Start in the Photos app.
Apple’s Photos app can detect duplicate photos and videos on iOS 16 or later. Open the Duplicates collection to review the sets it has found.
Open Photos
Open the Photos app on your iPhone, then tap Collections.
Find the duplicates
Go to Utilities, then tap Duplicates to see the sets detected in your library.
Review and merge
Check a set, tap Merge beside it, then confirm with Merge [number] Items.
No Duplicates collection?
The collection appears only after your iPhone has found duplicates. If it’s missing, the scan may still be running or no duplicates have been identified.
Give Photos time to scan.
Leave your iPhone locked and connected to power. Detection can take up to a few days, depending on your library and other background tasks.
One moment. Too many versions?
Even after merging duplicates, you may still have retakes, bursts and several versions of the same group photo. Compare those remaining shots and choose the ones worth keeping.
Swipewipe groups identical and near-identical photos into piles in its Duplicates list. Work through a pile, keep your favorites and review the rest before confirming deletion.
- Choose your favorite
- Look for the expression, framing and detail you prefer. Two similar photos can still tell different stories.
- Keep it if you’re unsure
- You can always come back later. There’s no need to discard a photo just because another one looks similar.
- Review before deleting
- A left swipe marks a photo for deletion. Check your choices on the review screen before you confirm.
Before you delete
iCloud Photos: deleting a photo on one device also deletes it on your other devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
Recently Deleted: on iPhone, deleted photos and videos stay here for 30 days before being permanently removed.
Keep a separate backup of photos you cannot lose. If you remove something by mistake, check Recently Deleted.
Recover a deleted photoQuestions & answers
A few things worth knowing
Where is the Duplicates album on iPhone?
In the Photos app, tap Collections, then Utilities, then Duplicates. It appears only when your iPhone has found duplicates.
Which iPhones can detect duplicates?
Duplicate detection is part of the Photos app since iOS 16.
What if similar photos are still in my library?
You can compare and sort any remaining shots yourself. Swipewipe’s Duplicates list groups identical and near-identical photos into piles, so you can choose your favorites and review the rest before deletion.