How to do it
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Look at the number
Open Settings, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage and find Photos.
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Check Recently Deleted
Open the Photos app, tap Collections, tap Recently Deleted under Utilities, and unlock it. Deleted items stay there for 30 days and still take up space.
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Check iCloud Photos settings
Go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Photos. See whether Sync this iPhone is on, and which storage option is selected.
What does the Photos number include?
CleverFiles lists three things beyond your visible library: items in Recently Deleted, cached thumbnails, and the local copies iCloud keeps on the device (CleverFiles).
| Source | What to do |
|---|---|
| Recently Deleted | Delete items there, or wait 30 days (Apple) |
| Local copies from iCloud | Use Optimize iPhone Storage (Apple) |
| Cached thumbnails | Counted in the number per CleverFiles; not something you manage in Photos |
Why did it not shrink after I deleted photos?
Deleted photos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days (Apple). See why iPhone storage is still full after deleting photos.
Where can I see overall storage?
In Settings, General, iPhone Storage you can see how much storage you have left and which apps use the most space (Apple).
Does Optimize iPhone Storage change this number?
When Optimize Storage is on, your iPhone keeps space-saving copies of photos and videos when it needs room, while full-resolution versions stay in iCloud (Apple).