[Android] X bug deletes images and videos from published posts when you delete drafts

X users on Android have encountered a bug that deletes images and videos from published posts when they delete a draft containing the same media.

The bug may stem from an issue between draft syncing and X’s rebuilt Android app. Users cannot restore images or videos that the bug has removed from existing posts.

Deleting a draft can remove media from a published post

Some X users on Android still see published posts in their drafts. When they delete a draft containing an image or video, X may also delete the same media from the published post.

I could not reproduce the bug on my devices, but many users in Japan and other countries have reported it. I analyzed the metadata from several reports posted on X and found that each user had encountered the bug on Android.

When the bug removes an image from a post, users may see no image or the message [An error occurred while loading this image]. When it removes a video, users see [This video has been deleted].

Can you restore deleted media?

You cannot restore media that this bug has deleted. X likely removes the file from its media library, as I explain below. The media library has no trash feature, so users cannot recover deleted files.

When the bug removes media from a post, users who still have the original file can repost it only through a quote post, reply, or another new post.

Until X fixes the bug, do not delete a published post with media from your drafts, even if it remains there after you publish it.

Posting and draft-deletion bugs may cause the issue

X had not issued an official statement about the bug when I wrote this article. I believe two bugs cause it: one in the posting process and another in the draft-deletion process.

First, a posting bug can leave a published post in the drafts list. If a user deletes that draft, a second bug may remove the media from the published post.

Why does deleting a draft remove media from a published post that uses the same image or video?

I believe the answer lies in X’s media library. Few users know that X provides a media library through Media Studio.

When you attach media to a post, X uploads the file to your media library. The post then references that file. Media Studio lets you manage files in the library, upload media without publishing a post, and remove media from published posts by deleting the corresponding file from the library.

I believe X deletes a draft’s attached media from the media library without checking whether a published post still uses it. That process would cause no problem under normal conditions. However, it creates this bug when the posting issue leaves a published post in the drafts list.

X has started rolling out a rebuilt Android app, and the new app likely contains this bug.

X launches rebuilt Android app and details the changes

X has launched its rebuilt Android app. The company describes the new app as “faster, smoother and way more reliable,” while X Head of Product Nikita Bier says the new foundation will help the company build features at a faster pace.

July 21, 2026