I’m running out of storage on my iPhone and noticed I have a lot of duplicate photos. Is there an easy way to find and delete them? I’d appreciate any advice to help free up some space.
Say Goodbye to Photo Clutter: Remove Duplicate Pics on iPhone for Free!
Alright, let’s face it—how many of us have “camera roll chaos” on our iPhones? Between all the selfies, accidental screenshots, and twenty photos of the exact same sunset (just in case one is the shot), we’re drowning in duplicates. While iOS does let you delete some duplicates, the real issue is those similar photos—you know, the ones that look like they were taken milliseconds apart? Spoiler alert: these probably make up 95% of your gallery.
So what’s the solution? Cue the Clever Cleaner app—a highly-recommended tool floating around Reddit that gets the job done for free. Yup, no strings attached, and I’ve used it myself without any hiccups. It helped me clear out a whopping 11 GB of unnecessary junk, and I didn’t spend a single dime.
Let me walk you through the whole process step by step so you can reclaim your iPhone storage and avoid those annoying “storage almost full” alerts.
How to Effortlessly Delete Duplicate Photos on Your iPhone
Here’s how you can turn your chaotic photo library into something Picasso would admire.
Step 1: Download the Magical Fixer
Head over to the App Store, search for “Clever Cleaner,” and hit download. Or, skip the hassle and grab it directly here:
Free Clever Cleaner App
Step 2: Grant Permission to Save Your Sanity
When you fire up the app for the first time, it’ll ask for access to your photos. Don’t sweat it—I did this, and my private collection of dog memes stayed safe. The app only uses AI to scan your library for duplicates and similar photos.
Step 3: Patiently Wait While the App Does Its Thing
Depending on how sprawling (or, let’s be honest, messy) your photo library is, scanning could take anywhere from 2-6 minutes. Go make a cup of coffee—or scroll TikTok; no judgment here. The app’s AI will sort through your photos like a decluttering Marie Kondo on turbo mode.
Step 4: Review What’s Left Behind
This is where the app’s brilliance really shines. After scanning, it organizes similar photos into groups—keeping the clearest or best-lit shot, while marking the rest for deletion. You, of course, still have the final say.
Step 5: Hit “Smart Cleanup”
Once you’ve reviewed the results and feel good about what stays and what goes, tap the “Smart Cleanup” option. Don’t forget to empty your trash folder in the iPhone’s Photos app to make the deletions permanent.
And boom! Just like that, storage space is no longer held hostage by blurry images and nearly identical vacation selfies. 
How Much Space Can You Save?
For me, the app cleaned out 11 GB worth of junk. ELEVEN. That’s basically a new season of your favorite Netflix series downloaded or thousands of extra songs in Spotify offline mode. For minimal effort and no cost, it’s a win-win.
Dig Deeper: Pros Share Their Wisdom
If you’re the type who wants more than one solution to a problem, I’ve rounded up some expert tips and tools from across the web. Consider it your ultimate guide to photo decluttering:
- 4 Methods to Remove Duplicate Photos - MacGasm
- Redditors Share Photo Cleanup Tricks
- Apple’s Community Discussion on Photo Duplicates
- Reddit Thread: Clever Cleaner Inspires Great Feedback
- InsanelyMac Guide to Duplicates
- YouTube Demo of Photo Cleanup
- How to Fix “iPhone Storage Full” Problems - Reddit
So why wait? Declutter your digital life and give your phone the breathing space it deserves. You’ll be amazed at how refreshing it feels to finally break free from the clutter. Let me know how many GB you end up saving! 
1 Like
Yeah, duplicate photos are like the cockroaches of your photo library—always multiplying and taking up unnecessary space. And while @mikeappsreviewer swears by the Clever Cleaner app (which, I gotta admit, sounds pretty sweet for a free option), I’m gonna take a slightly different route because I get it—not everyone wants to download an app right off.
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Start with the iOS Built-in Feature – First, if you’re on iOS 16 or later, just head to the Photos app. Scroll down to “Utilities,” tap “Duplicates,” and let your iPhone show you what it’s found. It’s not perfect though; it doesn’t catch “similar” photos (thanks, Apple
), only exact duplicates. Still, it’s a good start. -
Manual Method – I KNOW this is time-consuming, but hear me out: Go through your albums by “Moments” in the Photos app. It groups photos that were taken around the same time, so those milliseconds-apart shots stand out. Might be a bit maddening, but hey, minimal effort required if you’re not trusting a third-party app.
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Third-party Apps – If you’re ready to roll with an app, Clever Cleaner does seem to be a solid option. Free, uses AI, and can handle those “similar” shots too. Honestly, AI for organizing photos feels like using a Roomba to clean your digital life—kinda brilliant when you think about it. Other apps exist, but most of them will slap a paywall right in your face after 5 minutes.
Quick note though: Whatever cleanup method you go for, always double-check before hitting delete (one accidental photo nuke of sentimental stuff will have you crying harder than after finishing your favorite series).
TL;DR: iOS has a built-in duplicate finder; it’s meh but worth trying. For a full-on Marie Kondo situation, apps like Clever Cleaner are where it’s at. Just avoid apps that lock features behind a paywall because… who needs that stress?
You’re not alone drowning in duplicate photos—it’s the digital equivalent of lint in your pockets, but way more annoying to clean up. Some folks here (cough @mikeappsreviewer cough) are big fans of third-party apps like Clever Cleaner, and I’ll admit, it sounds pretty slick for dealing with lookalike pics quickly. That said, I’m here to offer a different angle and maybe—just maybe—save you from app fatigue.
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Built-in Features Are a Start (But Meh)
@nachtschatten already mentioned this, but here’s my take: iOS’s “Duplicates” folder (iOS 16+) in the Photos app feels like Apple’s half-hearted apology for your storage woes. It only finds exact copies, which is fine, but say goodbye to clearing out all those “same pose, different micro-expression” shots. Ugh. -
Old School But Effective
Manual sorting sounds like torture, but zoom in on specific albums—like those from trips or events—and focus on clearing out near-identical photos. I mean, do you really need ten pics of your latte art? Spoiler: No one does. -
The Good, the Bad & the Appy
While I usually roll my eyes at apps that promise the moon, Clever Cleaner seems to actually deliver. Free, intuitive, and apparently uses AI smarter than half my coworkers. It doesn’t just find exact duplicates but also groups similar snaps, keeping the best one and letting you ditch the rest. Just don’t get too trigger-happy when deleting, or you might accidentally nuke a cherished memory. -
The Cloud Option You Probably Ignored
Have you tried ditching iCloud backups? Hear me out. Store important photos there but keep minimal ones on your iPhone. It’s like shoving stuff in your attic—not perfect, but hey, it frees up space down here. Bonus: it’s available for when you’re feeling nostalgic over blurry cat pics.
Don’t worry, you’re not stuck here. Whether you go the app route (@mikeappsreviewer would cheer you on) or trust iOS’s built-in tools (@nachtschatten isn’t wrong that they’re decent in a pinch), there are real ways to reclaim your space. Just remember, your storage problem is 90% caused by overzealous photo-taking, so maybe cool it with the 1,000+ shots next time, yeah?
If you’re all about keeping things efficient and saving space without breaking a sweat, the Clever Cleaner app shines as a solid option. Unlike iOS’s built-in tools (which @nachtschatten and @sternenwanderer pointed to), this app excels because it not only locates exact duplicates but tackles similar photos too—those near-identical shots most of us are guilty of hoarding. But hey, it’s not all roses, so let’s break it down.
Pros:
- Free & Simple to Use – Unlike some overpriced apps, this doesn’t lock you behind a paywall—major win.
- AI Capabilities – Does the heavy lifting by identifying groups of similar shots and keeping the best one.
- Time-Saving – Scan and cleanup in minutes, ditching hours of manual delete-and-regret sessions.
Cons:
- Risk of Deleting Memories – If you don’t carefully review, you could lose a gem among the junk.
- Permission-Hesitant Users Beware – Granting photo access may make some uncomfortable, even if the app is safe.
- No Cloud Integration – It cleans your phone but doesn’t help organize across iCloud or other storage solutions.
While Clever Cleaner is robust, it’s not the only contender. @mikeappsreviewer suggests apps like it work wonders, though some folks might lean toward iOS’s native features (@sternenwanderer keeps it old-school here and isn’t wrong for events/photoshoots).
For those who like tackling clutter without apps, consider grouping photos by albums, zooming into specific dates or events, and deleting by hand—it’s tedious but super safe. Or, if you’re a cloud enthusiast, upload everything to iCloud or Google Photos to shuffle files off your device altogether (just don’t forget to purge duplicates in the cloud too). So the solution’s as flexible as you are—lean AI, manual labor, or cloud tricks, depending on your comfort zone. Finally, don’t blame your iPhone; blame those sunset binge-clicks!