Photos app still taking up space after deleting all photos on iPad or iPhone

This is normal! iPadOS keeps temporary backups and cache files (like thumbnails, metadata, and photo buffers) even after you’ve emptied your Photos app. It’s part of Apple’s data protection system — designed to prevent loss and speed up reloading if you change your mind or something crashes.

These “hidden” files live in the system’s photo data cache and are automatically cleared after some time, especially when your storage space runs low. So there’s nothing wrong with your device — the space will free up on its own within days or weeks.

If you want to speed things up, go to Settings → General → iPad Storage and leave it open for a few minutes — iPadOS will often start cleaning up cached data automatically.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Tip for anyone wondering why the Photos app still takes up lots of space on iPad or iPhone even after deleting all photos: