How to Stop Deleted Photos from Going Back to iPhone

Over time, we often collect data we don’t need. Photos, files, contacts, etc. Let it be. Seeing it again makes any user uncomfortable. This is the situation that some iPhone and iPad users face. When they delete a photo, it comes back on their iPhone. Let’s see how to stop photos from coming back.

When you delete a photo from your iPhone or iPad, it should be permanently deleted or at least stored in the Recently deleted folder. But the opposite happens. Photos come back instantly as deleting a photo doesn’t remove them permanently.

Let’s explore various ways to prevent old photos from reappearing on your iPhone.

Turning Off iCloud May Fix The Problem

Many people think iCloud is responsible for restoring deleted photos. So, turning off iCloud should fix the issue as it will stop syncing constantly. But this is far from the truth.

iCloud has nothing to do with it. To understand this better, you need to know what happens when you delete photos from iPhone. While we’ve covered this in detail in our dedicated article (you should read it), here we’re going to tell you the gist.

The result of deleting photos depends on two things – whether iCloud is enabled or not. If it is turned off, photos will be removed from your phone only. But if turned on, they will be removed from all your Apple devices with the same Apple account. Therefore, there is no issue of restoring them with iCloud.

However, many other things can be responsible and solutions for the same are outlined below. However, like any online tool, an error can creep up at any time. So, you can try to turn off iCloud after following the solutions mentioned below. Read what happens when you disable iCloud on your iPhone.

Let’s check other solutions.

1. Reboot Phone

Sometimes the solution is as simple as restarting the phone. This should be your first step to fix deleted photos that keep coming back. So, turn off your phone and then turn it back on.

2. Turn Off Photo Stream

Photo Stream on iOS is different from your iCloud library. If your deleted photos are coming back, you should turn off Photo Stream. To do this, follow these steps:

Stage 1: Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad. Tap your name at the top.

step 2: Tap iCloud, then tap Photos.

Stage 3: Turn off the switch next to Photo Stream.

3. Empty Recently Deleted Folder

When you delete photos on iPhone or iPad, they are not permanently deleted. They stay out of sight of your phone for 30 days in the recently deleted folder. You can manually delete them permanently from the Recently deleted folder or wait 30 days, then they will disappear automatically.

Typically, this will not be responsible for returning photos. But sometimes it’s a mistake and clearing it won’t do any harm. It will just fix the problem.

To empty the recently deleted folder, follow these steps:

Stage 1: Open the Apple Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: Tap Albums at the bottom. Scroll down and tap on Recently deleted.

Stage 3: Tap Select at the top. Next, select all the photos and tap on Delete.

Pro Tip: If you are unable to clean the recently deleted folder, see our detailed guide.

4. Check for Third-Party Apps

Most of the time, the problem is actually in a third-party app and we blame the Photos app. You should check the reappearing photos. If they are from a particular app, uninstall that app from your phone and then reinstall it.

Many iOS users have pointed out that this is mostly Instagram’s fault. Remove it. This will not delete your Instagram account or any photo posted on it.

5. Check iTunes

If you are trying to delete photos added from iTunes, they will not be removed. You need to connect your phone to computer via iTunes. Then uncheck the photos and they will be removed from your phone automatically.

6. Check Google Photos

If you use other photo storage services such as Google Photos, they may also be responsible for the problem. This is because they work differently compared to iCloud.

Fly: Learn how iCloud Photos differs from Google Photos.

We have two solutions for Google Photos.

Use the Correct Delete Button

Similar to iCloud, things are different when it comes to deleting photos in the Google Photos app. Once your photos are synced with Google Photos, you will see two delete buttons in the Google Photos app. The first is the regular delete icon that appears when you open a photo. Tapping on it will remove the photo from your phone and Google account. You should use this if you want to permanently delete your photo.

Second, if you swipe up on the photo in the Google Photos app, you will see the Delete from device option. Using this will only remove the photo from your phone. It will still appear in the Google Photos app, as it will remain in your Google Photos account.

Uninstall Google Photos App

Google Photos also comes with a recently deleted folder. It goes by the name Trash or Trash. You will find it under the icon with three bars. Empty the trash first and see if the deleted photos appear.

If the problem persists, uninstall Google Photos for a while. Before you do that, find out what happens by uninstalling Google Photos. Then install it again.

Goodbye Forever Quote

We hope you were able to permanently delete photos on your iPhone using the above methods. However, be careful before hitting the final delete button, as you may lose precious photos you didn’t intend to delete.

Next: The Apple Photos app offers many interesting features that remain hidden from regular users. Find out what these great features are with these tips and tricks mentioned in the next link.