I’m trying to organize my photo library on my iPhone, but the duplicate photos are not appearing in the ‘Duplicates’ album. I know there are duplicates because some were imported from another device. Are there specific settings or steps to fix this issue? Any help would be great.
A Quick Guide to Clearing Out Duplicate Photos on iPhone—For Free!
Let’s face it, your photo library is probably overflowing with countless duplicates and similar shots that eat up precious storage space. Sure, Apple offers a built-in feature to remove duplicate photos, but most libraries are clogged with similar-looking images where you’ve snapped like five versions of the same sunset or five selfies in a row. That’s where Reddit wisdom comes in handy! Many users swear by the Clever Cleaner app (totally free) to solve this headache efficiently, and spoiler: it works wonders.
How to Delete Duplicate Photos on Your iPhone in Minutes
Here’s a no-nonsense, easy-to-follow tutorial to reclaim that valuable storage space ASAP.
Step-by-Step Process:
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Download and Install ‘Clever Cleaner’
Head over to the App Store and grab the app—you can find it here:
Download Free Clever Cleaner App -
Grant Photo Access
When the app prompts you, grant it complete access to your photo library. This permission allows the app’s AI to analyze your images thoroughly. (I’ve personally done this, and nothing sketchy happened. All good here!)
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Let the Magic Happen (Scan Time)
Sit back and relax while the app scans your gallery—it usually takes anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes, depending on how overloaded your gallery is. Now’s a good time to make yourself a coffee or scroll through memes. -
Review the Organized Results
Here’s the amazing part. The app will group images that look alike, pick out the clearest or best-quality shot as the keeper, and mark the extras for deletion. Basically, no need for manual sorting or stressful decisions! -
One-Click Cleanup
Tap the ‘Smart Cleanup’ option in the app to batch-delete the marked duplicates. Don’t forget to follow up by emptying the trash bin in your native Photos app to remove them permanently.
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Voilà! Just like that, I waved goodbye to 11 GB of redundant photos and made space for all the important stuff—more cat memes, obviously 
!
Need More Help? Here Are Additional Resources to Check Out:
Here are some handy guides and discussions worth exploring if you’re keen to dig deeper or try alternative methods:
- 4 Methods to Remove Duplicate Photos on iPhone – MacGasm
- Reddit Thread: Ways to Delete Duplicate Photos on iPhone
- Apple Community Discussion: Duplicates and Similar Photo Talk
- Reddit Post: Clever Cleaner App Recommendation
- InsanelyMac Blog: Tips to Get Rid of Duplicates
- YouTube: How to Remove Duplicate Photos
- Reddit Guide: Fixing iPhone Storage Without Buying Extra Space
With Clever Cleaner, your iPhone’s storage no longer needs to be a never-ending battleground against pointless clutter. Who knew reclaiming gigabytes could be so simple and free? Give it a shot and let us know how much space you saved!
Yeah, so Apple’s built-in ‘Duplicates’ album is honestly kinda finicky—it’s not as smart as they want us to think. The reason your duplicates might not be showing up could be because their matching algorithm only recognizes exact copies. If the photos were imported from another device, even slight differences in file metadata (like timestamps or resolution) can mess up this detection. Fun, right?
But honestly, if you’re dealing with a ton of duplicates, why suffer through Apple’s half-baked solution? I saw @mikeappsreviewer mention Clever Cleaner, and I’ll admit, it’s pretty great. What’s cool is it even picks up similar-looking photos, not just identical ones—so those bursts of selfies and blurry outtakes? Gone. Plus, it saves you from manually scrolling through your endless library. Just don’t skip reviewing before you delete, or you might accidentally trash something you actually wanted to keep (been there, cried over that).
FYI, another possible fix if you’re sticking with the native feature: ensure your iPhone is updated to the latest iOS. Apple sometimes limits features like this to newer versions. If it’s still failing, well, time to move to apps like Clever Cleaner unless you enjoy the chaos.
If your duplicates aren’t showing up in the ‘Duplicates’ album, buckle in because Apple’s detection algorithm is… well, picky. Their system only catches photos that are exact matches, down to metadata like timestamps, file sizes, and resolution. Importing from another device sometimes alters these details slightly, even if the pics look identical on the surface—so Apple just shrugs and says, “Not my problem.”
That said, I don’t think you’re stuck relying on Apple’s built-in feature (which, let’s be honest, needs some work). I saw @mikeappsreviewer and @waldgeist recommend the Clever Cleaner app, and it’s worth a shot. Unlike Apple’s Duplicates album, this app’s AI can pick up similar images—like those five shots of your morning coffee where only the froth angle changed. Life-saver if you’re tired of manually scrolling through bursts of pics. Plus, it’s free, which we love.
If you’re hesitant about third-party apps, maybe try updating your iOS? Sometimes Apple sneaks in fixes for stuff like this in newer updates. But if that doesn’t work, your best bet is external tools like Clever Cleaner. And hey, don’t forget to review before deleting stuff. Nobody wants to realize they trashed a cherished pic by accident… trust me, been there.
Ah, the classic iPhone duplicate photo dilemma. Apple’s ‘Duplicates’ album is indeed picky—no surprises there. It’s all about exact matches by metadata, which means even a slight change (like importing from another device) can trip it up. This is where third-party solutions swoop in, and yes, the Clever Cleaner app seems to be a crowd favorite. While it’s smart and free, which is a massive win, some users might feel uneasy about giving full photo library access to an app. Always a good idea to double-check privacy policies.
For a slightly different approach, you could try Gemini Photos or Remo Duplicate Photos Remover. They’re other respected alternatives in this space. Each has its quirks—Gemini tends to be better for UI, while Remo is a bit more straightforward.
As for the Clever Cleaner’s pros: the AI identification of similar-looking images (not just exact matches) is invaluable. Want to trim down on endless coffee shots or burst-mode mishaps? Perfect for that. However, con-wise, manual reviewing can still be necessary to avoid accidentally deleting a cherished pic. It’s not failproof, and for some, the reliance on cloud processing might raise a question or two.
Finally, before committing to any tool, remember the good ol’ manual method. Not glamorous, but if you have an hour to spare, just weeding through photos in bursts manually can also bring excellent results. Mix and match these methods—or stack them if you’re feeling ambitious. Happy decluttering!