iOS 17.5.1 Update Released With 'Reappearing' Deleted Photos Bug Fix Alongside iPadOS 17.5.1: How to Download

iOS 17.5.1 was recently released by Apple for eligible iPhone models alongside iPadOS 17.5.1, and the software update brings a fix for a bug related to the Photos app that caused previously deleted photos to reappear for some users. The newest update also brings other unspecified bug fixes for Apple's smartphone and tablet operating system. It has arrived days after Apple released the iOS 17.5 update along with cross platform tracking detection, an offline mode for Apple News+ and multiple security and bug fixes.

Apple's brief iOS 17.5.1 release notes state that the update fixes a "rare issue" that caused photos to reappear in the Photos library after they were deleted. According to the company, these images were affected by a database corruption issue that caused them to be shown in the Photos app even after they were deleted. The company also says that other bug fixes have made it to the update, but didn't provide specific details.

The bug, highlighted in a thread by Reddit users over a week ago (via MacRumours) affected iPhone models running on iOS 17.5, and some users had alleged that photos deleted years ago started to show up in their Photos library. On iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, any images deleted from the Photos app is moved to a Recently Deleted folder, after which they are supposed to be deleted. However, the bug apparently prevented some photos from being deleted, and it looks like Apple has finally resolved this issue.

Unlike the iOS 17.5 update that rolled out earlier this month with new wallpapers and features, the latest version doesn't include fixes for any notable security flaws, according to Apple's official support page. This is in contrast to the iOS 17.5 update that contained fixes for at least 15 security flaws affecting various parts of the operating system.

Like previous iOS 17 updates, users with an iPhone 15 and older models up to the iPhone XR should download and install the iOS 17.5.1 update in order to resolve the issue that affects deleted photos on the company's smartphones.

To install iOS 17.5.1, users can open the Settings app and select General > Software Update > Install Now. After entering the passcode, the device will download the latest version of the operating and system and prompt the user to install the update, but the installation can also be postponed. Doing so will schedule the update to be installed overnight.