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Can't get photos/videos removed from iPhone 4s

My iPhone only has 1.6 gb left and I'm trying to remove photos and videos. Have tried all the tutorials i could find and nothing works.


Running ios8.1 on phone and Yosemite on mac.


The photos on the phone are stored in "last 12 months" and the videos are in a file "videos" Nothing is in camera roll or recently deleted.


When I select photos, select and pick the photos, the delete icon is grayed out and I only have the option of Add To an album.

When I try to delete from the album mode, I only get an edit option that allows me to copy or hide the photo.

When I try image capture and plug in the iPhone, none of the photos are visible for import.

When I try iTunes, the option only syncs photos from the mac to the phone. I'm trying to go in the opposite direction.....iphone to mac.


At my wit's end of how to delete these photos. I really need the disc space.


HELP, HELP, HELP! AND THANK YOU

iPhone 4S, iOS 8.1

Posted on Oct 26, 2014 9:18 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Oct 26, 2014 9:34 AM

OMG.....I figured it out quite by accident.


i was going to backup the phone and then do a reset.


Clicked on iCloud in settings.

Selected photos as an option to upload to iCloud.

Received a question about deleting all photos and videos.

Selected yes, to delete

Gained back 5gb on my phone. All photos and videos were deleted from the phone.




Happy camper.

5 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Oct 26, 2014 9:34 AM in response to WheelerB

OMG.....I figured it out quite by accident.


i was going to backup the phone and then do a reset.


Clicked on iCloud in settings.

Selected photos as an option to upload to iCloud.

Received a question about deleting all photos and videos.

Selected yes, to delete

Gained back 5gb on my phone. All photos and videos were deleted from the phone.




Happy camper.

Oct 26, 2014 10:37 AM in response to WheelerB

OMG.....I figured it out quite by accident.


i was going to backup the phone and then do a reset.


Clicked on iCloud in settings.

Selected photos as an option to upload to iCloud.

Received a question about deleting all photos and videos.

Selected yes, to delete

Gained back 5gb on my phone. All photos and videos were deleted from the phone.

Great, that you found this shortcut! 🙂 I'm trying to understand, what you did exactly.


When you "Selected photos as an option to upload to iCloud", you probably enabled "iCloud Photo Library (Beta)".

The "iCloud Photo Library (Beta)" disables the ability to sync photos to your iPhone using iTunes Photo Sync. When you enabled it, it wiped all photos from your iPhone, that have been synced using iTunes. That is a quick-and easy way to get rid of synced photos.


iCloud Photo Library beta FAQ

Jan 30, 2016 6:27 PM in response to WheelerB

My phone was so full it was dying when they put me on hold for very important legal phone calls! I've got a deadline Monday and I can't call anybody!


Over the last two weeks, Apple Tech support helped me recovered my entire Iphoto Library, upload it to iCloud, and back it up to an external hard drive. I thought I was good, buI didn't realize that all 8,777 photos and 1007 videos had also been downloaded onto my 128 gig Iphone! I had imported them all into Photos on my Imac, but I just couldn't figure out how to get them off the Iphone, and they were killing it!

I tried selecting photos manually , and putting them in the trash, but even that was too much for the phone, and it would cut out.


I turned off photostream.

Then I ttried doing what you said. I turned off ICoud Driveand it asked me if I wanted to delete all the photos on the phone, and keep them in Icloud,

I said yes. But instead of doing that, it went to black screen and the apple, rebooting itself AGAIN!!

When it turned back on again, the Icloud drive was still on, and the photos are still there! I tried turning it off again,but this time it didn't ask if I wanted to delete the photos. They are still there! ARGHHH!!!

My poor old Iphone 4s only has 255 mg left in which to maneuver, and it obviously can't handle anything.


HELP!

Can't get photos/videos removed from iPhone 4s

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