Apple has rolled out tvOS 17.5.1, addressing an issue where previously deleted photos were restored.

This follows the release of iOS 17.5.1 and iPadOS 17.5.1 updates, which fixed a privacy glitch causing deleted photos to reappear in albums post-upgrade to iOS/iPadOS 17.5.

Despite the severity of this privacy breach, Apple has yet to offer a detailed explanation, only noting the issue in the update logs. The prevailing theory suggests that Apple might not have completely erased the photos, leading to their return due to a bug.

The tvOS 17.5.1 update for Apple TV, announced today, shares the update log with iOS 17.5.1, both addressing a rare issue where photos, despite being deleted from the database, might reappear in the photo library.

Although Apple TV cannot take photos, it allows viewing of iCloud-synced album content on TV. Deletions performed here should propagate across all devices signed into iCloud.

The recurrence of this issue on Apple TV, akin to the iPhone, is not surprising. Photos deleted years ago, even without iCloud sync, have been known to resurface.

The crux of the matter now is the actual cause behind the restoration of deleted photos. Apple's mention of photo database corruption falls short of allaying user concerns. The possibility of years-old deleted photos being restored could deter users from selling their Apple devices, fearing the resurgence of such bugs that might reveal private photos.