How to delete similar photos and burst shots on iPhone

Duplicates and similar photos are different

A duplicate is the same picture saved more than once. A similar photo is a separate shot of the same moment: a burst, or three tries at the same group photo. Choosing between similar photos is a judgement call, because one of them is usually better than the others.

Does the Duplicates album catch them?

Do not count on it. Apple’s page does not say exactly what counts as a duplicate, and other sources disagree. Check the album first, since it is free, and if it does not appear at all, Apple explains why. Then deal with what is left.

Clean up a burst in Photos

1. Open the burst in Photos and tap Burst at the top of the photo.
2. Gray dots mark the frames your iPhone suggests keeping.
3. Tap the circle on each frame you want to keep, then tap Done.
4. Read the options iOS shows for the remaining frames, and choose.

To remove a whole burst, open its thumbnail and tap Delete. The wording on these screens can vary between iOS versions.

Clear retakes by hand

1. Open the photo you want to keep and mark it as a Favorite.
2. In your library, tap Select and tap the other shots.
3. Tap Delete and confirm.

This is free and you see every photo. It gets slow across years of pictures, which is where an app earns its place.

Use Bytebye to group them

We make Bytebye, so weigh this section accordingly. It compares a small visual fingerprint of each photo and groups close matches taken in the same session. In each group it protects one photo that you cannot select: a Favorite if there is one, otherwise the sharpest, then the highest resolution, then the oldest. You can move that protection to another shot. Nothing is deleted until you confirm.

The limits, so you know what it will miss:

• Shots with more than three minutes between them are not grouped.
• Very low-contrast frames are left out of grouping.
• Only one photo per group is protected, so look at the rest.

The scan is free and shows the full result. The free version deletes up to 50 items a day and shows ads.

After deleting

Deleted photos go to Recently Deleted for 30 days, so the space does not come back right away. If iCloud Photos is on, Apple says the photo is also deleted on your other devices using the same Apple Account. If your storage still looks full, see what to check next.

Sources

• Apple: Capture action shots with Burst mode
• Apple: Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad
• Apple: If you can’t find the Duplicates album

Related guides

• iPhone Duplicates album not showing? Why it happens and what to do
• iPhone storage still full after deleting photos? Check these first