Apple’s redesigned Photos app in iOS 18 introduced the Recently Viewed album, making it easy to revisit photos and videos you’ve opened recently. If you prefer to clear this history for privacy, iOS 18.2 and later let you remove individual items or clear the entire Recently Viewed album without deleting the original photos.
In iOS 26, the Recently Viewed feature remains available with similar functionality.
Important: The option to clear or remove Recently Viewed photos is available only on iOS 18.2 or later, including iOS 26.
What are Recently Viewed Photos?
Recently Viewed is an automatically generated album that shows photos and videos you’ve recently opened in the Photos app. It lets you quickly revisit recent items, but unlike the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums, it can’t be protected with Face ID or a passcode.
How to Remove Recently Viewed Photos on iPhone
While you can’t disable the Recently Viewed feature, you can remove individual items or clear the entire Recently Viewed history whenever you want.
Note: Removing Recently Viewed photos does not delete the original photos or videos from your library.
Clear all Recently Viewed photos
- Open the Photos app.
- On iOS 18: Scroll down to the Utilities section.
- On iOS 26: Tap the Collections tab, then scroll down to Utilities.
- Swipe left and tap the Recently Viewed album.
- Tap the More button (3 dots) in the top-right corner and select Remove All from Recently Viewed.
- Tap Remove All from Recently Viewed again to confirm.
That’s it. Your Recently Viewed history will be cleared while your original photos and videos remain safely stored in your library.
Remove individual photos from Recently Viewed
If you want to remove only specific photos or videos:
- Open the Recently Viewed album.
- Open the photo or video you want to remove from Recently Viewed.
- Tap the More button (3 dots) in the top-right corner.
- Select Remove from Recently Viewed.
- Confirm your choice.
You can also select multiple photos and remove them all at once.
Can’t Find the “Remove from Recently Viewed” Option?
If the option doesn’t appear, try these fixes:
- Make sure your iPhone is running iOS 18.2 or later.
- Install the latest available iOS update.
- Ensure you’re opening the Recently Viewed album rather than browsing your main photo library.
- Force close and reopen the Photos app if the option doesn’t appear.
Hide Recently Viewed in the Photos App
Note: Apple removed the option to hide collections such as Utilities in iOS 26. The steps below apply only to iOS 18.
Although you can’t lock the Recently Viewed album with Face ID, you can hide the entire Utilities collection in iOS 18.
To hide Recently Viewed in Photos on iOS 18:
- Open the Photos app.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Customize & Reorder.
- Uncheck the checkbox for Utilities to hide it.
If you’ve pinned Recently Viewed to Pinned Collections, remove it from there as well.
Keep in mind that this only makes the Recently Viewed section less visible. Anyone familiar with the Photos app can still access it if they know where to look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing Recently Viewed photos delete them?
No. It only clears your Recently Viewed history. The original photos and videos remain in your Photos library.
Can I disable Recently Viewed on iPhone?
No. Apple doesn’t currently provide an option to turn off the Recently Viewed feature. However, you can remove individual items or clear the entire history whenever you want.
Why can’t I see the Remove from Recently Viewed option?
The feature is available only on iOS 18.2 or later. If you’re using an earlier version of iOS 18, update your iPhone and try again.
That’s all. Whether you want to remove a single photo or clear your entire Recently Viewed history, iOS 18.2 and later make it easy while keeping your original photos and videos intact.
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