Deleted pictures reappeared on some iPhones operating iOS 17.5, and Apple has lastly clarified how which may happen — it is not iCloud.
In response to info Apple shared with 9to5Mac, pictures reappeared as a result of native corrupted recordsdata surviving between system upgrades due to backups and transfers. Apple by no means had entry to deleted pictures, nor was the corrupted information maintained as a part of iCloud Pictures sync.
In different phrases, when a photograph is deleted within the library, it’s actually deleted within the OS. Nevertheless, due to how NAND storage works, the reminiscence used to retailer the picture is marked as accessible relatively than instantly deleted.
If a tool was wiped appropriately utilizing the “Erase All Content and Settings” operate, the corrupted database can be erased, too. Apple confirmed that the only Reddit account of another person’s pictures showing of their library wasn’t actual.
If outdated pictures did reappear, merely delete them once more. The repair in iOS 17.5.1 fastened the issue that induced the corrupted database to persist and convey again outdated deleted pictures, however it did not re-delete the pictures that had been restored.