martinasnape
Level 1 (8 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Cannot find 'Recently Deleted' album (Photos on Mac)

I need to clear space on my hard drive, so I want to delete photos from the Photos app. However I cannot find the 'Recently Deleted' album. There is no 'show recently deleted' option in the File menu. When I delete photos I press command + delete, so I believe this should be deleting the photos from the library, not just an album, but when I delete them, no 'Recently Deleted' album shows up. I have scoured the forums and cannot seem to find an answer. I have noticed in the View menu there is a 'Hide Hidden Photo Album' option. Not sure what this is for. I toggled it to 'Show Hidden Photo Album' and back again, but it doesn't appear to help. I am running Photos version 1.5 on OS 10.11.6. Any help would be much appreciated!

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 7, 2016 8:32 PM

by léonie,Apple recommended
léonie léonie
Level 10 (105,806 points)
iCloud
A:

Recently Deleted will show in the Sidebar, if it is not empty. Otherwise it will be hidden. Did you delete a photo, after the message in your screenshot came up?

 

Import a new photo, just for testing, then delete it by pressing the key ⌥⌘⌫   (option-command-delete)

 

If you only remove a photo from an album it will not appear in Recently Deleted. The photo has to be deleted from the library, not removed from an album.

 

If you cannot make the Recently Deleted album show at all, even if you deleted a photo, repair your Photos Library.

See this Help page:   https://help.apple.com/photos/mac/1.0/index.html#/pht6be18f93

 

Important: You should back up your photo library before repairing your library.

 

  • If Photos is open, choose Photos > Quit Photos.
  • Press Option-Command and double-click the Photos icon in the Applications folder (or click the Photos icon in the Dock).The Repair Library window opens.
  • Click Repair to rebuild your photo library.

Posted on Sep 12, 2016 1:30 AM

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martinasnape

Q: Cannot find 'Recently Deleted' album (Photos on Mac)

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  • Helpful answers

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Sep 7, 2016 8:36 PM in response to martinasnape
    Level 7 (25,734 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 7, 2016 8:36 PM in response to martinasnape

    If you are not deleting the photos from the Photos selection at the top of the sidebar, then they are not actually deleted. Deleting photos from Albums only deletes them from that Album, not from the Photo Library.

     

    Once you delete the photos from the Photos option they will appear in your Recently Deleted Album.

     

    Cheers,

     

    GB

  • by martinasnape,

    martinasnape martinasnape Sep 7, 2016 8:44 PM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 7, 2016 8:44 PM in response to gail from maine

    Alas, that is indeed where I have been deleting them from, but still no Recently Deleted Album. Mystery! Thanks for your response though

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Sep 7, 2016 9:03 PM in response to martinasnape
    Level 7 (25,734 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 7, 2016 9:03 PM in response to martinasnape

    Where are you looking for the Album, and what is the exact warning message you get when you delete the photos?

     

    The Recently Deleted album should be under Albums just below the other "standard" photo albums (Photo Steam, Last Import, Videos, etc.):

     

    Screen Shot 2016-09-08 at 12.02.15 AM.png

     

    The Photos option should be the one at the very top of the screen, not the "All Photos" under the Albums:

     

    Screen Shot 2016-09-08 at 12.00.33 AM.png

    Cheers,

     

    GB

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 7, 2016 9:15 PM in response to martinasnape
    Level 10 (84,217 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 7, 2016 9:15 PM in response to martinasnape

    You have OS X 10.11.6 and  Photos 1.5 - the recently deleted album is under albums not under the file menu as it was under Photos 1.0.x

     

    I find it easiest to show the sidebar (view menu ==> show sidebar) - then it is under albums - if the sidebar is hidden it is under the aAlubms tab

     

    LN

  • by martinasnape,

    martinasnape martinasnape Sep 12, 2016 1:15 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2016 1:15 AM in response to gail from maine

    Hmm I checked again and this is the message that comes upPhotos copy.jpg

    Again, no Recently Deleted album comes up

  • by martinasnape,

    martinasnape martinasnape Sep 12, 2016 1:17 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2016 1:17 AM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks Larry, but unfortunately I have the sidebar displayed, but no Recently Deleted

  • by léonie,Apple recommended

    léonie léonie Sep 12, 2016 1:30 AM in response to martinasnape
    Level 10 (105,806 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 12, 2016 1:30 AM in response to martinasnape

    Recently Deleted will show in the Sidebar, if it is not empty. Otherwise it will be hidden. Did you delete a photo, after the message in your screenshot came up?

     

    Import a new photo, just for testing, then delete it by pressing the key ⌥⌘⌫   (option-command-delete)

     

    If you only remove a photo from an album it will not appear in Recently Deleted. The photo has to be deleted from the library, not removed from an album.

     

    If you cannot make the Recently Deleted album show at all, even if you deleted a photo, repair your Photos Library.

    See this Help page:   https://help.apple.com/photos/mac/1.0/index.html#/pht6be18f93

     

    Important: You should back up your photo library before repairing your library.

     

    • If Photos is open, choose Photos > Quit Photos.
    • Press Option-Command and double-click the Photos icon in the Applications folder (or click the Photos icon in the Dock).The Repair Library window opens.
    • Click Repair to rebuild your photo library.