My photos are gone, where are they?

Question

Level 1

9 points

My photos are gone, where are they?

I know I'm doing something completely dumb here, but I recently imported a new batch of photos from my iPhone to my MacBook Pro and noticed that all my old photos were gone. I didn't delete them...No clue what happened to them...

I know I deleted the old photos off of my iPhone after I imported them to my computer, is there a setting on my phone that connects the two and when I deleted them on my phone, they got deleted from my computer???

I checked my iCloud account and there is nothing on there but my recent import. iCloud is extremely confusing and I don't understand exactly what the heck it's doing/saving. I feel like an idiot because I can't find my stupid photos anywhere...HALLLPPPP MEEEE.

Mac Pro, iOS 6, font book

Posted on May 9, 2016 8:02 PM

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Answer 1

elcpu

Level 7

31,586 points

May 9, 2016 8:21 PM in response to cassiekillen

Do you have iCloud Photo Library enabled? If you do, deleting photos in one device will also delete them in the other. Log on to iCloud.com and check to see if you can recover them from the deleted folder. Please read this article.

Get help with your iCloud Photo Library - Apple Support

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Answer 2

May 9, 2016 8:21 PM in response to cassiekillen

OK, if you can see Photos on iCloud.com, then you have iCloud Photo Library enabled, and yes, that means that anything you delete from either your device or your Mac is deleted from iCloud, and subsequently deleted from any device or computer attached to that same iCloud account and with iCloud Photo Library turned on:

iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support

iCloud Photo Library Help - Apple Support

You should see a "Recently Deleted" album where all of the photos you have deleted in the last 30 days are housed. You can restore those to iCloud.

Take a little time to read through the two articles above to help you to understand how iCloud Photo Library works. When you are using iCloud Photo Library, the archive for your photos is iCloud. Everything else is just getting their info from iCloud.

You can go back to using a straight "hook up your device and import your photos approach" by turning off iCloud Photo Library on the Mac and your devices, but you need to follow the instructions in the articles to load your Originals back down to the Mac. Once you have done that, you can then sync back what you want on your phone via iTunes.

Best of luck,

GB

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Answer 3

cassiekillen Author

Level 1

9 points

May 9, 2016 8:24 PM in response to gail from maine

Thank you both for your help I guess I will have to be more careful with what I delete. I'm guessing when I deleted them from my phone they got deleted from my mac and iCloud. Ughhh..They're all gone. 😟 Thanks so much for your answers.

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Answer 4

elcpu

Level 7

31,586 points

May 9, 2016 8:30 PM in response to cassiekillen

Don't give up just yet, check the Recently Deleted album just in case they are still there.... 🙂

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Answer 5

May 9, 2016 8:33 PM in response to cassiekillen

Right - check Recently Deleted on your Phone. They should be there.

Also, it is really important that you take the time to read the links regarding iCloud Photo Library that elcpu and I have provided. iCloud Photo Library is a powerful tool that can cause havoc if you have not familiarized yourself with how it works.

Best of luck,

GB

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Answer 6

cassiekillen Author

Level 1

9 points

May 9, 2016 9:25 PM in response to gail from maine

I did check the recently deleted and they weren't there. It seems to just reflect the Recently Deleted on my iPhone. 😟 😟

I will be sure to read those articles. Thanks again for your help.

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Answer 7

May 9, 2016 9:43 PM in response to cassiekillen

I thought you indicated that it was from your phone that you deleted them? But you should also see a Recently Deleted album in iCloud as well as in the Photos app in addition to the Recently Deleted on your phone. So, be sure to check all three to see if you can recover the photos.

You are most welcome, and happy reading 🙂

Cheers,

GB

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