How can I delete duplicate photos from my iPhone?

Best Iphone Cleaner Apps
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I noticed my iPhone has a lot of duplicate photos, and they’re taking up valuable storage space. Can anyone explain an easy way to find and delete them without manually going through all my pictures?

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Ready to reclaim some much-needed space on your iPhone? Let’s be honest—most of us have duplicate or nearly identical photos cluttering up our galleries. While you can use iOS’s built-in options to remove duplicates, there’s a good chance that around 95% of your snapshots are just “similar” rather than exact copies. If you’re looking for a powerful, no-cost tool to simplify this process, thousands on Reddit are raving about the Clever Cleaner app for iPhone. I gave it a try myself, and let me tell you—it’s a lifesaver, and guess what? It didn’t cost me a dime.

How to Clear Duplicate Photos on Your iPhone in Minutes

How to Delete Duplicate Photos on iPhone
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Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Download Clever Cleaner

  2. Allow Access to Your Photos

    • The app needs permission to scan your gallery, so give it full access. Don’t stress—it’s safe! I went through the process and didn’t encounter any issues.

App in Action
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  1. Let the Magic Happen

    • Depending on how many photos you’ve got stored, the scan typically lasts about 2–6 minutes.

  2. Take a Look at the Results

    • Clever Cleaner uses AI to find similar shots, keeping the best quality image and marking others for removal.

  3. Clean It Up!

    • Tap ‘Smart Cleanup’, and voilà! Don’t forget to finalize the process by heading to the Photos app and emptying the trash.

Cleaning Process Screenshot
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The Result? A Cleaner Album and More Space!

And just like that, your work is done! I cleared 11 GB of junk off my iPhone and had a mini celebration :tada:. Imagine what you could do with all the extra storage… new apps, videos, or just a smoother-running device.

Handy Links for Even More Help:

Looking for alternate tips or want to hear other experiences? Check out these resources:

Take charge of your storage—ditch those duplicates and enjoy the extra space. Your iPhone will thank you! :rocket:

3 Likes
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If you’re not ready to dive into third-party apps like @mikeappsreviewer suggested with Clever Cleaner (though it sounds decent), Apple actually baked in a solution for this right within iOS. Ever heard of the ‘Duplicates’ album? It’s part of the Photos app on iOS 16 and later—but somehow, it’s hiding in plain sight like a forgotten sock under the couch.

Here’s the deal:

  1. Open Photos

    • Go to Albums, then scroll all the way down to Utilities, where you’ll find “Duplicates.”
    • If it doesn’t show up, your phone might still be indexing your gallery (or you’re not on iOS 16+).

  2. Merge Photos

    • The app groups together duplicates for you, and all you have to do is hit Merge to combine the images. It keeps the best-quality shot automatically.

This approach might not be as feature-packed as Clever Cleaner (no AI magic to sort “similar” shots), but it gets the basics done without downloading extra apps or worrying about giving access to your camera roll. Downside? It won’t flag those “almost identical” sunset selfies you took 15 times—so you may still need to do some manual cleanup.

So yeah, Clever Cleaner sounds like a good call if you want zero effort and a smarter cleanup, but don’t ignore your built-in tools for the simpler stuff!

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Alright, so you’re drowning in duplicate photos and looking for an easy way out? First off, props to @mikeappsreviewer and @himmelsjager for bringing solid suggestions to the table. Clever Cleaner sounds like a decent tool—and free? Yeah, that’s tempting.

BUT—and here’s the thing—while their suggestions are great, I’d argue you don’t always need any apps crashing your iPhone party or risking your photo privacy just yet. If you’re like me (scared of giving apps access to ALL your pics, including those embarrassing screenshots), stick with Apple’s built-in tools first.

You might’ve missed this, but there’s a trick that doesn’t even involve apps. You can actually use Search in your Photos app! Manually annoying? Sure. Free and safe? Definitely.

Here’s what you do:

  1. Search terms like ‘screenshot,’ ‘selfie,’ or even types of duplicates (same location, day, etc.).
  2. Scroll through these categories to find groups of samey-lookin’ shots.
  3. Select & delete. Yeah, it’s not perfect…but it’s bare-bones effective.

Now, if your phone’s bloated beyond recognition (LOOKIN’ AT YOU, SUNSET SPAMMERS AND PET PHOTO HOARDERS), then Clever Cleaner or even another similar app might actually save you from hours of scrolling agony. Just don’t rely entirely on “smart AI” always knowing what you want to keep—I’ve had apps delete stuff I wanted before…and trust, that regret is real.

TLDR: Built-in tools work, but for maximum ease, that Clever Cleaner app seems worth trying. Just double-check the flagged photos so it doesn’t yeet your memories too efficiently.

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Okay, so here’s my take: managing duplicates on your iPhone can feel like fighting uphill, but there are more ways to tackle this than just Clever Cleaner (though I’ve used it, and yeah, it does a solid job). @himmelsjager’s point about using built-in tools is worth considering if you’re paranoid about privacy, though it’s painfully slow if you’ve got thousands of pics. On the other hand, @mikeappsreviewer praised Clever Cleaner for its ease, and they’re not wrong—it saves time big time.

Now, before you commit to this app, here’s an analytical hot take:

Clever Cleaner Pros:

  1. Fast Scanning: Like, really. It skims through hundreds of pics in minutes.
  2. AI Filtering: Finds not just exact duplicates but similar ones (think bursts or slightly tilted selfies).
  3. FREE: Unlike some greedy apps that demand payments just to unlock basic features.

Cons:

  1. Over-Efficiency: It flagged a few photos I wasn’t ready to part with. Definitely double-check before deleting.
  2. Privacy Concerns: While I didn’t experience issues, some might still hesitate to grant access to their entire photo library.
  3. No Folder-Level Targeting: If you wanted to clean up just “Favorites” or “Shared Albums,” tough luck—you scan the whole thing or not at all.

If Clever Cleaner doesn’t sound like your vibe, Google Photos’ built-in duplicate manager is another alternative, but only if your photos are synced to it. @espritlibre also highlighted manual sorting, which, in my opinion, is fine only if you’ve got the patience of a saint.

Bottom line: Use built-in tools for small cleanups or try Clever Cleaner if your gallery’s out of control. Just review flagged pics before hitting delete—losing cherished memories isn’t worth a slightly tidier photo library!