---
title: "How to Find Similar Photos on iPhone"
description: "Find similar and near-duplicate photos on iPhone using the built-in Duplicates album, search, and third-party apps. Step-by-step instructions."
url: https://dblabsapps.com/how-to/find-similar-photos-iphone/
date: 2026-04-07
---

Updated April 7, 2026

By [Jack Smith](https://dblabsapps.com/about/jack-smith/), iOS Developer at DB Labs

# How to Find Similar Photos on iPhone

iPhone has a built-in Duplicates album for exact matches, but finding visually similar near-duplicates requires a few extra steps.

April 7, 2026  ·  5 min read

## Quick Answer

For exact duplicates, open the **Photos** app, tap **Albums**, then scroll to **Utilities > Duplicates** (iOS 16+). iOS shows pairs and groups. Tap **Merge** to combine each set into one photo. For visually **similar** photos like burst shots or slight variations, you need a third-party app like **Gemini Photos** or **Slidebox**, which uses perceptual hashing to find near-matches. The **Bursts** media type also auto-groups rapid-fire shots so you can pick the best from each burst.

## Built-in Method: Duplicates Album

### 1 Open Photos App

Launch **Photos** on your iPhone running iOS 16 or later. Make sure your photo library has finished scanning (this happens automatically over time).

### 2 Tap Albums

Tap **Albums** at the bottom. Scroll down to the **Utilities** section.

### 3 Open Duplicates

Tap **Duplicates**. iOS displays groups of exact duplicate photos. Each group shows the count (for example, "2 Items").

### 4 Merge Each Group

Tap **Merge** next to a group. iOS combines them into one photo, keeping the highest quality version and merging metadata. Confirm **Merge X Exact Copies**.

## For Burst Shots: Bursts Album

### 5 Open Bursts Album

Go to **Albums > Media Types > Bursts**. Each burst is shown as a single thumbnail with a count badge.

### 6 Pick the Best Shot

Open a burst, tap **Select**, and review the frames. iOS suggests favorites with a gray dot. Tap **Done > Keep Only X Favorites** to delete the rest.

## Third-Party Apps for Similar Photos

For more thorough similar-photo detection:

- **Gemini Photos:** AI-powered duplicate finder that detects similar shots, blurry photos, and screenshots.

- **Slidebox:** Manual swipe-to-clean with similar-shot grouping.

- **Swype Photo Cleaner:** Groups similar photos visually so you can decide which to keep with a swipe.

[Swype Photo Cleaner](https://dblabsapps.com/apps/swype-photo-cleaner/) is a great option if you want to manually decide between similar shots. The app shows photos one at a time so you can quickly compare and pick keepers. For more cleanup tools, see [finding and removing duplicates](https://dblabsapps.com/how-to/find-remove-duplicate-photos-iphone/), [bulk deleting blurry photos](https://dblabsapps.com/how-to/delete-blurry-photos-bulk-iphone/), and our [merge duplicate photos guide](https://dblabsapps.com/blog/merge-duplicate-photos-iphone/).

## Sort Similar Photos Fast

Swype Photo Cleaner makes picking the best from similar shots a one-second swipe.

Free · iPhone · iOS 16+

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does iPhone have a similar photos feature?

iPhone has a Duplicates album under Albums > Utilities (iOS 16+) for exact matches. For broader similarity detection, use a third-party app.

### What's the difference between duplicate and similar photos?

Duplicates are byte-identical copies. Similar photos are visually alike but not identical — like burst shots or screenshots with minor differences.

### How does iPhone identify similar photos?

iOS uses on-device ML to compare fingerprints, EXIF, and visual content. Third-party apps use perceptual hashing for near-matches.