10 Easy Steps to Delete Messenger Photos

Deleting Messenger photos can be a quick and easy way to declutter your account and free up some space. However, it’s important to remember that once you delete a photo, it’s gone for good. There’s no way to recover it, so it’s important to be sure that you really want to delete it before you do. In this article, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to delete Messenger photos on both iOS and Android devices.

To delete multiple photos at once on an iOS device, open the Messenger app and tap on the “Photos” tab. Then, tap on the “Select” button in the top-right corner of the screen. Select the photos that you want to delete and then tap on the “Delete” button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. To delete a single photo on an iOS device, open the photo and tap on the “More” button in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Then, tap on the “Delete Photo” button.

To delete photos on a Android device, open Messenger and tap the Photos tab at the bottom of the screen. Then tap the photo you want to delete and select the Trash icon at the top of the screen. You can also delete multiple photos at once by tapping the Select button at the top of the screen and selecting the photos you want to delete. Once you’ve selected the photos, tap the Trash icon to delete them.

Accessing Messenger’s Photo Section

1. Open the Messenger app: Launch the Messenger app on your mobile device or access it through the web version.

2. Navigate to the “Photos” section:

– For mobile app users: Tap on the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner to access the menu. Select “Photos” from the list of options.

– For web app users: Click on the three dots in the top right corner next to your profile picture. Select “Photos” from the dropdown menu.

3. Choose the desired category: Once you’re in the “Photos” section, you’ll see several categories to organize your photos, including “All Photos,” “Albums,” and “Shared Photos.” Select the category that contains the photos you want to delete.

4. Locate the photos to delete: Scroll through the photos in the selected category and identify the ones you want to remove. Select the photos by tapping or clicking on them.

Platform	Selection Method
Mobile App	Tap and hold on a photo to select it. You can then select multiple photos by tapping on them while holding down the first selection.
Web App	Click on the checkbox that appears when you hover over a photo. Multiple photos can be selected by clicking on their respective checkboxes.

Selecting Individual Photos for Deletion

When you want to delete specific photos from Messenger, the process is straightforward. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Messenger Photo Viewer

Locate and open the conversation where the photos are shared. Next, tap on the shared photo or image that you wish to delete.

2. Select the Photos to Delete

Once the photo viewer is open, you will see the selected photo and a thumbnail gallery of all the other photos shared in the conversation below it. To select individual photos for deletion:

Tap the down arrow icon ⇩ in the top-right corner of the photo viewer.
Select “Delete Photo” from the options.

Option	Description
Delete Photo	Removes the currently displayed photo from the conversation.
Select Multiple Photos	Allows you to select multiple photos for simultaneous deletion.

3. Confirm Deletion

A confirmation dialog box will appear. Tap “Delete” to permanently remove the selected photo(s) from Messenger and the conversation.

Deleting Multiple Photos Simultaneously

Step 1: Select the Photos

Locate the conversation thread containing the photos you wish to delete. Tap and hold one of the photos until a checkmark appears in the top right corner. This will select the photo for deletion.

Step 2: Select Additional Photos

While holding down the first photo, tap any additional photos you wish to delete. They will also be selected with checkmarks.

Step 3: Delete the Selected Photos (Detailed)

When multiple photos are selected, a grayed-out “Delete” icon will appear at the bottom of the screen. This indicates that the selected photos will be deleted for everyone in the conversation. Tap the “Delete” icon to confirm the deletion.

Important Notes:

Feature	Description
Unsending Photos	Deleted photos cannot be recovered. They will be permanently removed from the conversation history for all participants.
Partial Deletion	You can only delete photos that you have sent in the conversation. You cannot delete photos sent by others.
Time Limit	There is no time limit for deleting photos in Messenger. You can delete them at any time, even if they have been sent months or years ago.

Confirming Photo Removal

To ensure that the photos you’ve selected have been successfully removed, follow these steps:

Open Messenger and navigate to the conversation where the photos were located.
Check the chat window to see if the photos are still visible.
If the photos are gone, then they have been successfully removed for both you and the other person in the conversation.
If the photos are still visible, repeat the deletion process or contact Messenger support for assistance.

Confirmation Table

Here’s a table to help you track your photo deletion progress:

Photo	Status
Photo 1	Pending
Photo 2	Removed
Photo 3	Failed

Once all of the photos in the table have a status of “Removed,” you can be confident that they have been permanently deleted from the conversation.

Restoring Deleted Messenger Photos

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to restore deleted Messenger photos through the app itself. These photos are permanently removed from Messenger’s servers once they are deleted.

However, there are some methods you can try to recover deleted Messenger photos:

1. Check Your Device’s Recently Deleted Folder

If you’ve recently deleted Messenger photos on your mobile device, they may be temporarily stored in the Recently Deleted folder. The duration that deleted photos remain in this folder varies depending on the device and operating system you’re using.

2. Use a Data Recovery Software

There are various data recovery software programs available online that you can use to scan your device for deleted files, including Messenger photos. These programs may be able to retrieve deleted photos, even if you have emptied the Recently Deleted folder.

3. Contact Facebook Customer Support

In some cases, Facebook customer support may be able to assist you in recovering deleted Messenger photos. However, this is not guaranteed and may depend on the circumstances surrounding the deletion of the photos.

4. Use a Third-Party Backup Service

If you have enabled automatic backups through a third-party service, such as iCloud for iOS devices or Google Drive for Android devices, you may be able to restore deleted Messenger photos from your backup.

5. Check Your Messenger Desktop or Web Version

If you have used Messenger on your computer, it’s possible that the deleted photos may still be available in the desktop or web version of Messenger. To check, follow these steps:

Platform	Steps
Desktop	– Open the Messenger desktop app. – Click on the “Settings” gear icon. – Select “Photos & Videos.” – Check if the deleted photos are still listed in the “Recent Photos” section.
Web Version	– Go to the Messenger website (https://www.messenger.com/) and log in. – Click on the “Photos & Videos” tab. – Check if the deleted photos are still listed in the “Recent Photos” section.

Deleting Photos from a Specific Conversation

To remove images from a particular conversation, follow these steps:

1. Open the Messenger app and navigate to the conversation with the photos you wish to delete.

2. Locate the message containing the images you want to remove and tap and hold on the message. A menu will appear.

3. From the menu, select “Remove.” A confirmation dialog box will appear, asking if you are sure you want to delete the message and its contents, including photos.

4. Confirm your selection by tapping “Delete.”

5. The message, including the photos, will be removed from the conversation.

6. If you have multiple photos in a single message, you can selectively delete individual photos rather than the entire message. To do this, follow these additional steps:

a. Tap and hold on the message containing the images you want to delete, as described in step 2 above.

b. Select “More” from the menu that appears.

c. A preview of the message will appear, showing you the contents of the message, including the photos.

d. Tap on each photo you want to delete individually. The selected photos will be highlighted with blue checkmarks.

e. Once you have selected all the photos you want to delete, tap on the “Delete” icon located at the top right corner of the screen.

f. Confirm your selection by tapping “Delete” on the confirmation dialog box.

g. The selected photos will be removed from the message, while the message itself and any other contents will remain.

Using Facebook’s “Delete All” Feature

Facebook’s “Delete All” feature allows you to quickly remove all your Messenger photos in one go. Here’s how to do it:

Open Facebook and go to your Messenger inbox.
Click on the gear icon in the top right corner.
Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
In the left-hand menu, click on “Photos and Videos”.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the “Delete All” button.
Confirm that you want to delete all your Messenger photos.
Once you’ve confirmed, Facebook will delete all your Messenger photos.

Note that this feature will only delete your Messenger photos. It will not delete any photos that you have shared on your Facebook timeline.

Action	Result
Click on the gear icon	Opens the Settings menu
Select “Settings”	Opens the Facebook settings page
Click on “Photos and Videos”	Opens the Photos and Videos settings page
Scroll down to the bottom of the page	Displays the “Delete All” button
Click on the “Delete All” button	Prompts you to confirm the deletion
Confirm the deletion	Deletes all Messenger photos

Archiving Photos Instead of Deleting

If you’re hesitant to delete your Messenger photos permanently, you can archive them instead. This will remove them from your main chat view but keep them accessible in a separate folder.

To archive a photo in Messenger:

1. Open the photo you want to archive.
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
3. Select “Archive.”

To access your archived photos, tap the “Archived Photos” folder in the Messenger sidebar.

You can unarchive photos at any time by following these steps:

1. Open the “Archived Photos” folder.
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
3. Select “Unarchive.”

You can also archive multiple photos at once by selecting them and tapping the “Archive” button that appears at the bottom of the screen.

Pros of Archiving	Cons of Archiving
Photos remain accessible Frees up space in your main chat view	Less convenient than deleting Archived photos can still occupy storage space

Troubleshooting Photo Deletion Issues

Photo Not Deleting from Messenger

If a photo is not deleting from Messenger, there may be several reasons:

Poor internet connection: Check your internet connection and ensure it is stable.
App glitch: Try closing the Messenger app and reopening it.
Corrupted photo: The photo may have become corrupted and needs to be deleted manually from your device’s gallery.
Pending deletion: The photo may be in the process of being deleted but has not yet completed. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Photo Deletion Confirmation Not Appearing

If the photo deletion confirmation is not appearing, it is possible that:

Photo is still selected: Make sure the photo you want to delete is no longer selected.
Tap and hold not registering: Press and hold the photo for a few seconds to ensure it is registering.
Messenger update issue: Check for any updates available for Messenger and install them if necessary.

Multiple Photos Not Deleting

If multiple photos are not deleting, it may be due to:

Selection issue: Ensure all the photos you want to delete are properly selected.
App limitation: Messenger may have a limit on the number of photos that can be deleted at once. Try deleting them in smaller batches.
Messenger server issue: There may be a temporary issue with Messenger’s servers. Try again later or contact Messenger support.

Deleted Photos Reappearing

If deleted photos reappear in Messenger, it may be due to:

App cache issue: Clear the Messenger app cache through your device’s settings.
Messenger database error: Contact Messenger support to report the issue and have them investigate.
Syncing issue: Ensure your device is not syncing photos from other sources, such as cloud storage, which may restore deleted photos.

Photos Not Moving to Trash

If deleted photos are not moving to the trash, it may be due to:

Feature unavailable: The "move to trash" feature may not be available in all regions or Messenger versions.
App glitch: Try closing and reopening the Messenger app.
Messenger update issue: Check for any updates available for Messenger and install them if necessary.

Understanding the Consequences of Photo Deletion

Before deleting Messenger photos, carefully consider the following consequences:

Irreversible Loss: Once deleted, photos cannot be recovered.
Impact on Conversations: Photos often provide context to conversations. Deleting them may disrupt the flow and understanding of past chats.
Loss of Sentimental Value: Messenger photos often hold sentimental value, especially those from special occasions or memories.
Privacy Concerns: Ensure that you only delete photos that you have permission to share and that do not violate privacy laws.
Storage Capacity: Deleting unnecessary photos can free up storage space on your device or Messenger account.
Backup Considerations: If you have backed up your Messenger photos elsewhere, you may not need to keep them on the platform.
Chat Backup: If you have a chat backup, deleting photos from Messenger will also remove them from the backup.
Message Recovery: When you recover a deleted message that contained a photo, the photo will not be automatically restored.
Hidden Photos: Messenger may hide some photos from your main view. Check the “Hidden” section before deleting all photos.
Future Use: Consider whether you may need the photos in the future before permanently deleting them.

How to Delete Messenger Photos

Deleting Messenger photos can help you free up storage space on your device and protect your privacy. Here are the steps on how to delete Messenger photos:

Open the Messenger app on your device.
Tap on the conversation that contains the photos you want to delete.
Tap and hold on the photo you want to delete.
Select the “Delete” option.
Confirm that you want to delete the photo.

You can also delete multiple photos at once by selecting them and then tapping on the “Delete” option.