Why is deleting files from your "Recently deleted" Folder so unforgiving?

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Level 1

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Why is deleting files from your "Recently deleted" Folder so unforgiving?

For a couple of years I am working on my "heritage" and have gathered lots of information about dead people and living people as well. At home I used a MacPro for that, because most of the data are on line, but, because the -so called - genealogy libraries are not in my direct neighbourhood I use my iPad occasionally when I visit one of those libraries. This is an iPad Air M2. A few days ago I wanted to delete the files which in the mean time had been gathered by the iPad in the Recents folder, because these files can contain very private information. And I don't want them to be accessible to anyone. Deleted files are still accessible in the "Recently deleted" folder and you could delete them from there as well. But doing so deletes this file from any other location, that is disc, folder, iCloud etc. So the original file is lost. Why is meant this way? And is there a way to bypass Recents so these "critical files" are not mentioned in this folder.

As always: Thanks for your time, guys

Hans

iPad Air, iPadOS 18

Posted on Dec 13, 2025 8:06 AM

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Answer 1

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LotusPilot

Community+ 2025

Level 10

301,634 points

Dec 14, 2025 3:46 AM in response to hanyvo

You can't disable the "Recents" folder visible with the Files (or similar) Apps. This is a core system feature - designed to surface files that have been recently accessed or moved within the filesystem. This folder location isn't an actual location within the filesystem, but simply contains symbolic links to the listed files.

The "Recents" folder is distinct from the "Recently Deleted" folder - the latter being a location to which files that have been deleted are temporarily moved pending permanent deletion from the device's local storage and/or iCloud. Files that remain within the Recently Deleted folder can be recovered if needed.

Files deletion from the Recently Deleted folder is both final/permanent and irreversible. When fully deleted, the corresponding entry will be removed from the Recents folder.

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Answer 2

Dec 14, 2025 6:27 AM in response to hanyvo

Re: “IF they are symbolic links and not the actual files why then delete the actual files when the symbolic links are removed?”

If you delete files and then delete them again from Recenty Deleted, you are deleting the actual files, not just symbolic links.

Re: “ I found that even duplicates of the actual files in totally different locations are being deleted, which by the way makes no sense to me at all”

It makes perfect sense, given that iCloud Drive is a synchronization service. Changes that you make on any device, or in iCloud, propagate everywhere. Including deletions. That is not a bug, but an intended feature.

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Answer 3

Dec 13, 2025 7:38 PM in response to hanyvo

The Recently Deleted folder is not meant as a place to hide files that you want to keep. It is a safety net against accidental deletion of files. When you delete files from the Recently Deleted folder, you are cutting the safety net and permanently deleting those files.

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Answer 4

hanyvo Author

Level 1

56 points

Dec 13, 2025 11:56 PM in response to Servant of Cats

Yes, I can imagine that way of thinking. I don't want to delete files. If you want really to delete files, go to its location and press delete. What I want is: I don't want them to show up in the RECENTS folder because putting them there makes them accessible for everyone. Is there a possibility to sidestep so that files are not being put in RECENTS at all?

Thanks for your answer

Hans

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Answer 5

Dec 14, 2025 1:58 AM in response to hanyvo

Why would having them in the Recents folder make them available to anyone else?

Unless you were sharing your iPad or your Apple Account with others - neither of which I believe that Apple would advise you to do.

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Answer 6

hanyvo Author

Level 1

56 points

Dec 14, 2025 6:09 AM in response to LotusPilot

IF they are symbolic links and not the actual files why then delete the actual files when the symbolic links are removed? Symbolic links point to a specific file location somewhere in your storage system, but I found that even duplicates of the actual files in totally different locations are being deleted, which by the way makes no sense to me at all. How long will these "symbolic links" remain in Recents?

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Answer 7

hanyvo Author

Level 1

56 points

Dec 14, 2025 7:19 AM in response to Servant of Cats

Re:"That is not a bug, but an intended feature".

Somehow it doesn't feel to me that way because I think Recents is an unfruitful and unnecessary feature. When you need to read or edit a specific file then go to the right program for that file and use the "recent files" menu. Or may be better: Use the search function of Files and every file(name with or without extension) is on your screen within a millisecond! I Speaking of useful features, this is certainly one I value very much and use it very often. That's all you need to open, read, edit or whatever you want.

In the meantime I checked how many files -or symbolic links - are stored and the amount is more than 285 and the oldest are from around July 2024.

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Answer 8

Dec 14, 2025 7:48 AM in response to hanyvo

Many find Recents to be an invaluable mechanism to find recently used files. Using Search, by contrast, requires knowledge of the filename - which in some circumstances might not be something that comes to mind of the User.

Nonetheless, Apple invite submission of constructive comment and feature requests via its Product Feedback portal - and would doubtless be interested in hearing your reasoned argument. If you would like change, or see a specific feature or functionality in a future version of iPadOS, this would be the most appropriate channel through which to make a request:

Feedback - iPad - Apple

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Answer 9

hanyvo Author

Level 1

56 points

Dec 14, 2025 8:30 AM in response to LotusPilot

Somehow, in a way I can imagine that but you must know something about a recently used file. Technology has freed us of the "burden" to remember things and of structure :-)

My "pain" is in the iCloud-wide "inexorable removal" when you delete files from Recently Deleted and, before that, to record the files (or symbolic links) in Recent.

Thanks for your suggestion to give some feedback to Apple. I would like to have an "opt-out" for Recents.

Hans

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