When should someone delete their photos of exes?

Question

I noticed my boyfriend still has pictures of his ex from 7 years ago on his FB- she is married now. When i break things off I dont keep pics or anything of them... when do guys normally delete old pics...
PS: I know guys are different and dont fuss over silly old pics etc but do they just keep them forever? its kinda weird
So by when do you think a guy should eventually take the time to delete old pics.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

Never. Why should I? I wouldn't delete my past just because I started a new relationship. It has nothing to do with longing for or wanting to be with any of my exes.

Those are just mementos of my past. I don't delete them. I just continue creating new memories with my new partner as life goes on.

I have a photo of my first girlfriend from 1970 when I was 16. I have photos of the girlfriend I loved with all my heart in 1990-91. Those photos are now treasures.
I wish I had photos of my other girlfriends from the 70s and 80s. Digital cameras weren't around then, though.

My wife and I have been married now for almost 26 years. I have LOTS of photos of the two of us.

ɹǝʇʇɐɥpɐW · Accepted Answer

They should delete them when they want to and keep them if they don't. A relationship ends, but that doesn't mean you don't want to remember the experience. It's part of what made you who you are today and the occasional reminder of lessons learned can be a good thing, whether it be for nostalgia, to avoid repeating past mistakes, or simply for the fun of remembering a good time.

Remembering the past does not mean that you don't appreciate or enjoy your present. It can, certainly, but it's not automatic. So I don't think there's a time when someone absolutely must delete their pictures or throw out keepsakes or whatever the case may be.

electromagnetic · Accepted Answer

I kept photos of my ex on my computer for 5 years before I felt secure and confident in deleting them. I never had them on my phone but every once in a while, I’d crack open the file on my laptop and look. Not even because I missed him or anything. I looked at them for the memories. The moment we were both at our happiest just living then and there. It’s reliving those moments and remembering the joy and fun it was.

After 2 years or so, I found my then partner and although I still had the photos, I didn’t look at them as often. One day I just woke up and decided to delete then.

sheenagwapa · Accepted Answer

i think there's no need to delete. your ex was part of your life who you also have good memories with. we only live once why be so strict with lige those are just pics, how much more with other people particularly women. prioritizing marriagw does not mean isolating yourself. i'm sorry i just think if one is so strict with just photos of the ex then how much more with the relationship itself. chokinh your partner will just lead to failure

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Why should a guy ever delete a picture of someone from their past? There are women in my past who forever changed me and helped me to become the man I am now. I don't want to forget them, but that doesn't mean that I still want to have sex with them, either. I have a few pictures of exes on my PC or on a thumb drive, but I don't keep them on my FB page or on my phone.

LaFemmeFatale_1 · Answer

You are you, he is he.  Just like you delete everything doesn’t mean everyone’s same.

AviatorTom · Answer

They can keep their photos as long as they want. Most relationships with an ex involved some good times, and it's okay to remember those times. It's part of a person's life. Why try to treat it like it didn't happen?

Avicenna · Answer

Well, they are, say, vacation photos or pictures in which family was in, I'd archive them rather than completely deleting them. Photos can be a part of memories.

Levin · Answer

I mean, Facebook is garbage, so anyone who uses that is highly questionable.

Maybe he just can't be arsed deleting them?

I have personal pics of ex girlfriends on my computer. It's not that I give a fuck about them or ever look at them. They just constitute memories of formative parts of my life. I find it quite puerile that I should as if hate these people as soon as I break up with them. I have fond memories of them, but I have moved on.

Is it based on personal jealousy and insecurity?

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah I debated this with one particular ex. After we broke up I took down the profile pic of us together right away. But I had some old pics I wasn’t sure what to do with. I eventually took all but one down. I still loved her as a person (and still do). But I needed to move on. However there was one experience I looked back on very fondly of.

So this was one pic of us that was taken after a major athletic accomplishment I had and she supported me on. Long story but it was my personal “karate kid/rocky story”. I was a big underdog but I trained VERY hard and won the event. She was behind me the whole way through it.

I remember she untagged herself from that particular pic a few months later.

That hurt tbh. Hurt a lot. On one end I get she wanted to move on. However she disassociated herself from the entire golden memory/experience that was very special to me. It was well beyond a simple romance story.

Little_Bumblebee · Answer

Personally I don't delete photos of my exes. I would feel weird doing that.

No matter what they were a part of my life and they're memories.
Now, just to make sure it's understood right.
It's not like I look at them and wish to go back or anything like that at all.

To me it's respectful and normal to keep the pictures.

It's weird to me to just... delete them. You cannot delete a part of your life.

ManOnFire · Answer

I still have all the pictures of me and my exes. None of them are important to me anymore, but I still have them simply because those women/times were part of my past, and me being the annoying historian that I am, I keep things that were a record in my life. Now, I don't look at those photos anymore. Maybe once every million years, but overall they're just records of the past. Nothing more.

Leapfrog00 · Answer

Sometimes they keep them. It has a lot to do with having good memories with that ex and it might be hard for them to delete them. It doesn't usually mean they're stil in love with that person... Usually. I've kept pictures of every girl I've been with because every love was special and different to me. I've never loved the same way twice.

BCA6010 · Answer

Well first off, you shouldn't be putting any unflattering photos of yourself into the ether regardless of who's on the other end. If you break up though, those photos should be erased immediately and in full.

Now more "normal" photos like from a vacation for example, there's no compelling reason to delete.

Finchie40 · Answer

The second you enter into a Néw committed relationship with someone you should have already deleted pics of your ex out of respect for your new relationship , so you are best just to talk to your boyfriend and ask him why he still has pics of her up on Facebook

YesterdaysChild · Answer

When you are now with someone else. No one wants to see the pics of an ex of the person who you are with now. It might make them believe that you are not over them yet. You might even still be thinking of them when you are having sex with your current partner. The sooner you get rid of the past reminders, the happier in your new relationship you will be.

cnj421 · Answer

I don’t think it matters. My ex didn’t delete photos of me. And he’s been with someone else for three years now. I personally so because I want to close that door. But not everyone is the same. So if he doesn’t delete then, it’s probably bc he doesn’t think about it the way you do.

Anonymous · Answer

So I keep them. Not anything special or anything it was a time in my life that I really cared for the guy. You can’t just erase them. So yes and the guy that I like still has pictures of his ex girlfriend from 7 years ago and she’s married as well. Man I hope we aren’t talking about the same guy. That would be a little weird 😂

19magic · Answer

I don't know I think a lot of time pics tends to be together and just cause I'm not dating that guy doesn't mean I should delete a chunk of my life

BoopBoopBeep · Answer

I know people that have never deleted anything because it's still the timeline of where they've been, and despite the current trend, history can't be revised.

dragoblack · Answer

Depends on the terms of how they separated. If it was on friendly terms where both lost feelings for each other but still wanted to be friends, then it is fine. If it is the usual style, usually within the 1st week, but definitely before getting into a new relationship

BunBun369 · Answer

Um I don't know I would keep all of them lol but you can't do that with the new bfs. 🤦🏽‍♀️ I mean I am sentimental AF. And just because it didn't work out doesn't mean there wasn't things that I remember fondly

Smashingdoozy · Answer

I regret deleting the pictures of my exes and I. I'm very sentimental and would love to look back on them. There's nothing wrong with not deleting them.

HelpfulWoman · Answer

whats weird is assuming a person should delete whole parts of their lives because they become exes. frankly it just feels immature you're fixated on that

OfMiceandMen · Answer

I tend to delete mine soon after the break-up. It's not that I don't care, I just think if the slates going to be clean, then clean the whole slate.

summiter · Answer

Maybe keeping a few just to remember the good times are ok but the rest should go. Do you think your boyfriend is keeping for something to look at when he jerks off?

strateguy632 · Answer

the luxury of modern phones!! until last year i deleted the day of break up to make space!! i guess now wait to find the new partner then delete.

lilBigPotato · Answer

It depends on a couple things. If we broke up on good terms then I don't see a need to delete everything right away. Only if it's attached to bad memories

boggboss · Answer

I think everyone is different to be fair me personally I don't think I would delete them

genericname85 · Answer

i don't think they have to do that. but i don't think it's advisable to post photos with your "girlfriend" in the first place. if it's your wife, ok... but girlfriends are temporary. so why put that on the internet?

NYCQuestions1976 · Answer

If they have kids together? Never. You don't want to accidentally alienate your children by "deleting" the other parent. Other than that, I guess it's up to each person and their individual personalities.

Pacquet · Answer

I don’t know if there should be rules on this. I’d say you guys should talk to each other about this cause maybe he doesn’t mind deleting those photos or maybe he feels those are important moments, after they’re moments that led him to you.

Nifrayu · Answer

I never did. I don't see a reason to. I'm pretty sure my partner still has photos of her ex-husband. It doesn't bother me and I don't think it should.

thegreenyogi · Answer

It's my personal policy that when a relationship ends for me I delete everything immediately because I don't need the reminder.

CuriousTommy · Answer

RIGHT AFTER A BREAKUP. i seriously tell everyone to not only delete pics, BUT EVERYTHING. IFFF you want to move on

MikeTheBartender · Answer

I don't delete public photos unless the bitch caused me drama. I have a secret album as most men do, that one if I got married I would delete.

bibibibixxx · Answer

well honestly it depends on a person and whether he is still active on facebook or not. u shouldn't be jumping to conclusions

Sweetsurprize · Answer

It really depends on the personality. It's not a gender thing. Maybe if they have a sentimental personality/bone in their body.

Ironic_Method · Answer

I never delete anything. Each person I dated is a part of my history, I feel like it'd be weird to delete.

ShadowYamihiro · Answer

honestly when you look at them and feel nothing, no more feelings of love or nostalgia, then you are ready to delete them

Anonymous · Answer

They don’t have to if they don’t want to. 🖕 I’ll never delete my exes photos. Only because I’ll cherish the good memories. It’s like a Time Machine.

Miah05 · Answer

When they are ready. We all heal at our own pace. So when he is ready he will.

whirled_up_girl · Answer

I don’t have photos of exes on Facebook so I don’t know. I hardly use social media though.

Anonymous · Answer

Can't say from experience 'cuz I have no exes but I think they probably should 'cuz you can't say you are over them if you still look at their photos, it's a little weird

Al_Musafir · Answer

Just a second after the break up. Maybe even before that.

koko22 · Answer

ASAP!!! Because their photos would be taking up space for much more important things... thank you next!!!

red-lipstick-girl · Answer

He still hasn't forgotten her, break up with her, he loves her

Yannae · Answer

I do it to move on quicker and out of respect towards my new relationship.

Anonymous · Answer

Maybe never, it’s a part of his past and that’s all it means, probably doesn’t even think about it or look at it

MackBoy · Answer

Maybe he is keeping it to see because he is missing his ex. he must have had some great memories which prevent him from deleting it.

Snakeyes7 · Answer

Immediately after the breakup is the ideal, but it is the hardest to do at that point in time.

Lokiion · Answer

I mean you can keep them but me personally Imma delete them the day of the break up

LiamJHayden · Answer

Whenever he wants to do so, if he wants to do so.

dudeinohio · Answer

When they get a new partner, the exes pics need deleted.

BigDog1989 · Answer

Right away. If you don't, why are you keeping them around?

Luopio27 · Answer

When those pics start taking away more energy than they bring!

OddBeMe · Answer

Don’t see why they’d need to forget the past. Even “sexy” photos.

Twalli · Answer

Honestly I don't think I would delete nudes regardless of how long ago we broke up

azgınteke · Answer

You should delete it after the relationship ends because it will be disrespectful if you don't delete it..

krin_m · Answer

There is no specific time. Whatever suits you!

Ava1993 · Answer

Deleted and Burn make keep something if it’s important just incase something comes up.

On_cloud_wine · Answer

Because it makes sense

Iron_Man · Answer

You shouldn’t thats a part of your history

Sfrankum · Answer

Gosh... that depends on so many things...

When should someone delete their photos of exes?

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Should you delete the pictures of your ex?

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Should you delete the pictures of your ex?

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