Best app to remove duplicate photos on iPhone?

Best Iphone Cleaner Apps
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I have too many duplicate photos taking up storage on my iPhone, and I’d like to delete them efficiently. Can anyone recommend a reliable app or method to handle this? Thanks in advance!

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A Foolproof Guide to Clearing Duplicate Photos on Your iPhone for Free

Let’s face it, smartphones make it ridiculously easy to hoard photos—selfies, random screenshots, blurry shots you forgot about—it all piles up. Sure, Apple’s iOS lets you delete duplicate photos on your own, but if you’re like most people, similar photos make up about 95% of your photo clutter. Don’t worry, though! A lot of iPhone users on Reddit have found a super-effective, free tool: the Clever Cleaner app. I gave it a shot, and honestly, it worked wonders without costing me a dime.

Here’s the quick and easy roadmap to declutter your iPhone photo library.

How to Purge Duplicate & Similar Photos from Your iPhone

Clever Cleaner App Preview
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Follow These Steps:

  1. Download Clever Cleaner from the App Store.

  2. Grant Photo Access:

    • Don’t stress—this is just so the app’s AI can scan your gallery. I did it myself and everything stayed secure.

  3. Wait for the Scan to Complete (Be Patient!):

    • This can take anywhere between 2 to 6 minutes, depending on how massive your photo library is.

The Cleanup Magic:

AI-Powered Sorting

After the scan, it intelligently categorizes similar images, retains the best version, and flags the rest for deletion.

  1. Review & Confirm:

    • Take a moment to skim through the groupings and ensure no precious memories get mistakenly trashed.

  2. Tap ‘Smart Cleanup’:

    • Once you’re satisfied with the results, hit the button.
    • Reminder: Empty your Photos app trash afterwards to finalize the process.

App Screenshot
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After running this process? 11 GB of space suddenly became available on my phone. It felt like I’d been handed a brand-new device. :tada:

Additional Resources & Handy Links

Here’s a list of other valuable resources for managing your iPhone storage and dealing with duplicate photos:

And there you have it—decluttering your iPhone has never been easier. No need to spend hours scrolling and manually deleting photos, and more importantly, no need to pay for unnecessary apps. Try this out, and let your phone breathe again!

2 Likes
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Oh boy, dealing with duplicate photos is such a headache. Honestly, after trying a few apps over the years, the Clever Cleaner app is actually pretty solid. I know someone here (cough @mikeappsreviewer cough) already sang its praises, and for good reason—it does the job. But if I had to play devil’s advocate for a moment, I’d say it doesn’t always catch every single duplicate, especially if the images look a bit too similar but aren’t identical. You’ll want to double-check before giving the app full control.

That said, if you want to mix things up, Apple’s native Photos app actually has a hidden feature for duplicates now (iOS 16 or later). Go to the ‘Duplicates’ folder under ‘Albums > Utilities.’ It doesn’t dig into ‘similar’ photos, though, just exact copies. So, you’ll still end up scrolling through endless shots of basically the same vacation selfie but in slightly different lighting—yay for manual labor.

If you’re not into free apps and have some cash to burn, apps like Gemini Photos ($$$ alert!) offer pretty intuitive cleanup features. It’s a love-or-hate-it deal since some folks hate subscription models. Honestly, that’s why Clever Cleaner wins in my book—it’s free and does what 80% of us need without asking for a kidney.

Pro-tip: While you’re deleting duplicates, give your videos some love too. Those are HUGE space hogs. Most of these apps don’t touch them, but a manual purge can give you the storage breather you’re desperate for.

TL;DR, download Clever Cleaner, go through Apple’s built-in duplicate feature if you like DIY work, and consider Gemini Photos if you’re feeling fancy.

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Ok, so, here’s the deal—while Clever Cleaner sounds like it works for some (and yeah, Mike and Viajante clearly love it), I’m gonna throw a curveball your way and suggest a bit of a hybrid approach. Before you jump headfirst into app territory, hear me out: do a quick declutter manually first. No app, not even Clever Cleaner or Apple’s built-in Duplicates folder, is perfect. They miss things sometimes, especially if you take a lot of “slightly different but technically amazing” shots. Trust me, been there.

  1. Manual cleanup via iOS Photos: Check the Duplicates folder. Yes, @viajantedoceu already pointed this out (thanks for the reminder!), but don’t trash anything too fast. Sometimes Apple’s recognition is a little too good, and you end up losing stuff you might’ve wanted.

  2. THEN hit up Clever Cleaner: It’s free, so no harm in trying, and its AI is better for finding similar images. You probably won’t miss emotional gems like that one blurry but irreplaceable picture of your cat mid-sneeze. But again, eyeball the results before you nuke anything en masse.

  3. If those two don’t cut it and you’re desperate for precision, Gemini Photos is a paid alternative. It lets you deal with individual duplicates more hands-on (though honestly, the price bugs me). Their subscription model feels like highway robbery compared to free apps like Clever Cleaner.

Lastly, take a moment to delete unused apps/videos while you’re at it. Live Photos and high-res files are space vampires. Oh, and don’t forget to empty the trash afterward because, somehow, deleting isn’t actually deleting anymore. :wastebasket:

Bottom line—if you want quick and mostly painless: Clever Cleaner. If you’ve got trust issues with apps and want to DIY: Apple’s tools. If you’re a control freak like me, test both methods back-to-back and see what sticks.

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If you’re up for experimenting with different strategies, here’s a mix-and-match approach that might just do the trick.

  1. Clever Cleaner App: I’ve seen @viajantedoceu and @kakeru both vouch for this one, and I’ll admit—it’s solid. It’s especially great if you’ve got a ton of similar images you don’t want to sort through manually. The pros? It’s free, user-friendly, and the AI handles a lot of the heavy lifting by grouping similar images. It even caught a few duplicates that Apple’s built-in Duplicates folder didn’t flag. The cons? It’s not perfect—some photos grouped as “similar” might be things you’d rather keep (like near-identical shots of your favorite vacation sunset). Always review before deleting!

  2. Apple’s Built-In Tools: Before getting an app, dive into the Duplicates folder in the Photos app (for iOS 16 and up). This is fantastic for exact duplicates but falls short when it comes to near-duplicates or photos with slight lighting or angle differences. Use this feature as a first sweep before relying on external apps.

  3. Other Free Alternatives: Although Clever Cleaner is a strong option, apps like Slidebox or Photos Cleaner have been noted for their ease of use. Keep in mind that some of these “free” options can push paid features aggressively, which can get frustrating.

  4. Paid Option: Gemini Photos: If you’re willing to shell out some cash, this one’s often recommended for more precision. It’s ideal if you want more granular control (great for perfectionists), but honestly, the subscription-based pricing might not be worth it for everyone, given the free alternatives.

  5. The Manual Touch: If your photo library isn’t too overwhelming, a manual cleanup can be surprisingly effective. Start by clearing out screenshots and obvious clutter—you’d be amazed how much space this frees up. Then, proceed to specific albums and clean in chunks.

So here’s the hierarchy: try Apple’s tools for exact duplicates :arrow_right: let Clever Cleaner handle the near-matches :arrow_right: go manual-cleanup on anything emotional or irreplaceable. Want to go deeper? You could even offload older photos to cloud storage solutions like Google Photos or iCloud to save extra space.

Quick Side Note: While Clever Cleaner works, a downside is that you do have to trust third-party apps with access to your photo library. If privacy is a concern, you might want to stick with the built-in Photos app or review permissions diligently. It’s also worth noting that results can vary if your library is massive (like, in the tens of thousands of photos)—it felt slower for me when I tested it on a photo-heavy system.

Ultimately, no single solution is flawless, and your choice depends on how much time and effort you’re willing to invest!