ClaritasCleanup
Duplicate Photos
Find exact and near-identical duplicate photos on iPhone, including copies saved from Messages or WhatsApp. Claritas suggests which to keep.
Claritas finds duplicate photos on your iPhone by comparing a visual fingerprint of each image, not just file names or dates. It groups exact copies and near-identical shots, suggests the best copy to keep, and lets you delete the rest in one tap. Duplicates is the free cleanup category.
How to use Duplicate Photos
- Run a scan, then open the Duplicates card on Home.
- Each group shows the copies side by side, with one marked as the keeper.
- Tap Select all but keepers, or pick photos yourself.
- Tap Delete and confirm. Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted for 30 days.
How duplicate detection works
Each photo gets a 64-bit perceptual hash, a compact fingerprint of what the image looks like. Photos whose fingerprints are nearly identical and that were taken within an hour of each other are grouped together.
Copies that are almost pixel-identical and share the same aspect ratio are grouped regardless of date. This catches the same photo saved again from Messages, WhatsApp or a browser weeks later.
In each group, the largest file is suggested as the one to keep, since it is usually the highest-quality copy.
Claritas vs. the Duplicates album in Photos
Apple Photos has a built-in Duplicates album. Claritas complements it: alongside duplicates it finds blurry, dark, burst and closed-eye shots, screenshots, large videos and Live Photos, and shows how much space each category takes up.
At a glance
| Method | 64-bit perceptual hash (DCT) with nearest-neighbor clustering |
|---|---|
| Grouping rule | Near-identical and taken within 1 hour, or almost pixel-identical with the same aspect ratio at any date |
| Suggested keeper | Largest file in the group |
| Price | Free, with a daily deletion limit. Unlimited with Pro. |
Frequently asked questions
Is deleting duplicates free?
Yes. Duplicates is the free category: you can delete a limited number of duplicates every day without paying. Claritas Pro removes the limit.
Will it delete the original?
No photo is deleted without your confirmation. Claritas suggests a keeper in each group, and you can change it before deleting.
Can I get a deleted duplicate back?
Yes. Deletion goes through iOS, so photos move to the Recently Deleted album and can be recovered for 30 days.
Related features
- Cleanup
Similar Photos & Burst Series
Groups shots taken seconds apart into series and helps you keep only the best one.
- Scan
Smart Scan
One on-device scan sorts your library into eight cleanup categories and shows how much space you can free.
- Explore
Library
Your whole gallery, sorted newest or largest first, with category tags.
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