immich Sync Remote Deletions features makes images download onto device

I have searched the existing issues, both open and closed, to make sure this is not a duplicate report.

[x] Yes

The bug

When I delete images from my device, they are then re-downloaded from the Immich server. This is since the latest update, when the Sync Remote Deletions feature was first added, it was working properly.

The OS that Immich Server is running on

Unraid 7.1.4

Version of Immich Server

2.3.1

Version of Immich Mobile App

2.3.0 build.3027

Platform with the issue

[ ] Server
[x] Web
[ ] Mobile

Device make and model

Samsung Galaxy S23

Your docker-compose.yml content

name: immich

networks:
  immich:
    name: immich
    driver: bridge

services:
  server:
    container_name: immich
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-server:${IMMICH_VERSION:-release}
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: 1
              capabilities:
                - gpu
                - compute
                - video
    networks:
      - immich
    ports:
      - ${IMMICH_PORT}:2283
    volumes:
      - ${UPLOAD_LOCATION}:/data
      - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
    env_file:
      - .env
    restart:
      unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - cache
      - db
    healthcheck:
      disable: false

  machine-learning:
    container_name: immich-machine-learning
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-machine-learning:${IMMICH_VERSION:-release}-cuda
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: 1
              capabilities:
                - gpu
    networks:
      - immich
    ports:
      - ${MACHINE_LEARNING_PORT}:3003
    volumes:
      - ${MODEL_CACHE_LOCATION}:/cache
    env_file:
      - .env
    restart:
      always
    healthcheck:
      disable: false
    
  db:
    container_name: postgres-immich
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/postgres:16-vectorchord0.3.0-pgvectors0.3.0
    networks:
      - immich
    ports:
      - ${DB_PUBLIC_PORT}:${DB_PORT}
    volumes:
      - ${DB_DATA_LOCATION}:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    environment:
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${DB_PASSWORD}
      POSTGRES_USER: ${DB_USERNAME}
      POSTGRES_DB: ${DB_DATABASE_NAME}
      POSTGRES_INITDB_ARGS: '--data-checksums'
    restart:
      always

  cache:
    container_name: redis-immich
    image: redis
    networks:
      - immich
    restart:
      always
    healthcheck:
      test: redis-cli ping || exit 1

Your .env content

# You can find documentation for all the supported env variables at https://immich.app/docs/install/environment-variables

IMMICH_PORT=2283
MACHINE_LEARNING_PORT=3003

UPLOAD_LOCATION="/mnt/user/photos"
DB_DATA_LOCATION="/mnt/user/appdata/immich/postgres"
MODEL_CACHE_LOCATION="/mnt/user/appdata/immich/machine-learning/model-cache"

IMMICH_VERSION="release"

TZ="America/Boise"
PUID=99
PGID=100
UMASK=022

REDIS_HOSTNAME="cache"
DB_HOSTNAME="db"
DB_PORT=5432
DB_PUBLIC_PORT=5433

DB_USERNAME="immich"
DB_DATABASE_NAME="immich"
DB_PASSWORD=

Reproduction steps

Delete an image from a device that's synced to the server
The image is downloaded onto the device

Relevant log output

Additional information

No response

Nov 23 '25 23:11 D3r3k23

Can you help with more detail on the reproduction steps?

Nov 24 '25 00:11 alextran1502

It happens to me too. If I try from immich (or from the device itself outside immich) to delete a photo locally (i.e. Delete from device on Immich) after a while the photo reappears on my device @alextran1502 It's like synced photos can't be deleted locally because Immich downloads them again