Apple has introduced a new feature in iOS 18 that helps users recover lost or damaged photos and videos. The new "Recovered" album in the Photos app will automatically detect and display previously inaccessible media files that are still stored on the device, giving users a second chance to save them.

This innovative feature is available not only in iOS 18 but also in iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia. According to Apple, the new technology can identify and locate previously lost or damaged media files, displaying them in the new "Recovered" album in the Photos app. This album will exist alongside the familiar "Recently Deleted" album. When updating to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, the device will automatically scan for recoverable photos and videos.

There are several reasons why photos or videos might be lost or damaged. For example, this can happen due to database corruption issues or when a taken photo does not properly save to the library. Additionally, third-party apps with permission to manage the Photos library can also cause problems.

To find this album, users need to follow these steps:

  1. Open the Photos app
  2. Scroll down and find the "Utilities" section
  3. Tap on "Recovered" and authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID
  4. Select a photo or video and decide whether to "Delete Permanently" or "Restore to Library"

It's important to note that the new album will only be visible if there are indeed lost or damaged media files on the device. Otherwise, this option will not appear.

The introduction of this useful feature in iOS 18 follows a recent incident with a database corruption bug in iOS 17.5, which caused deleted photos to reappear. At that time, Apple emphasized that this problem was accidental and affected a small number of users. The addition of the new feature provides more control over the process of deleting photos and videos, as well as the ability to recover media files that were thought to be lost.