Photos missing from Library but present in Recent and Maps folders

Question

Photos missing from Library but present in Recent and Maps folders

I took several photographs, but when I went back to check one of them was not there in the library. I was sure I had taken it so I went to have a look in the map section of photos.

It is there in maps and it is there in recent photos but refuses to show in the library. I sorted photos by day in the library and it still isn’t there.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Photos are in Recent folder but not in Library folder. This is a photo taken with the phone camera.

iPhone 13 Pro, iOS 18

Posted on Sep 10, 2025 10:28 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 10, 2025 10:54 AM in response to Greenfinger12

The Library is all the pictures. But a picture might not be where you expect it to be. If you can see it in Maps, then it can't be in Recently Deleted or Hidden. But, for instance, the Library can be noted by Date Created or by Date Added, so it might be with a different set of pictures than you think. Try switching the Sort:

There's also a Filter in the same menu, and you might be filtering out the picture you want to see.

You can also look in Utilities>Recently Saved. Since dates can be change by some apps, you can also try using Search for name or location.

Let us know what you find…

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

214,314 points

Sep 10, 2025 03:21 PM in response to Greenfinger12

Control (right) - click on one of the photos in the Recently Saved album and select Show in Library. That will take you to the photo in the All Library view. It has to be there but it may have a different date taken and not show up where you expect it.

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Answer 3

Sep 11, 2025 12:19 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Before I begin, it was one photo missing yesterday, but today when I noticed these replies and went to check it was three, the original and two more that weren’t visible in the library.

I wondered at the dates so went back to July but they still didn’t show in the library. I also checked the dates on the photos when I could see them in maps and recents. The dates were all for yesterday.

So this post helped but left me with more questions. I tried switching the sort function and all the filtering options but nothing. Then I went to view options. I clicked on show screenshots and they all appeared.

The strange thing is I took them with the camera and checked the screenshots album yesterday (just to be thorough) and again just now, but they’re not in the screenshot album.

Why are they appearing in the library when I select “show screenshots” if they’re not in the screenshot album. Switching the “show screenshots” on and off makes them appear and disappear from the library like clockwork, but they don’t show in the screenshot album either way, no matter if they are or aren’t visible in the library.

So thanks for the tips, as they helped, but I’ve no idea why they’re acting like an undercover screenshot.

Also, I think that was very rambling so apologies for the way I may have repeated myself.

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Answer 4

Sep 11, 2025 12:26 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for this. It’s on my phone so there isn’t a right click option but I assume the top right three dots is the equivalent. I clicked the show in all photos button. It took me to the library and the right day, but they weren’t in the library when I got there. I went back to July but nothing even though the photos showed the date for yesterday.

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