Apple’s iOS 17.5 Update Is Reportedly Resurfacing Users’ NSFW, Deleted Content
Apple’s latest iOS 17.5 update is causing some major embarrassment for users as long-deleted photos, including raunchy nudes, are reappearing on devices. The new update features additional security safeguards, as well as new device settings and new Apple News, Podcasts, and notifications features.
On Tuesday, The New York Post reported that Apple was urging all iPhone users to immediately download the update, which was released Monday, rather than waiting for the update to work out its bugs.
But users probably would have been better off waiting. One irate iPhone devotee posted on Reddit, stunned that years-old, since-deleted nude photos taken with their partner were suddenly moved to the most recent position in their camera roll.
“I went to send a picture and saw that the latest pictures were NSFW material we’d made years ago when we were living apart,” @Specialist-Fix8528 wrote. “It was permanently deleted years ago, but magically it’s back?? I checked my iPad and it also has pictures (some artwork I did years ago). I feel so uncomfortable. Anyone else got this issue? I mean with pictures coming back post update?”
“Same here,” @1Dunya concurred. “I have four pics from 2010 that keep reappearing as the latest pics uploaded to iCloud. I have deleted them repeatedly.”
“Same happened here,” wrote @Ezzo97. “Photo from September 2022 just appeared out of nowhere in recents section in photos app.”
Some users weren’t experiencing any resurfacing material, but they encouraged those who were to look on the bright side.
“Funny, I don't have any old photos after updating, at least for now,” shared @ArnoCryptoNymous. “But I would say, be happy—maybe it is exactly the picture you looking for since years.” [sic]
One user popped up with a possible explanation, though they admitted it was just speculation.
“There has been a bug where, when you’ve deleted a picture [and it’s] removed from recently deleted, it’s removed the photo library records and index, but failed to remove the actual media. So you won’t see it anymore, but then you do an OS update that forces a re-index; this version of the OS stumbles upon the file during the re-index and has no idea what it was, presumes it was bad library data that’s gone missing, and pops it back in the library as a recent addition.”
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Men’s Journal.
