Deleting non-favorited photos from your Apple Photos library can help you manage and organize your photo collection more efficiently. Below are step-by-step instructions for doing this on both Mac and iOS devices. Before proceeding, ensure you have a backup of your photos in case you accidentally delete something important.

On a Mac

Using the Photos app on a Mac provides a straightforward way to delete non-favorited photos in bulk.

Step 1: Open the Photos App

1. Launch the Photos app from your Applications folder or Dock.

Step 2: Create a Smart Album for Non-Favorited Photos

1. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on File > New Smart Album.

2. In the Smart Album dialog box:

• Name your Smart Album (e.g., “Non-Favorited Photos”).

• Set the criteria to identify non-favorited photos:

• From the first dropdown, select Favorite.

• From the second dropdown, choose is.

• From the third dropdown, select No.

Your settings should look like this:

Favorite is No

3. Click OK. This will create a Smart Album containing all photos that are not marked as favorites.

Step 3: Review the Non-Favorited Photos

1. Click on the newly created Smart Album in the sidebar to view all non-favorited photos.

2. Review the photos to ensure you don’t delete any you might want to keep. This step is crucial to prevent accidental loss of important images.

Step 4: Select and Delete the Photos

1. Click on any photo in the Smart Album.

2. Press Command (⌘) + A to select all photos in the album.

3. Right-click (or Control-click) on any of the selected photos and choose Delete X Photos (where X is the number of selected photos).

4. Confirm the deletion by clicking Delete in the prompt that appears.

Step 5: Empty the Recently Deleted Album

1. After deletion, the photos move to the Recently Deleted album and remain there for 30 days.

2. To permanently delete them immediately:

• Click on Recently Deleted in the sidebar.

• Click Delete All in the top-right corner.

• Confirm by clicking Delete X Items.

On iPhone or iPad

Deleting non-favorited photos in bulk on iOS devices isn’t as straightforward as on a Mac, but you can still manage it with some manual steps.

Step 1: Open the Photos App

1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: Navigate to “All Photos”

1. Tap on the Albums tab at the bottom.

2. Select All Photos to view your entire photo library.

Step 3: Manually Select Non-Favorited Photos

Since iOS doesn’t offer a direct way to filter out favorited photos, you’ll need to manually select photos that aren’t marked as favorites.

1. Tap Select in the top-right corner.

2. Scroll through your photos and manually tap on photos that do not have the heart icon (indicating they are not favorited).

• Tip: You can quickly identify favorited photos by the presence of the heart icon below each photo.

3. As you select, a checkmark will appear on each photo.

Step 4: Delete the Selected Photos

1. After selecting all desired non-favorited photos, tap the trash can icon usually found at the bottom-right corner.

2. Confirm the deletion by tapping Delete Photos.

Step 5: Empty the Recently Deleted Album

1. To permanently remove the deleted photos immediately:

• Go back to the Albums tab.

• Scroll down and tap on Recently Deleted.

• Tap Select in the top-right corner.

• Tap Delete All in the bottom-left corner.

• Confirm by tapping Delete X Items.

Important Considerations

1. Backup Your Photos: Before performing bulk deletions, ensure that you have backed up your photos using Time Machine, iCloud Backup, or another backup method to prevent accidental loss.

2. iCloud Photos: If you use iCloud Photos, deleting photos on one device will remove them from all devices connected to the same iCloud account. Be cautious to avoid unintended deletions.

3. Review Before Deleting: Always review the photos you are about to delete to ensure that you don’t remove any important or irreplaceable images.

4. Recently Deleted Folder: Deleted photos are moved to the Recently Deleted album and remain there for 30 days before permanent deletion. You can recover photos from this album within that period if needed.

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage and delete non-favorited photos from your Apple Photos library, helping you maintain a more organized and streamlined photo collection.