Apple has finally provided some clarification on this a worrying bug which affected some users with iOS 17.5. Those interested had the unpleasant surprise of finding pictures in the Photo application that had been deleted, sometimes for almost fifteen years. The company had quickly issued a fixwithout explanation, so much so that speculation has spread since the bug appeared ten days ago.
It is 9TB5 Mac who had the opportunity officially talk to Apple about this error. First key info: It’s not related to iCloud Photos, it’s purely a local issue, limited to the iOS device. Photos or videos were not properly deleted as the user wanted at some point, and the corresponding files remained on the iPhone or iPad, invisible until iOS 17.5. They were able to switch from one device to another when restoring a local backup, transferring content between two devices over Wi-Fi, or even when restoring an iCloud backup, only if iCloud Photos was disabled.
The photos that were incorrectly deleted after the bug were never actually uploaded to Apple’s servers via iCloud Photos. When restoring from an iCloud backup, the online photo library serves as the source, eliminating double viewing. On the other hand, those who transferred data directly between two iOS devices and those who used the mechanism built into macOS or Windows to restore a backup may be affected, even if they had iCloud Photos activated.
Chance Miller also questioned Apple about the now-deleted testimony published on Reddit, where a user complained about finding his deleted photos on an iPad he had sold to a friend. The Cupertino company is categorical: this is not possible, unless the iOS device is properly wiped before sale. By following the procedure to delete all content and settings, the images mistakenly deleted by Photos would then be gone and therefore technically impossible to recover.
Finally, Apple emphasized that the bug was rare and affected only a small number of users and a small number of photos if applicable, without specifying numbers. It should also be noted that iOS 17.5.1 did not delete photos and videos that should have been deleted before, the update added them to the trash in the Photos app, making them invisible in the rest of the interface. However, they will remain there for thirty days, unless you choose to delete them before that period.
To do this, open the Photos app, then “Recently Deleted” at the bottom of the album list. Tap the “Select” button at the top, then the affected images, and finally, in the menu hidden behind the three dots in the lower right corner, select the “Delete” option to get rid of them, this time for good.