How to find and delete duplicate photos on iPhone: 5 tried-and-tested ways

You can remove duplicate photos on your iPhone using built-in tools, like the Duplicates album or the Search tool in Photos, or a dedicated third-party app like CleanMy®Phone from Setapp. This way, every photo on your phone will be unique and have its own story. Just like one of those old albums filled only with the good shots.

Here are some of the most effective solutions, using both native and third-party apps. Detailed instructions follow below:

Delete duplicates with	Automatic detection	Finds similar (not just exact duplicates)	Works best for
CleanMy®Phone from Setapp	Yes	Yes	Large or messy libraries; hands-off cleanup
Duplicates album in Photos	Yes	No	Free, no-install duplicate removal
Photos Search tool	No	Partial	Manual browsing by person, place, or date
iCloud Photos	No	No	Desktop browser access; cross-device sync
Google Photos smart search	No	Partial	Google Photos users; keyword-based review

Get rid of duplicate photos on iPhone automatically

Finding duplicate photos on iPhone is already tedious. Sorting, comparing, and choosing which identical or similar images to delete adds more manual work.

My top choice is CleanMy®Phone from Setapp. It’s an AI-powered cleaner for all kinds of digital clutter on your device, including duplicate photos. All I have to do is quickly run a full scan of my iPhone’s library to find clutter. I also use CleanMy®Phone’s Organize feature to manage photos by category (pets, screenshots, etc.), which makes it easier to decide what needs to be removed.

Here’s how to remove duplicate photos on iPhone using CleanMy®Phone:

1. Install and open CleanMy®Phone.
2. Tap Scan.

3. Tap Duplicates once the scan is complete.

   

4. Select the photos you want to remove.

5. Tap Clean > Delete.

CleanMy®Phone also detects similar photos. Just go to Similars in the Organize tab. The app makes it easier to spot your best photos, keep the images that stand out, and remove the rest.

Merge duplicate photos and videos on iPhone

The Photos app can identify and merge duplicate photos and videos without installing another app. Apple first added this feature in iOS 16, and it remains available in current versions, including iOS 27.

When you merge duplicates, Photos keeps one copy with the highest image quality and relevant data. It sends the other copies to the Recently Deleted album.

I find this feature really useful, but reviewing a large library can still take time. You can merge one set at a time or select several duplicate groups at once.

Here’s how to delete duplicate photos on iPhone through Photos:

1. Open Photos.
2. Tap Collections.
3. Scroll down to Utilities, then tap Duplicates.

4. Review a duplicate group and tap Merge.

   

5. Tap Merge [number] Items to confirm.

To process several groups, tap Select, choose the groups, and tap Merge. You can also use Select All to merge every detected duplicate.

If you don’t see the Duplicates album, your iPhone may still be indexing the library. Keep it locked and connected to power, as detection can take several days. Apple’s support page notes that the album only appears after Photos finds duplicates.

iOS doesn’t treat Burst shots as duplicates. If you accidentally captured too many, check the Bursts collection and remove the shots you don’t need.

Delete duplicate photos from iPhone with the Search tool

The Photos search tool can help you manually find similar images. It lets you search for people, places, objects, dates, and settings such as Portrait mode.

Here’s how to find duplicate photos on iPhone using Search:

1. Open Photos and tap the Search icon in the bottom-right corner.
2. Enter an image characteristic in the search field.

   

3. Review the matching moments and categories.
4. Tap Select, choose the unwanted copies, and tap the trash icon.

This method won’t detect duplicates automatically, but it can narrow a large library to a manageable group.

Read also:

• Free up space on iPhone
• Best iPhone cleaner apps
• Organize photos on iPhone
• How to empty Trash on iPhone

These guides can help if duplicate photos are only one part of your storage problem.

How to remove duplicate photos from iCloud

iCloud Photos keeps one synchronized photo library across your Apple devices. It doesn’t offer a separate automatic duplicate-removal tool on iCloud.com. However, duplicates merged or deleted in Photos sync to your other devices when iCloud Photos is turned on.

To remove duplicates through iCloud.com:

1. Go to iCloud.com/photos and sign in.
2. Select the duplicate photos you want to remove.
3. Click the trash icon.
4. Click Delete to confirm.

Deleted items move to Recently Deleted. You can recover them before they are permanently removed, as explained in the iCloud User Guide.

For a quicker review, use CleanMy®Phone to automatically remove duplicate photos on your iPhone, including any that have synced from iCloud.

Smart search for duplicates in Google Photos

Google Photos can help you find similar-looking images through its content-based search. Search for a person, place, object, or other keyword, then review the matching photos for unwanted copies.

The main drawback is that Google Photos can’t automatically identify and delete every duplicate. You’ll still need to review the results, but Smart Search makes the process faster.

Here’s how to reduce duplicate photos on iPhone through Google Photos:

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap Search and enter a keyword.
3. Press and hold the photos you want to delete.
4. Tap the trash icon.
5. Tap Delete to confirm.

Remember that removing a backed-up photo from Google Photos may affect its availability on other devices connected to that Google account.

Why is the iPhone duplicating photos?

Duplicate photos don’t always appear because you were trying to get one perfect shot and forgot to delete the rest. They can also come from settings, editing apps, and saved copies you may not notice.

Here are the main reasons you may find duplicate files in the Photos app:

• Multiple cloud services. Downloading or saving the same image from several cloud services can create separate copies in your photo library.
• Burst mode captures. Burst mode helps you capture fast action. However, it saves the entire sequence until you choose the shots you want to keep.
• Photo editing. Some third-party apps export edited photos as new files. Editing in Photos avoids visible duplicates because its changes are nondestructive and remain attached to the original.

Whatever the cause, there are quick ways to find duplicate photos on iPhone and clear them out.

Reduce duplicate photos on iPhone with ease

Too many duplicates can quickly fill your iPhone storage. The built-in Duplicates album is the simplest free option for exact copies, while Search helps uncover similar shots.

For a faster review of duplicates, similar images, screenshots, and other photo clutter, use CleanMy®Phone.  Try it free for 7 days with Setapp Membership, which includes 300+ macOS and iOS apps in one subscription.

FAQ

How do I find duplicate photos on my iPhone?

The easiest way is to open Photos, tap Collections, scroll to Utilities, and select Duplicates. iPhone automatically detects identical photos and videos and lets you merge them with one tap. If you want to catch similar shots too, not just exact duplicates, CleanMy®Phone scans your entire library and flags those as well.

Does iPhone have a built-in tool to remove duplicate photos?

Yes. Since iOS 16, Photos includes a Duplicates album under Utilities. It detects identical photos and videos, lets you review them, and merges duplicates with one tap — keeping the highest-quality copy and sending the rest to Recently Deleted. If you don't see it, your iPhone may still be indexing your library, which can take a few days.

Will deleting duplicate photos from iPhone also delete them from iCloud?

Yes, if iCloud Photos is turned on. iCloud Photos is a sync service, not a backup — any deletion on your iPhone is mirrored across all connected devices and iCloud. Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted first and are permanently removed after 30 days.

Why does my iPhone keep duplicating photos?

The most common causes are saving the same image from multiple cloud services, Burst mode captures, and third-party editing apps that export edited photos as new files. Editing directly in Photos avoids this, since its changes are nondestructive and stay attached to the original.

Can I remove duplicate photos from iCloud without deleting them from my iPhone?

No. If iCloud Photos is enabled, deletions sync both ways. There's no way to remove a photo from iCloud while keeping it on your iPhone when both are connected to the same library. To keep photos only on your device, you'd need to turn off iCloud Photos first.

What's the fastest way to delete duplicate photos on iPhone?

CleanMy®Phone is the fastest option — it scans your full library automatically, identifies duplicates and similar shots, and lets you remove them in a few taps. The built-in Duplicates album in Photos is the best free alternative, though it only catches exact duplicates and may take time to index large libraries.