Removing Photos from iPod via iTunes

 

Many people are not sure how to remove photos from their iPods.  Don't feel bad, it isn't very intuitive and hopefully Apple will make it more intuitive in future updates to iTunes and the iPod firmware.  Photos that are synced via iTunes can easily be removed from your iPod without any 3rd party software or fancy hacking.  Here are some simple steps that will allow you to delete all photos from you iPod.  Please note that these steps are specific to Windows and not Macs.  I'm not familiar with Macs, but I imagine these steps would be similar in nature.

 

This article does not pertain to the "Saved Photos" album, but rather to your Photos that were synced via iTunes.  The photos that are under the "Saved Photos" album can be deleted directly from the iPod (Touch and Phone).

 

 

WARNING: 

Completing the following steps will permanently delete the photos from your iPod.  The photos will not be deleted from you computer.  If you have a copy of them on your computer then you can Sync (copy) them back to your iPod later, if you so choose.  However, if these photos are your only copy, then you may wish to back them up. Backing up photos from your iPod is not covered here. 

 

 

 

I.  Delete all photos from iPod using iTunes when photos are synced.

• Start iTunes.
• Connect your iPod to your computer.
• Click on your iPod icon in iTunes under Devices.
  Be patient, the Tabbed Pages for your device may take a little time to load.
• Click on the Photos tab.
• The "Sync Photos from:" check-box should be checked.  If it is not checked, please go to section II.
  
• Click to uncheck the "Sync photos from:" check-box.
• You will see the following prompt.
  
  
  
• Click the "Remove Photos" button.
• Click the "Apply" button at the bottom right corner in iTunes.
  
  1. Your iPod will begin to Sync.
  2. Do not unplug your iPod or close iTunes until sync has completed.
  3. Once finished, open the Photos app on your iPod and you should see there are none.

 

 

 

II.  Delete all photos from iPod using iTunes when photos are no longer synced.

First, an explanation.  If you added Photos to your iPod through iTunes, then the Sync Photos checkbox was checked at some point.  You may have unchecked the box and when the following prompt appeared, simply clicked the "Don't remove photos" button.  This would have left the photos on your iPod, but stopped syncing them.

 

• IMPORTANT:  Before continuing, create an empty folder somewhere easy to remember, perhaps on your desktop.  This empty folder can be placed anywhere, but you will want to remember where it is.  I imagine that you know how to do this, but in case you don't:
  Right click on your Desktop and choose New>Folder from the popup menu.  Or do the same anywhere in Windows Explorer.
  
• Start iTunes.
• Connect your iPod to your computer.
• Click on your iPod icon in iTunes under Devices.
  Be patient, the Tabbed Pages for your device may take a little time to load.
• Click on the Photos tab.
• You should see that the "Sync Photos from:" check-box is NOT checked.
  
  Notice the folder list-box to the right, "My Pictures...".  Your folder name may differ from the one shown here.
  Once you perform the following steps, this folder list-box will become enabled.
  
• Click to check the"Sync photos from:" check-box.
• You will see this prompt.
  
  
  
• Click the "Sync Photos" button.
• The folder list-box is now enabled.
  
  
  
• Click "Choose Folder..."
• You will be prompted to choose a folder with the standard windows Open dialog box.
• Remember that empty folder you created in the beginning?  Navigate and choose this folder as your sync folder.
• Here you see the folder as the default windows "New Folder".  You may have renamed yours. 
  It doesn't matter, as long as the folder you choose is empty, or at least does not contain any pictures.
• Click the "Apply" button at the bottom right corner in iTunes.
  1. Your iPod will begin to Sync.
  2. Do not unplug your iPod or close iTunes until sync has completed.
  3. Once finished, open the Photos app on your iPod and you should see there are none.