How to Delete Duplicate Photos on iCloud (PC, Mac & iPhone)
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Key Takeaways
The easiest way to delete duplicate photos on iCloud depends on your device. Windows users can sync iCloud Photos with a PC and use a duplicate photo finder, while Mac and iPhone users can use Apple's built-in Duplicates feature.
Duplicate photos in iCloud Photos can waste lots of storage space. Apple provides built-in duplicate detection features, but they may not be enough when you have a large photos library.
This guide shows you how to delete duplicate photos on iCloud from PC, Mac, and iPhone using both Apple's native methods and duplicate photo finder tools.
Cisdem Duplicate Finder
The Best iCloud Duplicate Photo Finder
- Identify duplicate photos, videos, audio, documents, and other types of files
- Identify similar photos too
- Support Mac, Windows PC, iPhone, cloud drives, and more
- Find duplicates in folders, Apple's Photos app, iTunes, and Music
- Display duplicate files for you to preview side by side
- Automatically select all but one for deletion in each set of duplicates
- Let you select or deselect files manually
- Also offer 8 selection rules (e.g., Select Newest) to help you mass select
- Help you automatically find and reliably mass delete duplicate photos in iCloud Photos
Comparison: Ways to Delete Duplicate Photos on iCloud
| Method | Windows | Mac | iPhone | Bulk Delete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisdem Duplicate Finder | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apple Duplicates album | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | Limited |
| iCloud.com | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
How to Delete Duplicate Photos on iCloud from PC
To delete duplicate photos on iCloud from a PC, you can sync iCloud Photos with Windows and use Cisdem Duplicate Finder for bulk removal. For a small number of photos, you can also manually delete duplicates through iCloud.com.
Use Cisdem Duplicate Finder (Recommended)
Cisdem Duplicate Finder is a duplicate photo cleaner that helps find and remove iCloud duplicate photos. It compares file content to identify exact duplicates. It also uses an AI-powered image similarity detection engine to find visually similar photos.
With Cisdem Duplicate Finder, you can safely clean up your iCloud Photos library by:
- Scanning your iCloud Photos library to find duplicate photos.
- Detecting both exact duplicates and similar photos.
- Previewing duplicates before removing them.
- Selecting and removing duplicate photos in bulk.
Follow the steps below to delete duplicate photos from iCloud on Windows:
Step 1. Set Up iCloud Photos on Windows
1. Download iCloud for Windows from the Microsoft Store.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
3. Choose whether to sync iCloud data to your PC.
Click Finish Setup.
4. Click the arrow button next to iCloud Photos.
5. Turn on iCloud Photos. Click Done.
Wait for iCloud Photos to finish syncing with your Windows PC.
Step 2. Scan iCloud Photos with Cisdem Duplicate Finder
1. Download and install Cisdem Duplicate Finder on your Windows PC.
Free Download Windows 10 or later
2. Open it. Add your synced Photos library to scan.
By default, the Photos library is located at C:\Users\Administrator\Pictures\iCloud Photos\Photos.
You can go to iCloud for Windows > Photos Settings to check its location.
3. Click Scan Now. Wait for the scan to finish.
Step 3. Review and Remove Duplicate iCloud Photos
1. In the scan results window, view detected iCloud duplicate photos.
You can use different preview modes to compare duplicate photos side-by-side, or check photo details, including size, resolution, and path.
2. Cisdem Duplicate Finder has already automatically select duplicate photos for remover. Click Delete to remove all duplicate photos on iCloud. You can also choose a desired selection rule or manually select duplicates to remove.
For similar images, Cisdem does not automatically select them by default. You can review and select them manually or use smart selection rules to remove unwanted similar photos.
Step 4. Permanently Delete Removed Photos from iCloud
Deleted photos will be moved to the Recently Deleted album in iCloud Photos.
To permanently remove them:
1. Go to the Recently Deleted album of your iCloud Photos.
2. Select all files.
3. Click the Delete button. Confirm the deletion.
Now all duplicate photos are removed from your iCloud Photos library.
Use iCloud.com
You can visit the iCloud website to manually delete duplicate photos from iCloud..
1. Open a browser. Go to icloud.com/photos.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
3. In the left sidebar, select Library.
4. Adjust the thumbnail size and compare photos visually. Find duplicate photos.
5. Select the duplicate photos you want to delete.
6. Click the Trash icon in the upper right corner.
7. Click Delete.
How to Delete Duplicate Photos on iCloud from Mac
With Cisdem Duplicate Finder, you can quickly find and remove duplicate photos from your iCloud on Mac. The Photos app on Mac also includes a Duplicates album that automatically detects some duplicate photos and lets you merge them. However, its detection process can take time, and it may miss some duplicates.
Use Cisdem Duplicate Finder
1. In the Photos app on your Mac, go to Settings.
2. Under the iCloud tab, select the iCloud Photos checkbox. (In earlier macOS versions, iCloud Photos was called iCloud Photo Library.)
3. Photos will start syncing between iCloud Photos and the Photos app. Wait for the sync to finish, and you will have the same photos in both places.
4. Download Cisdem Duplicate Finder. Install the software and open it.
Free Download5. Drag your Photos library into this iCloud photo duplicate finder and remover. Click Scan.
Note
When you use this tool to search for iCloud duplicate photos for the first time, it will ask for permission to access your photos library. You can grant it permission by going to System Settings > Privacy > Photos. Then restart the app.
6. Once the scan is complete, the Images tab in the results window will display all the duplicate photos found in iCloud. You can preview and view them.
7. The software has automatically selected all exact duplicates for you to remove. Or, you can choose a selection rule or select by hand.
8. Click Delete to delete all selected iCloud Photos duplicates.
And when asked if you allow the deletion, click Delete to allow. Now the deleted duplicates will go to the Recently Deleted album in the Photos app.
At the same time, iCloud will automatically detect the deletion and sync the changes. If you go to iCloud Photos (icloud.com/photos), you will find that duplicate photos are removed from iCloud. And, they are now in iCloud Photos’ Recently Deleted.
If you have also enabled iCloud Photos on your iPhone, you will find that duplicate photos are also deleted on iPhone.
Note
By default, your Photos library is located in the Pictures folder. You can check the location by going to the Photos app’s Settings > General.
Tip to find similar pictures in iCloud
To set Cisdem Duplicate Finder to find both identical and similar photos, you need to make sure that you have selected the Enable similar images function checkbox in the software’s Settings 
before you click Scan in step 5.
The identification of similar pictures is affected by the similarity threshold, which is adjustable. To find highly similar photos, you can set the threshold high. Setting the threshold lower will return more results. You may need to experiment with the threshold to get the most satisfying results.
Use Apple's Duplicates Album
Starting with macOS 13, the built-in Photos app can now automatically detect duplicate photos and videos. It’ll scan your Photos library and put those found duplicates in the Duplicates album. You can find this album in the Photos sidebar. To delete iCloud duplicate photos on Mac using the Duplicates Album, complete the following steps:
1. Make sure you’ve synced your iCloud photos with Mac Photos app. (The operation is the same as steps 1 to 3 in method 1 above).
2. Go to the Photos app on your Mac. Click on Duplicates on the left.
If you don’t see the Duplicates album, here’re some easy fixes.
3. You can click on Merge [number] Items option at the top of each group of duplicates to merge the iCloud duplicate photos group by group yourself.
How to Delete Duplicate Photos on iCloud from iPhone
This section covers the native method (using the Duplicate album in iPhone's Photos app) and the third-party method (using Cisdem Duplicate Finder).
Use Apple's Duplicates Album
“If I delete photos from my iPhone, will they also deleted from my iCloud?” That depends. If you have synced your iPhone Photos with iCloud Photo Library, the photos deleted in your iPhone Photos will also be removed in iCloud and other Apple devices that signed with the same Apple ID.
With the new built-in “duplicate detection” feature, users can easily find and merge duplicates on iPhone Photos. Sync your iPhone Photos with iCloud, then all the duplicate iCloud photos will be removed too.
Note
Before we begin, you must update your device to the iOS 16 version or later. To check your iOS version, just go to the “Settings” app. Scroll down to find “General”. Click “Software Update” to see it.
1. Go to Settings on your iPhone. Tap on [your name] > [iCloud]. Make sure that your photos have been synced with iCloud.
2. Open the Photos app. Scroll down and find the Utilities section.
3. You’ll find the Duplicates option. Tap on it. Then you can preview all the duplicate images found on your iPhone.
4. To merge or delete the duplicate photos, tap Merge on the right of the duplicates groups. Apple will auto-remain the high quality version of the images on your Album.
Go to your iCloud Photos and you will find that the duplicate photos are gone.
The disadvantage is that this method can only delete iCloud duplicate photos from iPhone Photos app. And it doesn’t offer selection rules to help you select duplicates to remove in bulk. Apple will keep the version that it thinks the best and delete others. Below’s a better method for iPhone users.
Use Cisdem Duplicate Finder
Compared to the built-in “duplicate detection” feature in the Photos app on iPhone, Cisdem Duplicate Finder provides you with a quicker, safer, and more efficient way to delete iCloud duplicate photos. Below are steps:
1. Download and install this tool from App Store.
2. Open it. Click Start Scan. Wait for it to finish scanning your photo library for duplicates.
3. Click Duplicate Photos to view the found iCloud duplicate photos.
Or, click Similar Photos to view photos that are alike.
4. It automatically select all but one photo for deletion in each set of duplicates.
Or, you can click Selection at the upper-right corner. Let it mass select duplicates based on other selection rules.
5. Click the Clean button to remove all duplicate photos in your iCloud with 1-click.
FAQs
Will iCloud upload duplicate photos?
No. iCloud won’t upload exact duplicate photos.
However, iCloud can’t detect similar photos, such as images that look the same but have different file formats or sizes. It also won’t identify duplicates that already exist in your iCloud account. For example, if you sync the same photos from multiple devices, iCloud won’t detect them automatically.
Does deleting duplicate photos from iCloud delete them everywhere?
Yes. When iCloud Photos is enabled, deleted photos will be removed from all synced Apple devices.
Can I remove duplicate photos from iCloud without an Apple device?
Yes. Windows users can remove duplicate iCloud photos using iCloud for Windows and Cisdem Duplicate Finder.
With a passion for tech and writing, Sarah joined Cisdem, where she focuses on creating articles about using utility tools to enhance file management and simplify contact management.
Adrian Li is Cisdem’s Chief Engineer and serves as the editorial advisor for Duplicate Finder and ContactsMate. His work and insights have been featured in leading tech publications such as Fossbytes, TUAW, Redmond Pie, SafetyDetectives, and BestForAndroid.
Jacob Lee
I switched from Google Photos to iCloud and ended up with thousands of duplicate photos scattered across my library. The built-in Photos app only found part of them, so I tried the method in this guide using Cisdem Duplicate Finder on my Mac. It actually detected all duplicate photos quickly. Saved me a huge amount of iCloud storage. Thank you!
Charlie Pils
Awesome. This post helped me a lot. I had about 8K photos in iCloud and there’re lots of duplicates. Now I’ve cleaned up them easily.