How to find and delete duplicate photos on iPhone
On iOS 16 and later, open Photos → Utilities → Duplicates and tap Merge on each set: iPhone keeps the best-quality copy and moves the rest to Recently Deleted. The built-in album only catches exact and near-exact copies. For similar shots, duplicate videos and a size-sorted review, use a duplicate photo finder such as Puri — and check each set before deleting.
Method 1: the built-in Duplicates album (free)
- Open Photos. On iOS 18 and later scroll down to Utilities; on iOS 16–17 tap Albums and scroll to Utilities.
- Tap Duplicates. If you don’t see it, the library hasn’t been fully analysed yet — leave the iPhone charging and locked for a while, or there are no duplicates.
- Review each set. Tap Merge to keep one copy, or Select → Merge to handle several sets at once.
- Merged extras go to Recently Deleted, where they stay for about 30 days before iOS removes them.
Apple’s merge keeps the highest quality version and combines metadata such as captions and favourites. It is a good first pass and costs nothing.
What the Duplicates album misses
- Similar photos — five shots of the same moment are not duplicates to iOS, but they are usually the biggest waste of space.
- Duplicate videos — the same clip saved from a chat and from AirDrop.
- Size context — you can’t sort sets by how much space they free.
- Bursts and Live Photos — handled elsewhere in Photos, one at a time.
Method 2: a duplicate photo finder app
A dedicated app groups exact copies, similar shots and duplicate videos in one place and shows how much space each set takes. With Puri the flow is:
- Install Puri and allow access to Photos (full access finds the most; limited access only scans the photos you pick).
- Let the scan run. Photos stored only in iCloud are compared using their local previews, so nothing has to be downloaded just to find duplicates.
- Open Duplicates. In every set one photo is marked Keep — usually the larger or original file. Tap Set Keep on another photo if you prefer it.
- Delete the extras. iOS asks you to confirm, and the photos go to Recently Deleted like any other deletion.
Then repeat for Similar Photos and Duplicate Videos. Nothing is removed until you confirm.
Built-in Photos vs a duplicate finder
| Photos → Duplicates | Puri | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free download; limited free deletions, Premium for unlimited |
| Exact duplicates | Yes | Yes, byte-identical sets labelled |
| Similar shots | No | Yes |
| Duplicate videos | Exact copies only | Yes |
| Choose which copy to keep | Merge picks for you | Yes, per set |
| Where the analysis runs | On device | On device |
Before you empty Recently Deleted
With iCloud Photos turned on, deleting a photo on your iPhone deletes it on every device signed in to the same Apple Account. Check shared albums and edited versions, and keep an independent backup of photos that matter. Empty Recently Deleted only when you’re sure — until then the space isn’t actually freed.
Frequently asked questions
Does iPhone have a built-in duplicate photo finder?
Yes. Since iOS 16 the Photos app has a Duplicates album under Utilities that finds exact and near-exact copies and lets you merge them.
Why don’t I see the Duplicates album?
The album appears only after Photos has analysed the library and found at least one duplicate. Large libraries can take a while; keep the iPhone charging and locked overnight.
Does deleting duplicates free up space right away?
Not until they leave Recently Deleted. Items stay there for about 30 days unless you delete them from that album yourself.
Will Puri delete photos automatically?
No. Puri suggests sets and a keeper, but every deletion needs your confirmation, and iOS shows its own confirmation too.
Sources: Apple Support: Find and merge duplicate photos and videos on iPhone