iOS 17.5 brings back deleted photos even on formatted and sold devices
A Reddit user fully deleted all data on his iPad, in accordance with Apple’s recommendations, back in September 2023, and then sold it to a friend.
This week the friend updated the iPad to iPadOS 17.5, and photos taken by the first owner appeared in the “Photos” app.
The new user does not know his Apple ID, and couldn’t log in to the foreign iCloud. Other users also report seeing photos from years ago reappearing in “Photos”.
It is assumed that Apple devices store deleted photos for 30 days and then automatically delete them, but now there are questions. Apple has not yet commented on this situation.