Apple
's latest
iOS 17.5
update has introduced a concerning bug that is causing old deleted photos, even some from years ago, to suddenly resurface in users' photo libraries and iCloud accounts. The glitch has sparked major privacy worries, with some users reporting that sensitive
NSFW images
they had deleted long ago are now reappearing without their consent.
Multiple users on
and other online forums have shared stories of photos they had deleted, in some cases as far back as 2010 or 2016, showing up in their Recents album and iCloud as if freshly uploaded.
One user claimed that around 300 of their old pictures, including some "revealing" ones, reappeared on an
iPad
they had wiped and sold to a friend. The problem doesn't seem to be limited to just the Photos app, as another user reported seeing deleted voicemails return in
after updating to iOS 17.5.
The exact cause and scale of the bug remains unclear at this point. Theories range from it being an indexing or syncing issue between devices and iCloud, corruption of photo libraries, or an unintended consequence of Apple attempting to fix a different photo syncing bug from iOS 17.3.
Some users running the iOS 17.5 beta had previously reported similar issues that seemingly went unaddressed before the public release.
Apple has not yet publicly acknowledged the bug or provided an explanation for how long-deleted photos can reappear. The company also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Until more details emerge, users' main recourse is to report the problem via Apple's feedback channels and wait for a fix to be issued. In the meantime, some are taking steps like re-deleting the resurfaced images and revoking app permissions.
While some may find it bad, this could come as good news for some. The bug might or might not recover the photos someone would have deleted mistakenly. But, none have shared an instance where a mistakenly deleted photo reappeared.
English (US) ·