Help! My Photos Disappeared After Turning on Optimize iPhone Storage

Did you give it some time to sync your photos? Sometimes it can take a while, especially if you have a lot of photos like I do. It usually takes a day or so for the thumbnails to appear. Just let it sit on Wi-Fi and see if they start showing up. If you're on cellular data, that might slow things down a bit too.

It can be pretty slow when syncing optimized photos. I find it crazy how long it takes sometimes! Just keep your phone on Wi-Fi, and it'll do its thing. Try not to mess with the settings; just let it be for a bit. It should be fine!

Don't panic! It's common for this to happen, but your photos probably aren't deleted. When you turn on Optimize iPhone Storage, your full-resolution photos get moved to iCloud, leaving only thumbnails on your device. After a restart, it can take time for everything to sync back up. Here are a few tips: - Keep your phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi. The "Restoring from iCloud" message means it's working, but this can take some time – sometimes even overnight. - Go to your Photos app, scroll to the bottom, and check if it says "Restoring X items." - If you can, log in to iCloud.com from another device to see if your photos are still there. If they are, you’re okay! - Ensure you're signed in with the correct Apple ID and that iCloud Photos is still activated. This is a typical issue, and with a little patience, your photos should reappear! If nothing happens after a day, then reaching out to Apple Support might be the next step.