Yesterday I set up a new MacBook using the same Apple ID as my iPhone. My iCloud Photos library synced to the Mac, but I decided I didn't want the photos stored there. I deleted them from the Mac's Photos app and chose "Delete Permanently," not realizing that iCloud Photos was enabled and that the deletion would eventually sync to my other devices.
The photos remained on my iPhone for several hours before disappearing after synchronization. Now only about 10 photos remain, mostly ones that had been hidden. The deleted photos are not on iCloud.com, in Recently Deleted on either device, or in any other obvious location. My iPhone currently says "Syncing Paused" and offers a "Sync Now" option, which I have not selected. I also have not restored the iPhone.
There is an iCloud device backup from yesterday at 9:30 PM, although Photos do not appear to be included in it. I still have both devices exactly as they are, and I have an Apple Support call scheduled for 9:00 AM. I plan to ask for a Senior Advisor or iCloud Photos specialist who might be able to check for a previous server-side state of the library.
Has anyone successfully recovered permanently deleted iCloud Photos after accidentally deleting them from a Mac with iCloud Photos enabled? Can Apple restore an earlier version of the library when the deletion happened very recently? I'm specifically looking for recovery experiences rather than general advice to check Recently Deleted, since that folder is already empty.
3 Answers
Check whether another service, such as Google Photos or Amazon Photos, was automatically backing up the library. Photos stored with those services usually aren’t removed just because they were deleted from iCloud, so an unnoticed backup could provide another copy.
Keep both devices exactly as they are for now, and don’t press “Sync Now” or begin a restore before speaking with Apple. Explain that the entire library was deleted from a Mac while iCloud Photos was enabled, and ask specifically for a Senior Advisor or iCloud Photos specialist. They may have a recovery process or be able to check whether a recent server-side state still exists, although there’s no guarantee. The recent timing is a good reason to contact support immediately. An iCloud device backup probably won’t restore the photos if iCloud Photos was enabled, because the photo library is generally stored separately from that backup.
Thank you for the advice. I’ll leave everything unchanged and let you know what Apple says.
Apple Support may be able to start a recovery process for recently deleted iCloud Photos. It’s essentially uncertain: the process might recover the library, but if it fails, there may not be another escalation path that can manually restore it. It’s worth trying as quickly as possible, while also preparing for the possibility that the deletion is permanent.
Thanks. I’m hoping the recent deletion gives them a chance to recover it.
Unfortunately I don’t have a backup with either service, but thank you for the suggestion.