Recovering iCloud photos that disappeared after syncing iPhone with a new iPad

Question

Level 1

4 points

Recovering iCloud photos that disappeared after syncing iPhone with a new iPad

Hello,

I got a new ipad 3 day ago and after i synchronized it with my iphone all my photos and videos from icloud disappeared. I have subscription icloud+ and there was about 3000 photos & videos. After I got the new ipad, all the photos disappeared and instead the only photos that are there now are the photos I took on the new ipad since. The photos aren't showing on icloud website, they didn't even appear after I restarted the phone and loaded a 2-week old backup. What should I do?

Devices info:

Iphone 15,
Ipad A16 2025,
icloud+ (50GB)

Thank you in advance,

Veronika.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: All my photos from icloud disappeared after synchronizing iphone with new ipad

iPad

Posted on Jul 13, 2025 06:32 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 13, 2025 07:33 AM in response to veruu_nka

I think you've done all you can do. Normally Apple is not very cooperative about running down people's backups, but you should contact them, explain what happened and what you've done, and maybe cry a little. They might be able to help.

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

Good luck! And let us know how it goes…

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Answer 2

veruu_nka Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 13, 2025 07:24 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

I just used the iphone like usually, scrolling social media, watching videos. I didn't do anything with photos, gallery, or icloud until the day after and that's when i found out all the photos and videos are missing and instead there are only the photos from the new ipad.
Right now there's more than 49GB out of 50GB free on my icloud and i think there was about 25GB free before that when all the photos were still there.
And I am certain it cannot be on different account, I only use one Apple ID, with only one email adress.

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Answer 3

Jul 13, 2025 07:01 AM in response to veruu_nka

This sounds crazy! I'm guessing that when you say, "i synchronized it with my iphone" you mean that you synchronized the Photos Library on the iPad with iCloud's Photos Library-- is that right? (iPhones and iPads don't synchronize with each other-- they each synchronize with iCloud.) What, exactly, did you do on the iPhone, before you "loaded a 2-week old backup?" (If you use iCloud Photos, iCloud Backup doesn't double up by including Photos, too.)

How much iCloud Storage is free?

It almost sounds like you are signed in to a different Apple ID, is that possible? Can you check?

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Answer 4

veruu_nka Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 13, 2025 07:05 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Well yes, both are synchronized to icloud, to the same account, and all the photos were on the icloud beforehand. So after all the photos were gone from both the phone and the ipad I checked the icloud --- nothing. So I thought if maybe I get one of the devices to the older backup the photos would be there --- of course the photos weren't there since the icloud stayed the exact same. The Apple ID is definetly the same though, I only have one account.

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Answer 5

Jul 13, 2025 07:14 AM in response to veruu_nka

veruu_nka wrote: … , I only have one account.

Are you sure you didn't get attached to a different account when you got the new iPad? The thing is, I've never heard of all the pictures at iCloud Photos suddenly disappearing. It was great to check iCloud.com! The hope is that they are just someplace you're not looking!

"What, exactly, did you do on the iPhone?"

"How much iCloud Storage is free?"

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