Get iOS 17.5.1 now to fix an iPhone bug that restores deleted photos
Apple has a fix for the iOS bug that was resurfacing deleted photos, including nudes.
Following reports from iPhone and iPad users about the sudden reappearance of permanently deleted photos, Apple has issued an iOS 17.5.1 update to fix the bug.
In the release notes, Apple said the update "provides important bug fixes and addresses a rare issue where photos that experienced database corruption could reappear in the Photos library even if they were deleted."
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Reports of the bug gained traction last week after users on Reddit noticed deleted NSFW content and other photos showing up in their photo library, confirming our worst fears that nothing is ever permanently deleted. Some Redditors also noticed that deleted notes in the Notes app and voicemails returned as well.
It's unclear if the bug was an issue related to iCloud syncing, but when you delete photos on iOS, they are supposedly removed after 30 days from your device and your iCloud library if you use it. Users reported photos showing up from years earlier.
To update your iOS, go to Settings > General > Software Update. The 17.5.1 update should be available for you to install. And just in case, maybe read up on how to safely store nudes.
Cecily is a tech reporter at Mashable who covers AI, Apple, and emerging tech trends. Before getting her master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she spent several years working with startups and social impact businesses for Unreasonable Group and B Lab. Before that, she co-founded a startup consulting business for emerging entrepreneurial hubs in South America, Europe, and Asia. You can find her on X at @cecily_mauran.
