PamSal66

Q: How do I delete photos from the Photos App and folder on its package contents?

Hi! I have no more available memory on my mac so I started deleting photos I don't need anymore. Problem is, I delete them on the app but they still are on hundreds of folders (masters and preview) within the package contents taking lots of space I need for more important things. I would really appreciate the help because it happens with iPhoto too and I'm tired of deleting them manually.

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Apr 20, 2016 6:14 PM

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Q: How do I delete photos from the Photos App and folder on its package contents?

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  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Apr 20, 2016 6:25 PM in response to PamSal66
    Level 7 (20,487 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 20, 2016 6:25 PM in response to PamSal66

    Do not under any circumstances make any changes directly within the Photos Library files. Only manage from within the Photos interface.

     

    To delete images from Photos, select Photos or All Photos from the Sidebar. When you delete images from these, the photos will be put into a Recently Deleted smart album. Normally it takes 30 days to delete the images (just in case..), but you can Delete All from that album at any time.

     

    Having said all that, may I suggest purchasing an external hard drive, and keeping your entire Photos Library there? Drives became very inexpensive in the Ladt few years.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Apr 20, 2016 6:34 PM in response to PamSal66
    Level 10 (106,848 points)
    iLife
    Apr 20, 2016 6:34 PM in response to PamSal66

    I would really appreciate the help because it happens with iPhoto too and I'm tired of deleting them manually.

    Is your Photos Library a migrated iPhoto Library?

    Then you need to delete the same photo in both applications before storage will be freed, because the image files  in the Photos Library have been created as hard links to the images in your iPhoto Library. (see_  Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support)

    if you don't use iPhoto any more, move the complete iPhoto Library to an external drive to break this link.  Then will deleting images from your Photos library and emptying the Recently deleted have an immediate effect and free storage.