When you delete photos from your Meetup group albums, it's important to understand how this affects your events, especially past events.
When you remove a photo from an album:
- The photo is permanently deleted from Meetup's servers
- It cannot be recovered or restored
- It's removed from all locations where it appears, including:
- Event cover photos
- Group albums
- Event photo galleries
- Any other place the photo was displayed
❗️There is no "undo" option and no trash folder. Once deleted, the photo is gone permanently.
How does deleting photos from a group impact my events?
Current and upcoming events
If you delete a photo that's being used as a cover photo for an upcoming or current event, that event will:
- Lose its cover photo immediately
- Display the group's default photo instead (if available)
- Display a generic Meetup placeholder if no group photo exists
However, you can easily fix this by uploading a new cover photo. Learn how to set an event's cover photo.
Past events
If you delete a photo that was used as a cover photo for a past event (an event that has already taken place), that event will:
- Lose its cover photo permanently
- Display no cover photo or a default placeholder
- Not give the option to have a new cover photo added
Why can't I add a new cover to a past event?
Meetup treats past events as historical records.
Once an event has concluded, most editing capabilities are locked, including the ability to change or add cover photos. This is by design to preserve the historical record of your group's activities.
How can I recover pictures once I erased them from my group?
If you've already deleted photos and need help recovering them:
- Check your own devices: The original photos may still be on your phone, camera, or computer
- Ask members: Other group members may have copies of photos from events
- Contact Meetup Support: In rare cases, our support team may be able to help with manual restoration, but this is not guaranteed
Important considerations to make before you decide to delete a photo from your group
If there's any chance you'll want to use a photo again:
- Right-click (or long-press on mobile) on the photo
- Select "Save image as..." or "Download image"
- Save it to your computer or device before deleting from Meetup