Recently, some iPhone users experienced a peculiar issue where old, previously deleted photos reappeared on their devices after updating to iOS 17.5. This raised concerns about the security of sensitive data and prompted questions about Apple’s data management practices.
Apple swiftly addressed this issue with the release of iOS 17.5.1, although the specific cause of the problem remains uncertain. Apple has officially acknowledged the issue, attributing it to a database error in the device’s file system rather than iCloud Photos. This error led to the unexpected reappearance of long-deleted photos.
According to Apple, this is a rare issue affecting only a small number of users, and its exact cause is still under investigation. However, Apple suggests that the problem might be linked to restoring old data from previous iPhones to new devices.
To resolve this issue, Apple recommends that users update their iPhones to the latest iOS 17.5.1 version. Following the update, users should manually delete any unwanted photos from their devices. Additionally, Apple advises that restoring the iPhone to factory settings will remove any corrupted files, preventing the reappearance of old deleted photos.