---
title: "What Is Recently Deleted on iPhone? Meaning and Settings"
description: "Recently Deleted is the iPhone album that keeps deleted photos and videos for 30 days before they are erased. It's locked by default and syncs with iCloud Photos."
url: https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/glossary/recently-deleted
lang: en-gb
published: 2026-10-31
updated: 2026-10-31
author: "VaultForYou Editorial Team"
publisher: VaultForYou
---

# What is Recently Deleted?

Published 2026-10-31 - Updated 2026-10-31 - By VaultForYou Editorial Team - Checked against iOS 27 - 31 Oct 2026

## Quick answer

Recently Deleted is the album in the Photos app that keeps photos and videos for 30 days after you delete them, so you can recover them. It is locked with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode by default, and with iCloud Photos on it syncs across your devices.

- **Where:** Photos -> Collections -> Utilities -> Recently Deleted.
- **Kept for:** 30 days, then erased.
- **Empty it:** Select items -> Delete.

Deleting a photo doesn't remove it straight away; it moves to Recently Deleted. That matters when you move private photos into a vault: delete the originals from Photos, then empty Recently Deleted so no copy stays behind.

Messages and Notes have their own Recently Deleted lists that work the same way.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long do deleted photos stay on iPhone?

Thirty days. Deleted photos and videos move to the Recently Deleted album, where you can recover them. After 30 days they are erased. To remove them sooner, open Recently Deleted, unlock it, tap Select, choose the items and delete them.

### Do I need to empty Recently Deleted after moving photos to a vault?

Yes. Moving a photo into a vault app makes a copy. Delete the original from Photos, then empty Recently Deleted, or the original stays on your iPhone and in iCloud Photos for up to 30 days.

## Sources

- [Apple Support: Delete or hide photos and videos on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/delete-or-hide-photos-and-videos-iphb4defbde9/ios)

## Related terms

- [Hidden album](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/glossary/hidden-album)
- [iCloud Photos](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/glossary/icloud-photos)

## Browse

- [All glossary terms](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/glossary)

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Our guides are written and fact-checked by the VaultForYou team against Apple's own documentation. We make VaultForYou, a private vault app for iPhone. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000