Reference

Duplicate photos

Duplicate photos are exact or near-exact copies of the same image — created by saving a photo twice, importing from multiple sources, or editing and re-saving. They are low-risk to remove because an identical copy remains.

Photos & videoiOSAndroidGeneral

Duplicate photos

Also known as: duplicate images, exact duplicates, copy photos

Exact or near-exact copies of one image
Lower-risk to delete than similar photos
iOS Photos can merge exact duplicates

Duplicates vs similar photos

A duplicate is the same shot stored more than once. A similar photo is a different frame of the same moment — a burst, a retake, or a slightly different angle. Duplicates are safe to clear automatically; similar photos need a quick human choice about which one to keep.

iOS surfaces exact duplicates under Photos > Utilities > Duplicates, where you can merge them. Dedicated cleaners also catch near-duplicates that the built-in tool misses.

Related terms

Keep reading the reference.

Photos & videoSimilar photosSimilar photos are different frames of the same moment — retakes, bursts, and small variations of one shot — rather than exact copies. They quietly pile up because we shoot several versions to get one good frame, and the rest stay in the library.iOSAndroidGeneral Photos & videoBurst photosA burst is a rapid series of photos captured in one press, designed to catch fast action so you can pick the sharpest frame. Each burst can hold dozens of nearly identical images, so leaving every frame stored is a common source of wasted space.iOSAndroidGeneral

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