Recently viewed photos ending up in "Recently Deleted" folder

Someone posted a similar topic already but I don't think the responses entirely address this issue.

Today, while viewing photos (and organizing some into new albums), I decided to also check the "Recently Deleted" Folder in case I had accidentally check-marked any for deletion. At most, I figured I may have done that with 20-30 photos.

But when I opened "Recently Deleted" there were HUNDREDS of photos - almost all of which I had/have no intention of deleting.

One response to a similar post stated: "this is because the new 'Photos' app automatically finds and deletes duplicates.

I don't think that is what is happening (or at least ALL of what is happening) because a) I don't have HUNDREDS of duplicate photos and b) 95% of these photos showed as having "29 days left" (before permanent deletion; I think Apple gives you 30 days to reverse the deletion) - This means that these hundreds of photos were deleted by me within the past 24 hours (since I have "29 days left"). But I have barely even looked at my photos in the last 24 hours, let alone DELETING hundreds of them (and I mean on ANY of my Apple devices).

It seems to me that there may be a "glitch in the Matrix"?

When you are simply browsing your photos are they somehow being marked for deletion?

Until I get an answer to this issue, I will review my "Recently Deleted" folder each time I have viewed my photos, in case they appear in this folder simply by my having viewed them. Not sure what is really going on here.

Posted on Feb 9, 2023 09:42 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

199,927 points

Feb 10, 2023 11:46 AM in response to ava walton

Sometimes Photos is losing the focus when entering text in the Info. Then it can happen, that we accidentally delete several photos at once.

For example, if you have several photos selected to add the same keyword or the same title, then make a spelling mistake and use the delete key to delete the last character, it can happen, that focus is lost on the info and the delete key will delete all selected photos instead. Another pitfall is, that Photos may keep previously selected photos selected, hidden beyond the border of the window. Before deleting selected photos, it is prudent to check the number of selected photos.The total of selected photos is shown below the toolbar, so we will know, if more photos will be deleted than we are aware of.

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Answer 2

Feb 10, 2023 08:09 AM in response to ava walton

That's pretty crazy! I wonder if you're pushing "command-delete" (which moves a picture to the Recently Deleted folder) instead of "delete" which just removes a picture from an album. Neither delete nor command-delete asks for confirmation.

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Answer 3

ava walton Author

Level 1

10 points

Feb 20, 2023 07:24 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

No, not hitting “Cmd-delete”, but appreciate the suggestion. Could be the other suggested reply (large numbers of photos are highlighted/ selected but for whatever reason it doesn’t appear that way to me when I hit “delete”). Still doubtful to me because the blue outline around selected photos is pretty hard to miss / pretty obvious.

For now I am going to simply make it a practice to check the deleted photos folder before exiting iCloud.

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Answer 4

ava walton Author

Level 1

10 points

Feb 20, 2023 07:26 AM in response to léonie

Not entering any text but appreciate the suggestion. Could be your other suggestion that a large numbers of photos are highlighted/ selected but for whatever reason it doesn’t appear that way to me when I hit “delete”. I doubt this only because the blue outline around selected photos is pretty hard to miss / pretty obvious.

For now I am going to simply make it a practice to check the deleted photos folder before exiting iCloud.

(thankfully the most important photos- my children’s baby pics - haven’t disappeared)

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Answer 5

Feb 20, 2023 08:17 AM in response to ava walton

I'm so glad you haven't lost pictures! I've been saved many times by the 30 day delay in Recently Deleted!

I have recently seen something similar to your experience when I have been deleting keywords-- I swear I'm in the keywords area, but instead of the keyword deleting, the whole picture disappears! It seems like it happens when I'm going fast-- if I slow down, Photos does what it's supposed to do. Or it seems like that's it. So it may be we are not giving it enough time to recognize the switch.

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Recently viewed photos ending up in "Recently Deleted" folder

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