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I use icloud storage. Theoretically, it should synchronize all the photos from all my devices. It appears to do so.
However, when I connect my phone to my mac, photos detects thousands of "new photos" and wants to import them. This creates many duplicates. So why does it detect the photos as "new" when they are not new? Seems like a bug.
MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.13
If you have the iCloud Library enabled on your mobile device and on your Mac connecting the two with iPhone's USB cable and importer is the cause of duplication. Regardless if they are the same photo.
If you're unhappy with the speed of the iCloud library syncing don't use it and manually download and import new photos on a schedule of your making.
Hi
This problem normally comes when the files are changed in some way as they are transferred to the Mac. Often the result of using different methods of transferring the files (EG texting / direct connection / photostream / iCloud). Pick one method of transfer from phone to Mac, and stick with it. Don't mix them.
Different versions of IOS can also impact this EG when photos are converted from HEIC to JPG. Iphone setting photos>transfer to mac or pc - set to automatic might convert the files. Try setting this to "keep originals". The phone will then send the files in the original HEIC format instead of JPG. (This is the most likely cause, and the easiest one to check for). However you'll still have duplicates on your mac in jpg format which you could choose to delete from the imports folder (if you are sure you still have the originals on your phone)
Another cause can be when iCloud photos is enabled on the phone with “Optimise phone storage” set. If iCloud re-downloads an image that has been optimised, that can result in it being seen as a new image. Even worse, any photo uploaded from your mac to iCloud, then downloaded to the phone with iCloud can be seen as a new image when synced via USB. Best solution; DON’T mix iCloud sync with USB sync.
Photostream is also being phased out, and hasn't been improved for some time resulting in an inability to work with some file types.
Images will only be recognised as the same image if the file being compared on your mac is exactly the same as the one on your phone. Same file name and type, same size, same metadata etc.
By far the easiest way to manage photos is by using iCloud sync, but that does have a monthly cost.
There are no facilities in photos to automate finding and deleting duplicates, so either
* manually,
* or using an app designed to work with the photos library (Ie one that marks the photos or puts them in an album, and lets you review and then delete them, rather than doing the delete itself.
Do NOT use a general file duplicate finder not designed to work with the photos library. They will damage your photos library and likely cause loss of your photos.
I personally use PowerPhotos (I also use this for copying images and data between libraries) https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/
Another suitable app recommended by experts here is PhotoSweeper (I have no personal experience of this one)
Both are paid apps. PhotoSweeper is the lowest cost and can recognise duplicates based on content, but PowerPhotos provides a lot of functionality in addition to the duplicate detection.
I use iCloud sync, and use optimize phone storage. And I see the duplicates when connecting to USB. Cloud sync is slow, so sometimes I connect via USB to try to make it be faster, but looks like that will cause the duplicates.
I will just keep using cloud sync and put up with the slowness until I switch to some other photo service.
Followup question: how do I easily detect and delete thousands of duplicates in Photos?
@ old toad, yes I'm unhappy with the net result. Apple should fix it, its an obvious bug, annoying, and should be easy to fix.
Great thank you, I will!
Why does the Photos application duplicate photos when importing?
