How to Find and Delete Blurry Photos on iPhone and Android
By CleanX TeamPublished
Quick answer
- iPhone: Photos has no blurry photos album. Start with Collections › Media Types › Bursts, keep the sharp frames, then review the rest by hand.
- Android: in Google Photos, open Manage storage. Google says its storage tool suggests items you might delete, like blurry photos, screenshots and large videos, for backed-up photos.
- Deleted photos stay 30 days in Recently Deleted on iPhone and in trash in Google Photos; empty it to get the space back now.
A shaky hand, a moving subject or a pocket shot leaves photos you’ll never use. Neither Apple’s Photos app nor Google Photos has a blurry album, but bursts on iPhone and the storage tool in Google Photos get you most of the way.
Delete blurry photos on iPhone
Step 1: Start with bursts
Bursts often hold many near-identical frames, and some are blurry. In Photos, tap Collections, scroll to Media Types and tap Bursts.
Step 2: Keep only the sharp frames
Open a burst and tap Burst (number) in the top-left. Apple says gray dots mark the suggested photos to keep. Tap the circle in the lower-right corner of each photo you want to keep, then tap the checkmark. When iPhone asks whether to keep the other photos, choose Keep Only [number] Favorites.
Step 3: Review the rest by hand
In the Library, tap Select and drag your finger across the photos to select several at once, then tap the Trash button. See how to delete all photos on iPhone.
Step 4: Empty Recently Deleted
Deleted photos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days. To get the space back now, delete them there too. See Recently Deleted on iPhone.
Delete blurry photos on Android with Google Photos
Step 1: Open the storage tool
In Google Photos, tap your profile picture or initial, then Photos settings (on iPhone: Google Photos settings), Backup and Manage storage. Google says this storage tool shows items you can delete, like blurry photos, screenshots and large videos.
Step 2: Open the blurry photos
If you see a blurry photos suggestion, tap it, check each photo, select the ones you don’t want and move them to trash.
Step 3: Empty the trash
Google says deleted backed-up items stay in trash for 30 days. To empty it now, tap Collections › Trash › More › Empty Trash. Deleting in Google Photos also removes the same photo from your phone and from other devices with backup on.
Google describes these suggestions for photos backed up to Google Photos, so photos that are only on your phone may not show up. For duplicates, see how to delete duplicate photos on Android.
How blurry photos are found, and what can go wrong
- Sharpness is measured, not meaning: apps typically look at how crisp the edges are. A photo of a plain wall, a foggy view or a dark night shot can look “blurry” to them even if it’s what you meant to take.
- Intentional blur counts too: motion blur, light trails and a soft background can be flagged.
- A sharp photo can still be a bad one: closed eyes or a bad crop won’t be caught.
- Check before you delete: a slightly soft photo may be the only one of a moment.
| iPhone (Photos) | Android (Google Photos) | CleanX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finds blurry photos | No; Bursts suggest frames to keep | Yes, as a storage suggestion | Yes, a Blurry Photos list |
| Which photos | All photos on the iPhone | Backed-up photos | Photos stored on the phone |
| Reviewing | By hand | Select in the suggestion list | Select All, or swipe through one by one |
| After deleting | Recently Deleted, 30 days | Trash, 30 days | iPhone: Recently Deleted; Android: deleted after you confirm |
| Cost | Free | Free | Scanning free; deleting needs CleanX Pro |
CleanX
Find blurry photos on your phone with CleanX
CleanX scans the photos on your iPhone or Android phone, measures how sharp each one is and lists the blurry ones on the home screen with the space they take. Select them all, or tap a photo to swipe through: swipe left to send it to the trash, right to keep it, then delete everything in the trash at once. On iPhone you confirm once and the photos go to Recently Deleted for 30 days; on Android, they’re deleted permanently, and on Android 11 and later Android asks you to confirm first.
- Blurry photos listed with the space they take
- Swipe left to trash, right to keep
- Scanning is free; deleting needs CleanX Pro
Before you delete
- Look at each photo in full size: thumbnails hide blur, and they can also make a sharp photo look soft.
- Keep the one-offs: if it’s the only photo of a person or moment, a little blur may be worth keeping.
- Clear similar shots too: see how to delete duplicate photos on iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find blurry photos on my iPhone?
Photos has no blurry album. Check Collections › Media Types › Bursts first, where Apple marks the suggested frames to keep, then look through your Library yourself.
Does Google Photos delete blurry photos automatically?
No. Google says its storage tool suggests items you might delete, like blurry photos, for backed-up photos. You choose what to delete, and it goes to trash for 30 days.
Can I fix a blurry photo instead of deleting it?
Editing can make a photo look a little sharper, but it can’t bring back detail the camera didn’t capture. If the photo matters, keep the original.
Why are some sharp photos marked as blurry?
Most blur detection, including CleanX’s, measures how crisp the edges are, so plain, dark or foggy scenes and intentional motion blur can be flagged. Review before you delete.
Do deleted blurry photos still take up space?
Yes, for 30 days in Recently Deleted on iPhone or in trash in Google Photos. Delete them there to get the space back right away.
Related guides
- How to Delete Duplicate Photos on iPhoneUse the built-in Duplicates album, then deal with the similar shots it leaves behind.
- How to Delete All Photos on iPhoneSelect many photos at once in Photos, delete them, then empty Recently Deleted.
- How to Delete Duplicate Photos on AndroidUse the Duplicate files card in Files by Google, keep the Original, then empty Trash.
