Deleting individual recordings in Apple's native Voice Memos app for iPhone and iPad is really easy. Launch the app, and in the list of recordings, just swipe leftwards across the one you want to delete, then tap the red trash icon.

voice memos
If you want to delete multiple recordings in one go, tap the Edit button in the top-right corner of the screen, then select the recordings that you want to remove. Once you're done selecting recordings, tap the trash button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Change How Long Deleted Recordings Are Kept

Deleted recordings are moved to the Recently Deleted folder, where they’re kept for 30 days by default. To change how long deleted recordings are kept, follow these steps:

  1. Launch the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and tap Apps, then tap Voice Memos.
  3. Under "Voice Memo Settings," tap Clear Deleted.
  4. Select one of the following options: Immediately, After 1 Day, After 7 Days, After 30 Days, or Never.
    settings

Note that in the "Voice Memo Settings" section, you can also adjust the audio quality of recordings. If you're eager to save on storage and don't mind sacrificing a bit of quality, make sure Compressed is selected, rather than Lossless.

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
imac video apple feature

Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...