Iphone 4 and I can't delete photos, please help.

Thank you!!!!! Very helpful!!

I have to agree. I understand that the above posters are trying to be helpful, but I've (and I'm sure many others) have checked the sync button in tunes many times.

When I uncheck the sync photos from button it asks me if I want to remove the selected photos. I click yes. Itunes removes the photos according to the slider at the bottom showing the memory usage of the phone. However, the photos remain on the phone. As soon as I click another tab within iTunes, the photos come back (actually they never left). This is beyond frustrating. The empty folder trick works, but we shouldn't have to use a backdoor method to remove these photos from the iPhone.

The permanet fix is to buy an Android phone

😝

I had this same problem so I started messing around. Please bear with me, the beginning sounds like all the other posts.

1. Go to the photos tab(the one where you can choose to sync)

2. Select sync

3. Click the drop down for folders and click Choose folder...

4. When the box comes up to select a folder, create a new folder. Select the new folder.

5. Sync

It won't let you sync with nothing which is why none of the other suggestions worked. The folder would be empty so no photos would be added to your device but the photos on your phone are deleted.

To the poster who hates iTunes, I agree.

I did it and IT WORKED! I have been trying to figure this out for TWO days as all the pictures that had synced were taking up too much storage!!! It doesn't matter if the boxes are not checked guys, once you tell the comp to sync, it WILL then REMOVE the previously synced pictures!!

I am using an iphone 4S and I've come across this problem just now and as I was searching for a fix to the same problem on Google, I have come to get to a resolution by trying a combination of the earlier suggestions.

Fact: merely unchecking the checkbox for the "sync photos from folder X" under the photos tab in itunes does not fix the problem.

Here is what I did and what I've found out.

1. The original location of the photos that I have recently synced which created a photo library folder on m phone has been moved leaving itunes confused of where to delete the photos rendering it incapable of clearing the data off my phone. Better check for the location of the folder and relocate if necessary.

2. If the folder is missing or if you have already deleted the source folder for the photos that you wanna delete, create a new folder with a similar name on any location and then manually add that folder on your itunes library then start syncing. This will create a new destination folder on your photos app and will then clear the photos in question.

3. To completethe process. End with unchecking the checkbox for the "sync photos from folder X" under the photos tabs in itunes then start syncing.

This is 100% working. I hope it works for you

I had the same problem, and too bad there isn't an app for this. For reference, I use iTunes on a Windows 7 Laptop.

After you delete all photos from your phone, there are some that might remain that you are unable to delete! Once all the photos that can be deleted from your phone are deleted, go to the "Sync Photos from" tab and uncheck that box. Next, from Windows Explorer, create a directory somewhere called "Junk" and place nothing in that directory. Now go back to the "Sync Photos from" tab in iTunes, and in the "Gray Box" to the right of "Sync Photos from," click on "Choose folder..." and then select the "Junk" folder you just created. Now sync your phone. All the non-deletable images on your phone should be removed.

Now is your chance to set up a new photos directory to tell iTunes to sync with, and this will sync those critical photos you wish to carry on your phone. Hope this helps!

Lambruceco

Hi,

Just want to share that I had the same problem and managed to solve it, but I had to use a trial software from CNET's download(dot)com. Its called 4media Ipod to PC transfer. It has support up to IOS 5.1.

1. Install the software on your PC.
2. Plug in your Iphone 4/4S to your PC via USB
3. The program's explorer window has a folder called pictures.
4. Click that folder.
5. Click on the thumnails of images that you want deleted.
6. Click the huge X button to delete.
7. Voila! Problem solved in under 3 minutes..and without itunes.

Hope this helps.

Thank you AlanVermont! It worked!! All my pics are finally gone from my phone!!

I've been using a Mac for years and have only recently acquired an iPhone 4s. For all its attributes, Apple has a way of maddeningly complicating things that should be so simple. I have read every post here, have tried every suggestion here, and the @#$%* photo I want to delete is still in my iPhone. I've deleted it from my Mac hard drive, PhotoStream is turned off, and the ****** thing is still there. How much trouble would it be for the Mac geniuses to put a DELETE function that directly deletes photos? This is just one of many things that are totally illogical -- and totally maddening -- about the iPhone.

Jackiefromperth,

Thanks so much, it worked!

I have a Mac ... followed your steps and chose "apply" and viola, all photos except those I actually took with my iPhone disappeared!

Hogfan25, follow the instructions that Jackiefromperth submitted. It worked for me. 🙂

I read this with horror! Just got my iPhone today and took 5 photos by mistake while learning

Tried this:

iPhone 4s connected (USB)

Open Image Capture Application on my Mac

Select my iphone in list of devices

Highlight photos to be deleted on your iPhone

They won't drag to trash, but you can import them and check the box to delete them afterwards.

I imported them to Desktop on my Mac, but perhaps you can make a dump folder to send them to and trash from there?

I found they had gone from the folders in the Photos App on my phone, and I could then delete the Rolls from within the phone.

Hope that works for you

I have been trying to delete these old photos FOREVER!!! Thanks so much, this really works!