Delete photos from iPhone after import - Photos

That looks slick, but it doesn't do anything.

What happens is this:

1) the iPhone gets hooked to the computer to sync.

2) iPhotos opens

3) the option to sync is presented

4) the operator clicks the "delete after import" box

5) the operator clicks "import"

6) the photos are imported, and

7) the photos remain on the phone!

Does this mean the operator has to ultimately delete item-by-item all photos on the phone after clicking the "delete after import" followed by "import"?

Seems like a silly process to me, since - while it backs up the phone - the final goal, getting the backed up photos off the phone, isn't reached.

Sadly there is no "delete all" option from the iPhone. I found a way using iTunes, please have a look:

http://techtips.salon.com/remove-iphone-photo-library-884.html

Is there a good reason why I should not enable iCloud Photo Library? I would like to automatically delete photos after import, as well. Is the option to delete not available because they're not actually on my phone, they're in the Cloud?

I enabled iCloud Photo Library so I could find any of my photos from anywhere. So they're not actually taking up space on my phone?

Using or not using iCLoud Photo Library is a personal decision - to me there is no "good" reason not to use it - but you may disagree - you choose

It has many great features but it does cost money if you have a lot of photos adn it can load up the memory on IOS devices

The option to delete is not available because you do not import photos when you use ICPL and if you delete the anywhere they are deleted everywhere - the entire purpose of ICPL is to sync all libraries keeping them the same - all changes (additions, deletion and edits) made on any device are made on all devices - and this is not correct

So they're not actually taking up space on my phone?

They do take up space on every device - on each device you choose original photos or optimized photos (use that for devices with limited storage)

iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support

LN

I have an iPhone 5. I usually import my photos to my desktop and have always been able to check the box "delete after import," which has suddenly disappeared. I have disabled the ICloud Photo Library, but the option to delete still doesn't appear. Any suggestions?

Cristina

I have disabled the ICloud Photo Library, but the option to delete still doesn't appear. Any suggestions?

The option has to be disabled on the iPhone, on the Mac it does not matter for the "Delete after Import" option. Did you disable iCloud Photo Library on the iPhone? Before you disable it on the iPhone you have to make sure, that all photos download from iCloud.

The checkbox is no longer there

This box is not in my window, either. The only checkbox option I get is "Open Photos for this device." I have the same problem as mthq. I miss iPhoto really, really bad. I miss the option of labeling groups of photos or events without having to make an album for them, too.

This is a bug in Photos. I was missing the option to delete after import and made sure iCloud Photo Library was off on both my iPhone and in Photos and the options was still missing. For me this happened after an update to iPhone (and possibly Photos) so I figured I would try to reset the option by turning it On and Off but it wanted to remove all my photos so I cancelled. I tried to toggle it from Photos but it warned me I didn't have enough room for my entire library. I went to iTunes to unsnyc all my photos so I could toggle the setting on the iPhone and when I re-opened Photos while I was removing my photos via sync the setting re-appeared. It has since gone missing and I can't figure out how to get it to come back.

Previous answers in this thread are remarkably unhelpful. Particularly the "Apple Recommended Answer".

1. Apple should make "Delete after import" sticky. Apple should get the import process right, with an internal double-check, then delete only what's been successfully imported. This isn't rocket science. The results can and should be perfect.

2. Apple should provide a "Delete any photos already imported", to solve the ex-post-facto problem. It's not hard. Get it right, Apple. This problem has been a pain in the neck for years.

3. Recently, in Photos 1.5 (370.42.0), sometimes "Delete after import" does not appear at all. Grrr.

4. THE CORRECT SOLUTION IS: Preview > File > Import from [device] > Edit > Select All > [click the ill-conceived "forbidden" symbol at bottom left of the window, which in some Apple developer's lame brain was supposed to mean "delete"]. Voila. Camera roll empty.

You didn't really ask a question, so I'll assume you just want Apple to know how you feel about this.

Send feedback here >>> Product Feedback - Apple

Thanks, and of course Apple already knows this longstanding problem. I noticed the new quirk of delete not presented, so was googling around for that, and thought readers might want to know a good and fast workaround for the basic problem, since for some reason apple apparently doesn't want to post it on the formal support forum. I myself read it somewhere else, some kind soul who cut through the nonsense and gave a good answer.

after latest updates the icon "delete items after import" disappeared

Therefore I can import without deleting them from iPhone and will remain there "Already imported..."

Does anyone knows how to delete while importing?

Yes, Candito, perhaps you can see that I and others above also have this problem of the intermittant appearance/disappearance of the Delete After Import option. Above you can see that Apple rep acknowledged my report with an unhelpful and mildly-annoyed-but-polite message. Too darn polite, those Apple support reps are.

I detect that Apple knows about the problem but doesn't know the solution.

The longstanding clumsy process of moving valued photos to your Mac needs streamlining. My wife has no patience for it, which means the burden of manager her monty gigabyte photo/video import falls on me. Given that this is 2016 and we Mac users pay a huge device purchase premium to support Apple's generally outstanding software and services, Apple ought to streamline it. The process of (a) open Photos and import-to-Photos, with most of us electing to also delete those photos from Camera Roll, then (b) open iTunes and Sync (copy) the same stuff back onto the iPhone, requiring human attention throughout the lengthy procedure, needs to be simpler. Perhaps Apple is busy working on a grand solution. That reason for fix delay we would all applaud.

Meanwhile, use Preview> File> Import (from device) to manually delete your photos from your iPhone Camera Roll. After Select All, use the obscure "delete" icon in bottom-left of the Preview window's info bar. Note, this procedure has potential for irreversible cockpit error, please first manually double-check that all of your Camera Roll already imported to Photos.

In Photos 2 on Sierra and with iPhone 7 on 10.1.1 there is no "Delete Items after Import " check box. I keep having the same three old photos appearing as New Photos every time I connect my phone to the iMac, although they have been imported dozens of times.