How to Quickly Select Multiple Photos in iOS

Stop tapping on each photo individually and try this instead

Six photos selected in the iOS 10 Photos app
by Sue Chastain
Sue Chastain is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a graphics software authority with web design and print publishing credentials.
Updated August 30, 2019

Starting with iOS 9, Apple changed the way you can select multiple photos. You can now swipe a bunch of them, instead of tapping each one individually, making it easier to share a batch of snapshots with friends and family. We'll show you how to do it.

This guide applies to iOS 9 and higher.

  1. Pictures in the iOS Photos app are automatically sorted into collections by year, date, and location. Open the collection you want to select photos from.

  2. Tap the Select button in the top right of the screen.

    The iOS photos app

  3. Drag your finger across the photos you want to select. You will see a blue checkmark on each one.

    The iOS Photos app with three photos selected

Once you've selected your photos, you have a couple of options. You can tap the Upload button to share them via a variety of apps (Gmail, iCloud Photo Sharing, Twitter, etc.). This option also lets you print photos or create a slideshow. The Trash Can icon lets you delete photos, while the Add To option lets you place them in an album.