iCloud Duplicate Photo Finder
Find exact duplicate and visually similar photos in images you downloaded from iCloud, compare them side by side and export a list of what to remove.
- Exact and look-alike matches
- Side-by-side compare
- Recoverable space
Your files are processed locally in your browser and are not uploaded to A2Z Tools.
Duplicate Photo Finder workspace
Before you start
- Up to 5,000 images and 100 megapixels per image.
- The browser cannot delete files on your computer: you get a report and a list of the files you marked.
- Look-alike matching is a suggestion based on a perceptual hash - check each group before deleting.
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Why iCloud downloads end up full of duplicates
Duplicate photos pile up for ordinary reasons: the same album downloaded twice from iCloud.com, a folder synced by iCloud for Windows and also copied to a backup drive, pictures saved again from a message, or an export from Apple's Data and Privacy copy-of-your-data request unpacked next to an older download. Browsers add (1) and (2) to repeated downloads, so names alone cannot tell you which files really match. This finder looks at the photos themselves.
Getting your photos onto your computer
Select photos in Photos on iCloud.com and download them, turn on iCloud Photos in iCloud for Windows so the library is copied to a folder, or request a copy of your data from Apple and unzip the parts. The finder does not sign in to iCloud or reach your account; it reads only the photos you choose on this page.
How exact duplicates are found
- Every file's first bytes are checked, so only real images are compared, whatever their extension.
- Photos are grouped by file size. A photo whose size is unique cannot have an identical copy and is never read further.
- Photos that share a size are hashed with SHA-256. Identical hashes mean identical bytes, so keeping one copy loses nothing.
How look-alike photos are found
A re-saved or resized copy has different bytes but looks the same. When look-alike matching is on, one photo per distinct content is decoded, HEIC included, and reduced to a 9 by 8 pixel greyscale thumbnail. Comparing each pixel with its neighbour gives a 64-bit fingerprint called a dHash. Photos whose fingerprints differ by only a few bits are grouped. The sensitivity slider sets how many bits may differ, from 2 at the strictest to 12 at the loosest, with 6 as the balanced default. Groups are chained, so if A resembles B and B resembles C, all three appear together with the largest difference shown.
Choosing what to keep
Each group starts with a suggestion: keep the photo with the most pixels, then the one with the oldest capture date, then the one with the shortest folder path. You can change any choice with the Keep and Remove buttons, compare photos side by side and see the recoverable space update as you go. A warning appears if every photo in a group is marked Remove.
Limitations
- Up to 5,000 photos and 100 megapixels per photo.
- The browser cannot delete files. Download the list and delete the photos yourself, including from iCloud Photos if the copies are there.
- Look-alike groups are suggestions. Burst shots and similar scenes can match, so check before deleting.
- RAW photos are compared for exact copies only.
Privacy
All hashing, decoding and comparison happens in your browser. Photos and their names never leave your device.
A2Z Tools is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple Inc. iCloud, iPhone and Apple are trademarks of Apple Inc.
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Key facts
- Handles up to 5,000 photos and 100 megapixels per photo, including HEIC.
- Exact duplicates are byte-for-byte identical, confirmed with SHA-256.
- Look-alike candidates use a 64-bit dHash with a sensitivity slider from strict to loose.
- Suggests which copy to keep: most pixels, then oldest date, then shortest folder path.
- Recoverable space counts only the photos you mark Remove.
- Downloads a CSV or JSON report and a plain files to delete.txt list.
How to use it
- Download the photos from iCloud to your computer.
- Choose the photos or their folder, and decide whether to look for look-alikes.
- Review each group, compare copies side by side and set Keep or Remove.
- Download the list of files to delete and remove them yourself after checking.
Frequently asked questions
Can this tool delete duplicate photos for me?
No. Web pages are not allowed to delete files on your computer. The finder gives you a report and a files to delete.txt list of the photos you marked Remove, and you delete them yourself after checking each group.
What is the difference between exact duplicates and look-alikes?
Exact duplicates have identical bytes, confirmed by SHA-256, so removing extra copies loses nothing. Look-alikes only look the same, such as a photo saved again at a lower quality or a smaller size, so the kept copy may differ in resolution or detail.
Does it work with HEIC photos from an iPhone?
Yes. HEIC photos are hashed for exact duplicates and decoded in your browser for look-alike matching, using the browser's own decoder where available and a bundled decoder otherwise.
Which copy does the tool suggest keeping?
The photo with the most pixels first, then the oldest capture date, then the shortest folder path. The suggestion is only a starting point and every choice can be changed.
What does the sensitivity slider change?
It sets how many of the 64 fingerprint bits may differ for two photos to count as look-alikes: 2 at the strictest, 6 by default and 12 at the loosest. Looser settings find more matches but also more photos that are merely similar.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. Your files are processed locally in your browser and are not uploaded to A2Z Tools. Nothing about the photos, including their names and fingerprints, is stored or sent.
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