3 Ways to Delete Duplicate Images on iPhone

Over time, it’s easy to accumulate multiple copies of the same picture—screenshots, burst shots, edits saved separately, or photos imported more than once. These duplicates waste precious storage, make it harder to find the images you want, and slow down iCloud sync. Fortunately, there are several ways to locate and remove duplicate photos on your iPhone, whether you’re running the latest iOS or an earlier version.

Use iOS’s Built-In Duplicates Album (iOS 16 and later)

If you’re on iOS 16 or newer, Apple’s Photos app includes a Duplicates folder that automatically groups exact or near-identical images.

1. Open Photos, then scroll to Utilities and tap Duplicates.

2. You’ll see groups of photos that Apple thinks are duplicates. Tap Merge next to a group to keep the highest-quality version and delete the rest.

3. When you tap Merge All at the top, Photos consolidates every group in one go.

Pros

• Fully integrated: no additional app needed.

• Keeps the best-quality copy automatically.

Cons

• Only available in iOS 16+.

• Near-duplicates (slightly different crops or edits) may not always be detected.

Manually Find and Delete Duplicates in Photos (All iOS Versions)

If you don’t have iOS 16 or prefer doing it yourself:

1. Open Photos. At the top of the screen, tap the magnifying glass icon to open the search tool. 

2. Type one or more keywords related to the subject of the duplicated photos. For example, you can look up photos of cats or specify a month where duplicates were more likely, such as when you took a vacation. 

3. Scroll through your feed, look for identical thumbnails, and tap Select.

4. Tap the trash icon >Delete Photos.

Tips for manual cleanup

• Sort by date or location to spot clusters of shots taken at once.

• Swiping with two fingers can speed up multi-select in grid view.

Rely on a Third-Party App

Several apps in the App Store specialize in photo cleanup. Popular choices include:

• Remo Duplicate Photos Remover

• Photo Cleaner

• Remo Duplicate Photos Remover

Pros

• More flexible detection (face similarity, blurred shots).

• Often includes other cleanup tools (large videos, screenshots, documents).

Cons

• Requires a paid subscription or a one-time fee for full features.

• Security and privacy—choose a reputable developer.

Preventing Future Duplicates

• Avoid re-importing photos—delete old imports before syncing again.

• Use iCloud Photos or Google Photos—automated dedupe features in cloud services can help.

Whether you’re using Apple’s built-in tools or a third-party app, it’s smart to back up your entire library first. Enable iCloud Photos, export a copy to your Mac, or use a backup app so you can restore anything you remove by accident.

Conclusion

Clearing out duplicate photos can free up gigabytes of storage and make your photo library much easier to navigate. If you’re on iOS 16 or newer, start with Photos’ built-in Duplicates album—it’s quick and free. Otherwise, choose between manual culling, a trusted App Store utility, or a Mac-based solution. And don’t forget to back up before you clean house!