{"id":61609,"date":"2026-09-09T13:49:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T13:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=61609"},"modified":"2026-09-09T13:49:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T13:49:31","slug":"how-to-merge-duplicate-photos-on-iphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/merge-duplicate-photos-iphone.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Merge Duplicate Photos on iPhone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is your iPhone\u2019s photo library overrun with similar and duplicate photos? There are several ways to address this problem, which is the focus of this guide. Below, we\u2019ll cover the duplicate detection feature in iOS, as well as introduce a convenient and powerful alternative that also works for similar-looking (but different) images.<\/p>\r\n

And to give you another option, we\u2019ll show you unique ways to use features in the native Photos app to intuitively find any photos you want to delete.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>1.<\/span> Merge Duplicate Photos with Duplicates Album<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Let\u2019s start with the most well-known solution to duplicates: the Photos app\u2019s Duplicates album. Found in the Utilities section of your Collections page, this album compiles all of the duplicate photos iOS found after scanning and indexing the media in your library. There, you\u2019ll find the Merge<\/b> feature, which combines duplicate photos into one image.<\/p>\r\n

💡 What happens when you merge duplicate photos on iPhone? Merging photos combines their metadata and only keeps the highest-quality version of the image. You can also manually delete duplicate photos, except for one copy of your choice.<\/div>\r\n

The Duplicates album is super useful and easy to use, but its detection capabilities are limited to exact duplicates<\/b>. iOS considers \u201cduplicates\u201d as multiple copies of the same image; maybe you saved an email attachment or downloaded a photo from a social app multiple times by accident.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

In other words, even if two photos look identical to you, the album may not consider them as duplicates<\/a>. If you\u2019re trying to merge similar or identical photos, not exact duplicates, use Method 2<\/a> instead.<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  1. Open the Photos app.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Navigate to the Collections<\/b> page. Then, scroll down to Utilities<\/b> and tap Duplicates<\/b>.
    \r\n\"Opening<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Your duplicate photos should appear in groups, along with a Merge<\/b> button. Tap Merge<\/b> beside the photos you want to combine.<\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Tap Merge Exact Copies<\/b> in the pop-up dialog to confirm the action.
    \r\n\"Merging<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Alternatively, you can also merge all duplicate photos at once by tapping Select <\/b>> Select<\/b> All<\/b> in the Duplicates album.<\/p>\r\n

    💡 Pro Tip: If you don\u2019t see the Duplicates album on your iPhone, it\u2019s possible that your library hasn\u2019t been fully indexed yet; hook up your device to a charger, then leave it alone for a while. However, it\u2019s also possible that you\u2019re trying to merge similar photos\u2013not duplicates. See the next method for the solution.<\/div>\r\n

    <\/span>2.<\/span> Get Rid of Duplicate and Similar Photos with Clever Cleaner (Free!)<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\r\n

    Because of the Photos app\u2019s limitations, the only way to delete both similar and duplicate photos is to use a third-party cleaner app. There are several that you can choose from in the App Store, but we\u2019ll be using Clever Cleaner: AI Cleanup App<\/a> for this guide.<\/p>\r\n

    Unlike the built-in Photos app, Clever Cleaner is capable of detecting both similar and duplicate photos. For similars, it has a 95% accuracy rate, and it automatically finds the \u201cBest Shot\u201d for you (while the \u201cless good\u201d photos are already selected for easy deletion). You can also use the built-in Smart Cleanup<\/b> feature, which can instantly eliminate all the similar and duplicate photos in your library\u2013don\u2019t worry, you can still review them later.<\/p>\r\n

    Clever Cleaner also has a very generous free version that should be enough for most users, especially if you plan to use it daily. It\u2019s more than enough for you to follow along with this guide.<\/p>\r\n

    💡 Pro Tip: If you downloaded Clever Cleaner while it was completely free and unlimited, you\u2019ll get to keep unlimited access to all of its features.<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n\t
    1. Download Clever Cleaner: AI Cleanup App<\/a> from the App Store.<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. Run Clever Cleaner. From the main page, tap Similars<\/b>. Alternatively, if you want to get rid of all your similar and duplicate photos ASAP, you can also access Smart cleanup<\/b> from here.<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. In the Similars tool, all \u201cBest Shots\u201d have been selected for you automatically; all you need to do is review the selection (which you can change manually) and tap the Delete<\/b> button at the bottom of the screen.
      \r\n\"Clever<\/li>\r\n\t
    4. The Review and delete page should appear. Make sure you didn\u2019t accidentally get rid of anything important, then tap Delete<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
    5. Finally, tap Delete<\/b> in the pop-up to confirm the action.
      \r\n\"Reviewing<\/li>\r\n\t
    6. Once you\u2019ve cleaned up your library, close Clever Cleaner and run the native Photos app. Navigate to the Collections<\/b> page, then scroll down to the Utilities<\/b> section and tap Recently Deleted<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
    7. Tap Select<\/b> in the top right corner of the screen.
      \r\n\"Removing<\/li>\r\n\t
    8. In the same location, tap the meatball menu \u22ef<\/b> and select Delete All<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
    9. Finally, in the pop-up dialog that appears, tap Delete From All Devices<\/b> to confirm the action.
      \r\n\"Confirming<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

      Aside from deleting similar and duplicate photos, Clever Cleaner can also help you eliminate other types of media clutter and optimize your library. Here\u2019s a quick rundown of what you can do with this app:<\/p>\r\n