Apple’s recent iOS 17.5 release contains a troubling flaw that causes deleted images to reappear in customers’ iPhone libraries. Multiple individuals have reported this issue on Reddit and other forums, with some reporting that images they deleted years ago have returned on their smartphones.
The flaw appears to affect local device storage, as most affected users do not use iCloud. It’s also possible that the problem is reestablishing broken relationships between stored data and the available user interface. However, the actual origin of this flaw is unknown, and Apple has yet to publish a patch for it.
The rise of deleted images has sparked questions about how long Apple retains deleted customer data. According to Apple Support, photographs deleted from the Photos app are stored in the Recently Deleted Album for 30 days before being completely wiped from the device. However, the present glitch indicates that Apple may be able to “re-find” these erased photographs, albeit the technique is unknown.
Users have recounted their experiences on Reddit, with one stating that old NSFW images removed in 2021 returned in their iCloud “recently uploaded” photos. Other users have reported similar occurrences, with some claiming that images from as early as 2010 have returned.
The reason of this problem is unknown, although it is unlikely to be due to recently deleted photos being undeleted. Instead, it could be due to an indexing bug or a syncing issue between local devices and iCloud Photos. Another possibility is that Apple unintentionally introduced a new synchronization issue while attempting to fix a photo syncing flaw that existed in iOS 17.3.
The consequences of this problem are serious, especially if it can resurrect deleted photos from cleansed or sold devices. This raises worries about data privacy and the risk of unwanted access to sensitive information.