Level 1 (20 points)

How to remove photos from iPhone library but keep them in albums?

Hi I have an iPhone 11 with IOS 26.6.2

I have loads of photos collected into albums that I don’t want to be cluttering up my library. Things I need to keep but may not need to see again for years and having to scroll past 100s of images to find snap shots is such a pain and even worse for me because I have visual problems so I can only have 1 shot on the screen at once! So it’s a LOT of scrolling

I’d like a scenario where once I put them in an album they are removed from my library but remain in the album? Is that possible- either

set up do do it automatically, or a way to do it manually myself?

I tried looking through all the settings can’t find anything and deleting or hiding from library deleted/hides from album too.

many thanks

Posted on Oct 2, 2026 3:48 AM

4 replies

Richard.Taylor

Level 7 (25,466 points)

Oct 2, 2026 7:12 AM in response to HummingbirdBlue

The Library is the entire collection-- it's good to have a place where we can see that.

The Library has filters that are accessed with the funnel icon.

One of them shows only pictures "Not in an album." The funnel icon changes when a filter is on.

Because people sometimes get upset when they look in Library and don't see all their pictures , the filter will return to All Items if the Photos app is fully closed.

Does this work for you?

HummingbirdBlue Author

Level 1 (20 points)

Oct 2, 2026 8:36 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Hi Richard yes that’s worked thank you so very much!

I am so pleased that will make life much easier.

I can’t believe I missed something so obvious! I am quite new to smartphones (lol I just landed from another planet), and I thought it was odd that there wasn’t an option to do it. But I thought “filters” meant something to do with the filters I hear about being applied to photos to make people look younger etc, so I never even looked in that menu 🤣

Lol Im really grateful for your assistance thank you

Richard.Taylor

Level 7 (25,466 points)

Oct 2, 2026 10:21 AM in response to HummingbirdBlue

HummingbirdBlue wrote: I can’t believe I missed something so obvious!

Oh--you're hardly the first! I'm glad I could help!

There are styles and things like that in the Edit mode. For looking younger, we need another app for that. Or Plastic Surgery.

HummingbirdBlue Author

Level 1 (20 points)

Oct 2, 2026 10:46 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

LOL indeed!

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256368994