers no clues being as minimalist as it is.

     

    Thanks to your post, I found the menu item to display deleted photos that are not deleted and noted a message at the top informing these have a 30 day expiration time on them before actually being deleted but this may take up to 40 days. Well, that's nice I guess but I wanted to recover the disk space now, not next month. So I chose the Delete All button and they vanished from the window displayed.

     

    Then I took another look at the size of the Photos Library file and noted it had dropped about 250 MB or so which was probably about right for the stuff I tossed.

     

    So it seems to me that did work. I did see a decrease in the size of the Photos Library file and that decrease looked about right to me given what I had just trashed.

     

    I'm not sure if this makes some difference in what you were discussing but I chose to import my iPhoto photos into Photos. Then I moved the iPhoto app and it's data file to an external USB drive for safe keeping. So those things aren't coming into play here. There is no iPhotos app on the system now and it's library file has been removed as well. It's just Photos and Photos Library in my Pictures folder along with the Photo Booth Library and a bunch of folders with pics I've yet to import.

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Apr 22, 2015 7:46 PM in response to iTJMacattack
    Level 7 (20,487 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 22, 2015 7:46 PM in response to iTJMacattack

    iTJMacattack wrote:

     

    ... but the important thing to note is that if users are under the impression that they are clearing disk space ...

    I dont think there will be many, if any, other users that would expect deleting something stored in one application to be also deleted from another, totally separate application library.

     

    Can you point us to any other app combination where this is the behavior that you expected of iPhoto and Photos?

  • by Linmukai,

    Linmukai Linmukai Apr 23, 2015 11:31 AM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 11:31 AM in response to Rysz

    Oh, yeah. I wasn't paying enough attention late last night. Of course not!

     

    I would recommend doing what I did which is to move the iPhoto app to an external drive along with its library file for safekeeping in case it is ever needed or wanted for something and then just use Photos.

     

    As I mentioned above, deletion in Photos is working as designed and it does work. You can either delete photos and forget about them which gives you 30 days to retrieve any of them if you change your mind before they are automatically deleted permanently or you can use the button to immediately delete them all. That's the new trash basically which self empties every 30 or so days automatically.

     

    I imagine you know know this Rysz, I added that last part for the OP in case any confusion remained at this point.

  • by lori_diloreto,

    lori_diloreto lori_diloreto Apr 23, 2015 12:39 PM in response to iTJMacattack
    Level 6 (17,000 points)
    iPhone
    Apr 23, 2015 12:39 PM in response to iTJMacattack

    From what I have read, the photos are deleted from your Mac after 30 days. This link can tell you more

    http://www.imore.com/how-delete-images-and-videos-photos-os-x

  • by Linmukai,

    Linmukai Linmukai Apr 23, 2015 12:55 PM in response to lori_diloreto
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 12:55 PM in response to lori_diloreto

    That is correct and the app tells you so when you select from the File menu Show Recently Deleted.

     

    It will display beneath each photo how many days remain (starting with 30) until that particular photo will be permanently deleted. However, the app also informs you that it may actually take up to 40 days. I thought that last bit was a little odd but whatever.

     

    Choosing to immediately delete all via the button on that page does in fact permanently delete them all.

     

    As noted above, the OP seems to have been expecting that when they delete photos in Photos that it would also delete them out of iPhoto's database as well which of course does not happen. I suggested they just backup iPhoto and its library for safekeeping and stick to using Photos after the migration. iPhoto is now obsolete anyway so might as well get it over with.

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Apr 23, 2015 1:20 PM in response to Linmukai
    Level 7 (20,487 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 23, 2015 1:20 PM in response to Linmukai

    Oh, yeah. I wasn't paying enough attention late last night. Of course not!

    Looks that way. If you had multiple iPhoto Libraries, once Photos launched, you were presented with a list to choose the Library to migrate. Not selecting anything and closing the window and app was an option that you chose not to excercise. If you only had a single iPhoto Library the migration might have started automatically with a big window explaining what's happening. Clicking on the Red button in the upper-left corner of the window and/or selecting to Quit from the menu bar or the Dock works quite well to stop the process. You should try them sometimes. Anyway, even if you did not know about these options, you are not forced to use the new Photos - just ignore it.

    As I mentioned above, deletion in Photos is working as designed and it does work. You can either delete photos and forget about them which gives you 30 days to retrieve any of them if you change your mind before they are automatically deleted permanently or you can use the button to immediately delete them all...

     

    I imagine you know know this Rysz, I added that last part for the OP in case any confusion remained at this point.

    Deleting (manually, or automatically after 30 days) works only for the Photos Library. The OP's specific complaint was that this did not ALSO delete the image from the iPhoto Library, which is what my comments addressed. The two libraries are entirely separate.

    That's the new trash basically which self empties every 30 or so days automatically.

    The Recently Deleted album is not emptied "every 30 or so days." Each deleted image has its own, separate 30-day countdown. Days left are even displayed for each image separately. This album is not emptied once a month, as you described it above.

  • by Linmukai,

    Linmukai Linmukai Apr 23, 2015 3:05 PM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 3:05 PM in response to Rysz

    Umm, first of all I don't see any need for you to be snarky with me. I am trying to help the OP and I have not stated anything that is incorrect. I think you need to read the preceding posts more carefully before jumping to such conclusions.

     

    I did not state that the entire Photos recently deleted items are all deleted every 30 or so days. I specifically stated the behavior in the entire post which is partially quoted by you in the second quote above from me. I admittedly could have been even more explicit I guess but I should hope somebody is going to actually view the window where it is crystal clear anyway. I mean, they have to be there to delete anything permanently prior to its expiration or to check on what has or has not been deleted temporarily or otherwise. At that point it is entirely obvious each photo is on its own countdown. There was nothing inaccurate about anything I said. I was looking at the app to ensure my comments were correct as I wrote them in fact.

     

    Again, reread my post and tell me where I said, "the album is emptied once a month." You will find I did not say that. I did not mention the word album at all. The new trash as I called it does in fact self-empty on a monthly timetable as nothing stays in there longer than a month or potentially up to 40 days according to Apple in a notice that was displayed at the top of that window when I first looked at it. I don't know what that 40 days is about but you'd have to ask Apple why that is. I just know the app told me so very clearly when I visited that window. I do know if that is a one time notice or if it is displayed anytime there are contents to view in the window as I have now permanently deleted its contents here. So maybe it does and maybe it doesn't but I do know it makes mention of up to 40 days the first time you see it because I saw it. I hope I got that clear enough for you.

     

    The other humorous thing I note above is you are telling me about how I was presented with a list and I chose not to exercise an option. Then you seem to infer that I was too stupid to use a "big red button" to stop the process. Best of all you then tell me that using such buttons or quitting out works quite well and I should try these things sometimes. On top of it all, you inform me that if I was not aware of these options, I am not forced to use Photos and could ignore.

     

    The above tells me you at that point in time did not seem to know I was not the OP and therefore that indicates you hadn't even read this short little thread entirely or at least fully comprehended what you read before making your condescending remarks to me.

     

    Not to blow my own horn here but I wasn't born yesterday and I do have a long career behind me in software development that began with product support and wound up with me as a Senior Software Engineer who among other things oversaw the activities of a group of software test engineers. What is more, I earned my degree in computer science from a prestigious institution and graduated the program with multiple awards and a 4.0 GPA.

     

    So you might pause to consider sometimes that you really don't know anything about people you address on the internet as a rule and it is wise to try and stay away from making assumptions about their experience and intellect, etc.

     

    I am not angry with you but I just ask you to try to please be a little more considerate of others here. We're all answering people simply trying to be helpful. Even if someone seems to be wrong, there are nice ways to work with that.

     

    When I said earlier that I wasn't paying enough attention, in the context of the discussion if you read it, it should have been clear I meant I missed that the OP actually thought deleting photos out of the Photos app would somehow also delete them out of the iPhotos app library which of course it does not. I think we have no argument there. I was just conceding that being late when I responded, I missed that important bit of information and then I did respond accordingly to explain the behavior of the app in deleting photos.

     

    I guess I could worded my response more articulately than I did with greater clarity in terms of the individual timers on each deleted file until permanent deletion but I did not feel that was necessary. Since you did, all you had to do was add that little clarification nicely and good enough.

     

    In any case, this is certainly answered now I'd say so hopefully the OP will understand what is going on with these two apps and be able to proceed accordingly to get the results they desire.

     

    I just had a little laugh looking back here. I did actually state there is initially a 30 day countdown indicator beneath each photo. Did you read my response to lori_dileto prior to commenting which summarized the behavior? I know you quoted from it but how did you miss that part?

  • by Linmukai,

    Linmukai Linmukai Apr 23, 2015 3:16 PM in response to Linmukai
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 3:16 PM in response to Linmukai

    Sorry, in the 3rd paragraph I meant to say I do not know if that is a one time notice, etc. I notice I made a few other minor errors in my writing as well but since there is a timer on how long you are allowed to make edits this little literary work will just have to remain flawed. Oh, well. What human being excels at proof-reading their own writing perfectly on the first pass? I don't know any. It's a good thing this isn't being graded! At least, I hope it isn't! ;-)

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Apr 23, 2015 4:24 PM in response to Linmukai
    Level 7 (20,487 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 23, 2015 4:24 PM in response to Linmukai

    My replies were to your responses to my post, not lori's, as can be seen by the quoted text. I found your opening line in your response to me "snarky." I responded in kind. I should have taken a higher ground, so I do apologize.

     

    As you state, when the OP parses all the responses here, it's quite clear what was an erroneous assumption, and what is the best way to proceed. In the end, that's what counts.

  • by Linmukai,

    Linmukai Linmukai Apr 23, 2015 4:37 PM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 4:37 PM in response to Rysz

    Well, I am sorry you misunderstood me. That was intended as an enthusiastic affirmation of what you had said. I did not mean that to come off as being snarky at all. I was just agreeing with you.

     

    Anyway, it's all good. It is very easy to misinterpret what people mean in forums. It isn't like I never do it too.

     

    Have a nice evening.

  • by ohioapplejosh,

    ohioapplejosh ohioapplejosh Apr 23, 2015 4:40 PM in response to Linmukai
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 4:40 PM in response to Linmukai

    Let's say I want to free up storage on my computer, but I want the photos to stay in iCloud. 

    Should I find the photos in Finder and delete them from there?

  • by sbunns,Helpful

    sbunns sbunns Jun 12, 2015 6:54 PM in response to iTJMacattack
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jun 12, 2015 6:54 PM in response to iTJMacattack

    To delete photos from the Photos app in OS X, do the following:

     

    -Open the Photos application and select the photo(s) you wish to delete in the All Photos section.

    -Press command+delete on your keyboard to delete the photos.

    -Next, in the menu bar at the top of your screen, click File > Show Recently Deleted.

    -Find and select the photo(s) that you just deleted.

    -Click the "Delete # Items" button, at the top right corner of the Photos applications.

    -You will see a message warning you that you are about to permanently delete the selected photos and this action cannot be undone. Click OK.

     

    Your photo(s) will now be removed from the "Masters" folder in your "Photo Library" and deleted from you hard drive forever.

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