Can iCloud photos detect duplicates?

Answered by Tom Adger

I can provide a detailed answer for you in an informal style.

So, let’s talk about iCloud photos and duplicate detection. As an iPhone user, I’ve been using iCloud to store and sync my photos across all my devices. It’s a convenient way to ensure my precious memories are always accessible.

Now, with the latest iOS 16.4 update, Apple has introduced a new feature that allows iCloud to detect duplicate photos and videos in the Shared Photo Library. This is great news because let’s face it, over time, we all end up with multiple copies of the same photo or video, cluttering up our storage.

With this new feature, iCloud will scan your Shared Photo Library and identify any duplicate items. It’s a clever algorithm that can compare the content of the photos and videos to determine if they are duplicates. Once the duplicates are identified, iCloud gives you the option to merge them into a single item, effectively cutting down on unnecessary extra images.

I’ve personally found this feature to be quite handy. It’s easy to accidentally upload multiple copies of the same photo or video when sharing them with friends or family. And let’s not forget those instances when you take burst shots or accidentally press the shutter button multiple times. Having a way to quickly identify and merge duplicates can save a lot of time and effort.

To make use of this feature, all you need to do is update your iPhone to iOS 16.4 or later. Once updated, iCloud will automatically start scanning your Shared Photo Library for duplicates. You’ll receive a notification when the process is complete, and you can then review and merge the duplicate items.

It’s worth noting that this duplicate detection feature only applies to the Shared Photo Library in iCloud. It won’t automatically scan and merge duplicates in your personal photo library stored on your device. However, you can manually delete duplicates from your device library and let iCloud sync the changes across your other devices.

ICloud’s ability to detect duplicate photos and videos in the Shared Photo Library is a welcome addition. It helps to declutter your photo collection and ensures that you have a clean and organized library. So, if you’re like me and tend to accumulate duplicates over time, updating to iOS 16.4 is definitely a good move.

I hope this detailed explanation helps you understand how iCloud can detect duplicates in its Shared Photo Library. Let me know if you have any further questions!