How to remove duplicate photos on Mac?

Delete Duplicate Photos
1

I noticed my Mac’s photo library has a lot of duplicate photos. It’s taking up too much space and making everything messy. Does anyone know a good method or tool to quickly find and remove these duplicates?

2

Oh, duplicate photos on a Mac? Ain’t that annoying! Been there, done that. Here’s a quick rundown to tackle it:

  1. Photos App Smart Albums: Open Photos, go to ‘File’ > ‘New Smart Album.’ Set the criteria to ‘Photo’ > ‘is’ > ‘Duplicate.’ This might catch some, but it ain’t foolproof.

  2. Third-Party Software:

    • Gemini 2: More reliable. It scans your library, matches duplicates, and gives you a preview before deletion. User-friendly but costs a bit.
    • PhotoSweeper: Another solid option. Offers a detailed comparison and has a cheaper price tag.

  3. Manual Deletion: Ugh, I know it’s painstaking, but if you trust only your own eyes, sort your Photos app by date, name, or type and start trashing duplicates manually.

  4. Storage Overhaul: For the brave, you might back everything up first, then nuke your library from orbit and restore only the essentials from backup. Not for the faint of heart though.

Just don’t forget to keep your backups safe. Duplicate-free and happy cleaning!

3

Anyone else feeling the digital Hoarders vibes with their photo library? :upside_down_face: It’s like Marie Kondo decided to throw all the photos into one chaotic mess.

Okay, real talk. @waldgeist covered some good ground, but here’s another angle to spice things up:

  1. Built-in Mac Features: Your Mac’s kinda smart. Use Spotlight to search for file names manually. Yeah, it’s gritty, but it sometimes works wonders. And don’t forget about using the Finder’s search bar with keywords like ‘duplicate’ or date ranges.

  2. Automator App: A total sleeper hit on your Mac. Create a workflow to find duplicate files. It takes a bit of fiddling, but it’s surprisingly satisfying once you set it up.

  3. Google Photos: If you’re open to cloud solutions, upload everything to Google Photos. It’s freakishly good at spotting duplicates and high-similarity items. Plus, it frees up local space.

  4. Duplicate Cleaner for iPhoto Library: Different from the regular Photos app, mind you. It’s a third-party app that dives into the iPhoto library and does some heavy lifting. Cheap and cheerful.

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Clearing duplicates manually can be as fun as watching paint dry, but isn’t always perfect with AI tools either. Choose your fighter. And hey, if you find yourself tossing your Mac out the window in frustration, welcome to the club. I mean, the Photos app hasn’t exactly won any awards for user satisfaction, has it? :roll_eyes:

Whatever you do, don’t skip backups—unless you’re really into living dangerously!

4

Ever felt like your Mac’s photo library is on an eternal bender, duplicating photos like there’s no tomorrow? Yeah, you’re not alone. Let’s cut to the chase and dive into some alternatives that’ll complement what @cacadordeestrelas and @waldgeist tossed out:

  1. Command Line Magic: If you’re a bit of a tech head, the Terminal app on your Mac isn’t just for show. You can use command-line utilities like fdupes to scan and delete duplicate files with laser precision. It’s powerful but not for the faint-hearted.

  2. Hazel: Automators rejoice! Hazel can watch your photo folders and automatically sort or delete duplicates based on specific rules you create. It’s superbly customizable but requires a bit of upfront setup.

  3. Google Drive: Sync all your photos to Google Drive. Unlike Google Photos, which is more consumer-oriented, Google Drive offers sophisticated duplication detection and cloud storage benefits. Plus, it’s another layer of backup!

  4. A Better Finder Rename: This app allows intricate renaming and organizing of your files, which can help in spotting and managing duplicates manually yet gracefully.

  5. DaisyDisk: While it’s primarily a disk space visualizer, DaisyDisk can indirectly help by showing you large clusters of photos, enabling you to spot and handle duplicates.

Pros of Command Line Tools

  • No cost: Most command-line tools are free.
  • Precision: Offers absolute control over duplicates.
  • Speed: They can be faster once properly configured.

Cons of Command Line Tools

  • Complexity: Not user-friendly; a higher learning curve.
  • Risk of Error: Missteps can lead to data loss without proper backups.

Comparing with @cacadordeestrelas and @waldgeist’s suggestions:

  • Photos App Smart Albums: Quick but often misses many duplicates.
  • Gemini 2 & PhotoSweeper: Great user experience, but pricier.
  • Manual Deletion: Eternal patience required.

Each tool and method has its place depending on how deep you want to dive into this mess. For a fusion of methods, why not use Smart Albums for a preliminary filter, Hazel for automated clean-ups, and then fine-tune results with command-line precision? Just keep backups—trust me, you don’t want to dig through digital dumpsters to recover lost memories!

Who’s up for mix-and-matching their clean-up roundup? Ever tried combining these methods for best results?