Apple Explains Why Duplicates Album in Photos Not Showing for Some Users

[MacRumors]

Apple today explained why iPhone users who recently updated to iOS 16 may not see the new Duplicates album in its stock Photos app, and what they can do about it.

New to iOS 16, the Photos app will automatically detect any duplicate photos and videos in users' libraries and collate them together in a Duplicates album for inspection, giving users the option to merge duplicate sets and delete redundant media.

However, many users have been in touch to say the Duplicates album has not been showing up for them after updating their iPhone software, leading them to wonder if they are doing something wrong.

In a new support document, Apple has clarified that for the Duplicates album to appear, your iPhone has to first index the photo library and find duplicates, but that this detection process requires your iPhone to be locked and connected to power.

"Depending on what tasks are running in the background and the size of your photo library, the process could happen quickly or take up to a few days to complete," adds Apple.

• iOS 16: How to Find, Merge, and Delete Duplicates in Your Photo Library

Bear in mind that if you don't have any duplicates in your library, then the Duplicates album won't show up under the "Utilities" section of the Photos app until such a time when you do.

Article Link: Apple Explains Why Duplicates Album in Photos Not Showing for Some Users

 

[MadDog31]

Had to wait for this myself back when I updated.

Worked well, though I do wish they had an option or folder for photos that are very similar but aren't 1:1 duplicates -- like the times I take a back-to-school pic of my kids and snap off 15 hoping to get one good shot and then I forget to delete 14 others!

 

[vtuberalpha]

The stupid indexing and background processes myth bogging down the battery is no more, thanks Apple for disspelling that nonsense.

Included a screenshot of my own to prove it even more.

 

[mtbdudex]

Well I have over 30,000 pictures, and only 177 duplicates, that’s 0.5 % not bad.

 

[lynxwildcat]

I am really intrigued whether this new 'duplicates' feature is a remnant or precursor of CSAM scanning. The fact this capability picks up images that are not 100% perfect duplicates (minor differences) and needs to catalogue your entire library.

I dunno, this seems related to CSAM, it's created some sort of hash that it's comparing between images. Turning on CSAM later based on the work done for duplicates would seem easier.

I haven't seen any news or analysis digging into why duplicates came this year (after CSAM was shelved) and why we haven't had duplicates as a feature well before now. This seems like a precursor or remnant.

 

[BootsWalking]

Why not show the duplicates folder with a message indicating it won't be indexed until plugged in? Would've saved a lot of Apple support inquires.

 

[Yr Blues]

Days?

 

[zapmymac]

I KNOW I have dupes, phone has been locked & charging since the release date; still nothing. I’ve charged from 20%—> 90% a few times actually. I’m hoping the process works, or back to 3rd party I go.

 

[xDKP]

Had to wait for this myself back when I updated.

Worked well, though I do wish they had an option or folder for photos that are very similar but aren't 1:1 duplicates -- like the times I take a back-to-school pic of my kids and snap off 15 hoping to get one good shot and then I forget to delete 14 others!

This is a way bigger issue for me as well!

 

[whcchief]

The stupid indexing and background processes myth bogging down the battery is no more, thanks Apple for disspelling that nonsense.

Included a screenshot of my own to prove it even more.

View attachment 2082580

Agreed, it's the syncing of things that uses battery early on.

 

[senttoschool]

Great feature.

 

[vtuberalpha]

Agreed, it's the syncing of things that uses battery early on.

Every time some moron yells "indexing!" when someone complains about battery life, plaster this article in their face.

 

[flowsy]

Totally forgot about this new feature. Killed over 2500 duplicates after a brief check in the duplicates folder. Noice!

 

[ruka.snow]

It picked up a RAW and JPEG as being duplicates. It doesn’t give you any clue as to which it prefers to save on a ‘merge’.

 

[orbital~debris]

It picked up a RAW and JPEG as being duplicates. It doesn’t give you any clue as to which it prefers to save on a ‘merge’.

From Apple's iPhone User Guide:

"Merging combines the highest quality version and all of the relevant data across the duplicates, and keeps that one in your library. The remaining duplicates are moved to the Recently Deleted album."​

Merge duplicate photos and videos on iPhone

Merge duplicate photos and videos in the Photos app on iPhone to save space and clean up your library.

support.apple.com

 

[JosephAW]

It should still show the word "duplicates" with a zero or pending grayed out.

 

[neuropsychguy]

The stupid indexing and background processes myth bogging down the battery is no more, thanks Apple for disspelling that nonsense.

Included a screenshot of my own to prove it even more.

View attachment 2082580

This doesn't mean indexing or other background processes only happen when the phone is plugged in. It just means some things happen only when plugged in.

 

[SoldOnApple]

I'm seeing a lot of images that are visually similar but not duplicates be flagged as duplicates.

 

[vtuberalpha]

This doesn't mean indexing or other background processes only happen when the phone is plugged in. It just means some things happen only when plugged in.

If you think Apple is foolish enough to let background processes, which impact the user experience negatively, run on battery while in use then I got no words for you.

 

[gigapocket1]

It really should but a button that will allow us to force the index instead of only being done on apples terms…. Same with restoring from iCloud message library

 

[iGianluca]

Shouldn’t the Duplicates also be found in the Shared Library? I think I have tons of duplicates there. It seems it works only in Personal Library.

 

[amcomis]

I cant say this function works quite right. I have 24,000 photos but somehow only 30 duplicates. Not possible. Also odd that all found duplicates were around the same (random) time period.

Take 2 screenshots at the same time. They wont show up in duplicates. What gives?

 

[adamjackson]

I go through this every single year. People (and now duplicates) scanning takes a month when I upgrade my iPhone. I'm just used to it. As for the connect to power and lock, yes I do that almost 24/7 but it still takes a month. I wish this was faster OR for Apple to allow the local machine learning trainings to move to my new iPhone when I use iPhone to iPhone transfer. I get the privacy angle and not storing this on the cloud but when both phones are sitting side by side, just move the ML stuff over the Ad-Hoc wifi network to save me a month of training.

My iPhone is locked & charging 20 hours of the day. I live, work, eat and sleep at home so from the hours of 11AM to around 8PM, my iPhone is on a dock, charging and only comes off the charger during my TV time at night.

Screen time stats:


I give this iPhone PLENTY of time to recognize faces and it still takes a month.

Here's my people album stats on an iPhone I've now had since Launch day (12 days):

Looks like this year, it' going to take over a month!

 

[CARIB_APPLE]

Had to wait for this myself back when I updated.

Worked well, though I do wish they had an option or folder for photos that are very similar but aren't 1:1 duplicates -- like the times I take a back-to-school pic of my kids and snap off 15 hoping to get one good shot and then I forget to delete 14 others!

If it doesn’t work for photo that look very similar what is the point. How many people as that many 1:1 duplicated on their phone

 

[vegetassj4]

Not another DupliGate