Duplicate photos build up from re-importing a memory card, saving the same image from Messages twice, or syncing from more than one device. Photos for Mac (on macOS Ventura and later) can find exact and near-exact duplicates for you.
Find duplicates in Photos
- Open Photos.
- In the sidebar, click Duplicates under Utilities. If you do not see it, Photos may still be analysing your library, or it found no duplicates.
- Duplicates are shown in rows, with each row containing the copies of one photo or video.
Merge duplicates
- Look through the rows. Each row shows the copies side by side with their size and date.
- Click Merge on a row to merge that set, or select several rows (press Command-A to select them all) and click Merge [number] Items.
- Confirm in the dialog.
When you merge, Photos keeps one copy, combining the highest quality version with relevant information such as keywords, captions and favourites. The other copies move to Recently Deleted.
Free the space
Merged duplicates are not removed straight away. They stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days so you can recover them.
To free the space now:
- Click Recently Deleted in the sidebar (you may need to unlock it with Touch ID or your password).
- Review the items, then click Delete All or select specific items and click Delete.
This cannot be undone.
If you use iCloud Photos
With iCloud Photos turned on, merging duplicates on your Mac also affects your iPhone, iPad and iCloud.com. Items removed on one device are removed everywhere. That is usually what you want for duplicates, but it is worth knowing before you merge a large number.
Duplicates outside Photos
The Duplicates album only covers your Photos library. Copies of images in Finder folders, for example a Pictures folder exported years ago, are not included. For those, sort folders by name or size in Finder and compare manually, or use a tool that compares actual file contents rather than just names.
Similar photos are not duplicates
Photos only flags copies that are the same or nearly the same. Bursts and several shots of the same moment are similar, not duplicate, and each may have a different expression or angle worth keeping. Review those by hand rather than deleting them in bulk.
Frequently asked questions
Does Photos on Mac find duplicates automatically?
Yes, on macOS Ventura and later. Look for the Duplicates album under Utilities in the Photos sidebar.
What happens when I merge duplicate photos?
Photos keeps one copy with the highest quality and combined information, and moves the others to Recently Deleted, where they can be recovered for 30 days.
Why did merging duplicates not free up space?
The extra copies are in Recently Deleted. Delete them from there to free the space immediately.
Want this done for you?
spacerecover groups similar shots as well as exact duplicates, side by side, with hints for blur and closed eyes, so you can keep the best shot from every moment. Favourites are always protected and you confirm every removal. Analysis runs on your own devices.