Master Photo Library Cleanup: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using 'This Day' as a Daily Habit

<h2>Overview</h2><p>Over the years, our phone galleries become vast digital attics—stuffed with duplicates, blurry screenshots, and forgotten memories. The sheer volume can be paralyzing, and the cost of iCloud storage keeps climbing. Enter <strong>This Day</strong>, an indie app that transforms photo decluttering from a daunting chore into a manageable, five-minute daily routine. Instead of trying to clean your entire library in one sitting, the app surfaces only the photos taken on today’s date in previous years. You review, keep, or delete—one day at a time. This guide will walk you through everything you need to master the app and finally tame your camera roll.</p><figure style="margin:20px 0"><img src="https://9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2026/05/This-Day-app.jpg?quality=82&amp;#038;strip=all&amp;#038;w=1600" alt="Master Photo Library Cleanup: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using &#039;This Day&#039; as a Daily Habit" style="width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px" loading="lazy"><figcaption style="font-size:12px;color:#666;margin-top:5px">Source: 9to5mac.com</figcaption></figure><h2>Prerequisites</h2><ul><li><strong>An iOS device</strong> (iPhone or iPad) running iOS 15 or later.</li><li><strong>This Day app</strong> installed from the App Store (free with optional in-app purchases).</li><li><strong>iCloud Photos</strong> enabled (recommended for full library access).</li><li><strong>At least 5 minutes of daily time</strong>—the habit that makes it work.</li><li><strong>Basic understanding of photo management</strong> (e.g., what “Recently Deleted” folder does).</li></ul><h2>Step-by-Step Instructions</h2><h3>1. Install and Launch the App</h3><p>Download <strong>This Day</strong> from the App Store. After installation, open it. The app will request permission to access your photo library. Grant <strong>full access</strong> so it can see photos from all years. If you only grant limited access, you will miss older images, which defeats the purpose.</p><h3>2. Allow Notifications (Optional but Recommended)</h3><p>The app thrives on habit. Tap <strong>Allow Notifications</strong> when prompted. You’ll receive a gentle daily reminder—for example, “Time to review today in years past.” This nudge is what turns an occasional cleanup into a lasting habit.</p><h3>3. Understand the Daily Interface</h3><p>Each day, <strong>This Day</strong> shows a grid of photos taken on that exact date in earlier years. For instance, on July 5, it will display images from July 5, 2023, July 5, 2022, and so on. The app groups them by year and lets you swipe or tap through.</p><h3>4. Review and Decide: Swipe to Keep or Delete</h3><p>For each photo, you have two primary actions:</p><ul><li><strong>Swipe right</strong> (or tap the heart icon) to mark a photo as a <strong>keeper</strong>. The app will remember your decision and avoid showing it again.</li><li><strong>Swipe left</strong> (or tap the trash icon) to <strong>delete</strong> the photo. The app moves it to your device’s Recently Deleted folder.</li></ul><p>You can also tap the photo to view it full-screen, zoom in on details, or share it directly. If you’re indecisive, simply <strong>skip</strong> the photo by tapping the “Later” button—the app will resurface it another day.</p><h3>5. Use the Batch Select Mode</h3><p>If you have many photos from the same event (e.g., 20 blurry shots of a birthday cake), long-press any photo to enter <strong>batch select</strong>. Then tap to select multiple images and perform a bulk action: delete all, keep all, or move them to a folder. This saves time and reduces repetitive swiping.</p><h3>6. Track Your Progress</h3><p>The app includes a dashboard accessible from the top menu. Here you can see:</p><ul><li><strong>Days completed</strong> – how many days you’ve reviewed (e.g., 12 days).</li><li><strong>Photos deleted</strong> – total images removed so far.</li><li><strong>Storage freed</strong> – estimated gigabytes reclaimed.</li></ul><p>Checking this weekly reinforces the habit and shows tangible results.</p><h3>7. Handle Edge Cases: Screenshots, Duplicates, and Burst Photos</h3><p><strong>This Day</strong> also includes a filter icon that lets you narrow shown photos by type:</p><ul><li><strong>Screenshots only</strong> – quickly purge old screenshots you no longer need.</li><li><strong>Burst shots</strong> – review burst series and keep only the best frame.</li><li><strong>Duplicates</strong> – the app uses metadata to flag near-identical images.</li></ul><p>Use these filters to accelerate cleanup of specific categories without scrolling through every photo.</p><figure style="margin:20px 0"><img src="https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2026/05/This-Day-app.jpg?resize=1200%2C628&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1" alt="Master Photo Library Cleanup: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using &#039;This Day&#039; as a Daily Habit" style="width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px" loading="lazy"><figcaption style="font-size:12px;color:#666;margin-top:5px">Source: 9to5mac.com</figcaption></figure><h3>8. Integrate with Your Existing Workflow</h3><p>For best results, pair <strong>This Day</strong> with your phone’s native Photos app. Once a week, empty the <strong>Recently Deleted</strong> folder (30-day retention) to permanently free space. Also, consider upgrading to the app’s premium tier if you want to unlock features like:</p><ul><li><strong>Auto-delete</strong> for photos you’ve swiped left more than once.</li><li><strong>Custom reminders</strong> (specific time, multiple times a day).</li><li><strong>Cloud backup stats</strong> to see iCloud storage impact.</li></ul><h2>Common Mistakes</h2><h3>❌ Deleting Every Photo from a Day</h3><p>Remember, the app shows a snapshot of that date across all years. Deleting a photo means it’s gone forever (after 30 days). Avoid a massive purge just because you’re in a mood. Take time to evaluate each image’s emotional value.</p><h3>❌ Skipping Too Many Photos</h3><p>If you tap “Later” repeatedly, you never make progress. The app will keep showing you the same photos. Instead, force yourself to either keep or delete. If truly unsure, keep it—but set a rule: “If I don’t recognize the scene after 5 seconds, delete.”</p><h3>❌ Granting Limited Photo Access</h3><p>When first setting up, many users choose “Selected Photos” out of privacy concerns. That severely limits the app because it can’t see your full library. Re-grant full access via Settings > Privacy > Photos > This Day > All Photos.</p><h3>❌ Ignoring the “Recently Deleted” Folder</h3><p>Deleted photos still consume storage for 30 days. Set a recurring calendar reminder to empty that folder every two weeks. Otherwise, you won’t see the storage benefit.</p><h3>❌ Overcomplicating the Process</h3><p>This app is built for simplicity. Stick to the daily habit. Don’t try to catch up on hundreds of days at once—you’ll burn out. Trust the one-day-at-a-time approach.</p><h2>Summary</h2><p><strong>This Day</strong> turns the overwhelming task of photo decluttering into a sustainable, five-minute daily ritual. By showing you only the photos taken on today’s date in previous years, it makes decision-making focused and quick. Install the app, grant full library access, enable notifications, and commit to a daily review. Use swipe gestures to keep or delete, leverage batch select for large removal, and track your progress. Avoid common pitfalls like granting limited access, skipping too many photos, or forgetting to empty the trash. With consistency, you’ll gradually reclaim gigabytes of storage and rediscover forgotten moments worth keeping. Start today—one day at a time.</p><p><em>Ready to clean your library? Download <strong>This Day</strong> from the App Store and begin your habit now.</em></p>