Brindo › Delete similar and duplicate photos

How to delete duplicate and similar photos on iPhone

Updated 5 November 2026 · By the Brindo team

Short answer: for copies of the same photo, use Apple’s free Duplicates collection: Photos → Collections → Utilities → Duplicates → Merge. Similar photos, ten photos of the same thing, need someone to choose. Brindo puts each group on one card: keep your favourite, then hold ✕ to remove the rest.

So many photos of the same thing: a burst of the kids, five tries at a group photo, ten selfies in a row. They fill your storage and bury the good ones. Here is how to clear them without losing the one you love.

Duplicates vs similar photos

Duplicates are copies of the same picture: a photo saved twice, or the same image downloaded again. One of them can go without anyone looking.
Similar photos are different pictures of the same thing. They look alike, but one has the smile and one has closed eyes. Someone has to choose, and that someone should be you.

Step 1: merge duplicates for free

Open Photos and tap Collections.
Under Utilities, tap Duplicates.
Tap Merge on a set of duplicates, then confirm.

Photos keeps one version and moves the other copies to Recently Deleted for 30 days. On iOS 18, scroll down in Photos to find Utilities. If there is no Duplicates collection, Photos hasn’t found any yet.

Step 2: keep the best of your similar photos

Apple doesn’t say its Duplicates collection handles similar photos, so the rest needs a person. In the Photos app that means opening, comparing and deleting one by one. A grouping app puts each group of similar photos on one screen.

A hand picking one photo, marked with a heart, out of a scattered pile

In Brindo, similar photos and copies arrive together on one card while you swipe through your camera roll:

The first photo of the group is on the card, and the rest of the group sits in a strip beneath it.
Slide along the strip to look at each one. Looking doesn’t choose anything.
Swipe right on the one you love to keep it.
Hold ✕ to remove every photo left in the group, or hold ♥ to keep them all.

Removed photos wait in Brindo’s trash until you delete them, and one Undo takes back a hold.

Apps that group similar photos

App	How similar photos are shown	Who picks the best?
Brindo	Together on one card, with the group in a strip beneath	You
Apple Photos	Duplicates collection for copies	Merge keeps one version
Swipewipe	Piles of identical and near-identical photos	You
Slidebox	Swipe between similar photos to compare	You
Clever Cleaner	Groups of duplicates and similar photos	AI marks a “Best Shot”
CleanMy®Phone	Sets of similar photos with its best results highlighted	App suggests, you choose
Cleanup	Similar groups with a “Best” marked	App marks one

From each app’s US App Store listing and website, checked 5 November 2026.

Questions people ask

How do I find duplicate photos on my iPhone?

Open Photos, tap Collections, then Utilities → Duplicates. If the collection isn’t there, Photos hasn’t found any duplicates yet; on a large library it can take a while to build the list.

Does Apple Photos find similar photos, or only duplicates?

Apple describes it as finding duplicate photos and videos, and doesn’t say it groups similar photos such as retakes or bursts. For photos of the same thing that aren’t copies, use an app that groups similar photos.

What is the difference between duplicate and similar photos?

Duplicates are copies of the same picture, for example one saved twice. Similar photos are different pictures of the same thing: ten selfies, a burst of the kids, three tries at a group photo. Duplicates can be merged automatically; with similar photos, someone has to choose which one is best.

Is there an app that groups similar photos so I can choose which to keep?

Yes. Brindo shows similar photos and duplicates together on one card, with the rest of the group beneath it. You keep your favourite and remove the rest, and nothing is chosen for you. Swipewipe and Slidebox also group similar photos; Clever Cleaner, CleanMy®Phone and Cleanup suggest a best shot.

Will merging duplicates delete my photos?

Merge keeps one version of each set and moves the other copies to Recently Deleted, where you can recover them for 30 days.

What is the best free app to delete duplicate photos on iPhone?

For exact copies, Apple’s Duplicates collection in Photos is free. For similar photos, Brindo is free during its public beta: duplicates and similar photos arrive together while you swipe, and because you see every photo, a copy that isn’t grouped still comes past you.