How to Delete Duplicate Photos on Android (4 Easy Methods)
If you are looking for solutions to delete duplicate photos on Android, you are reading the right blog. Here, we will learn the best manual and professional methods to remove all duplicate photos in your Android Smartphone in one go and free up huge space.
Key takeaways
- Duplicates mostly come from WhatsApp, Telegram, and cloud restores.
- Files by Google is the quickest free way for exact duplicates.
- Google Photos “Free Up Space” does not remove duplicates. It can only remove backed up copies from your phone.
- Deleted photos generally stay in “Trash” until you empty it. So, storage will not increase right away.
Quick Comparison of the Methods
| Method | Cost | Needs a PC | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files by Google | Free | No | Quick cleanup of exact duplicates |
| Gallery App | Free | No | Phones with a built in cleaner |
| Google Photos | Free | No | Freeing space on backed up photos |
| Desktop Tool | Paid | Yes | Large libraries & bulk cleanup |
Why Duplicate Photos Pile up on Android
- Instant messaging applications like WhatsApp and Telegram download the same photos multiple times since your contacts on these apps share the same images more than once.
- Editing a photo creates a new file (JPG, JPEG) almost like the original photograph, creating a duplicate image.
- Downloading a photo from the internet many times is another reason we see duplicate images on our Android smartphones.
- Uploading an image on a social media application like Instagram creates a replica copy of the photograph on your mobile, prompting you to delete duplicate photos from Android.
- Downloading images from cloud backups (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox) is another reason for the duplication issue of images in Android phone.
These reasons highlight the quick deletion of duplicate photos in Android mobiles. We will discuss the solutions to delete duplicated images in Android, so keep reading the blog!
Duplicate vs. Similar Photos: What’s the Difference?
There is a clear difference between duplicate and similar photos that you must know.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Exact Duplicate | Same file, same size, same resolution |
| Similar Photo | Slightly edited, resized, or compressed version |
Method 1: Delete Duplicate Photos with Files by Google
This method is the fastest and free to clean exact duplicate photos. Also, it just takes about two minutes.
- Open “Files by Google” (You can install it from the Play Store if you do not have it).
- Tap the “Clean” tab.
- Now, find the Duplicate files card and tap Select files.
- Review the list. The app keeps one copy of each group, however glance through to confirm.
- Tap “Delete”, then confirm.
Good to know: Files by Google only matches identical files. Therefore, edited or resized versions of a photo will not be flagged. Those are “similar” photos and need a manual check.
Method 2: Use Your phone’s Built in Cleanup
Many brands include a storage cleaner that spots duplicates.
Samsung
- Go to Settings >> Battery and device care >> Storage.
- Then, tap “Clean now” and look for duplicate files.
Xiaomi / Redmi / Poco
- First, open the “Security” or “Cleaner” app and run a scan for duplicates.
Other brands
- Search your phone’s Settings for “storage” or “cleaner.”
Note: Not every phone has this feature, and the labels may differ by software version. So, if you can not find it, Method 1 works on any Android phone.
Method 3: Clean up with Google Photos (what it does and does not do)
We must tell you that Google Photos cannot hunt down duplicates for you. What it can do is free up space:
- Open “Google Photos” and tap your profile icon.
- Tap “Free up space” and “confirm”.
This will remove only photos that are already backed up. If your Gallery holds two copies of the same image, both are treated as separate photos. In order to remove true duplicates, delete them by hand or use Method 1 first.
Method 4: Delete Duplicate Photos in Bulk from a PC
Have thousands of photos? A desktop tool may save time. You just need to connect your phone to your computer. Scan the folders. Preview the matches, and remove the extras. Our 4n6 Duplicate Photo Remover does this on Windows. It is paid software, so if you want the free options, try the above methods first.
Steps to Clean All Duplicate Photos from a PC Automatically
- Connect your Android phone into your computer.
- Download the Photo duplicate remover tool, run it, and click Proceed button.
- Choose Select Drives and Folders under Location to Scan, click Browse, and select your mobile for the scanning process.
- The tool has filters for performing deduplication based on specific criteria.
- Click the blue Scan Duplicates box and begin the scanning process for your Android phone.
- The tool has a Preview feature to view the duplicated images before removing them from your phone. Hover the cursor on a duplicate photo, right-click and select Preview to view the replica photo.
- Start the deduplication process for Android mobile by clicking Remove.
- Open your phone’s Gallery app to view the original images.
Features of Professional Software
- The tool has filters to delete duplicate images on Android based on specific criteria.
- Preview feature for viewing duplicate files before deleting them.
- You can delete all duplicate photos in Android Phone at once without facing issues.
- You can remove duplicate photos of any extensions such as PNG, JPG, and more.
- This tool can also remove duplicate photos from iPhone without hassle.
- The software has a very simple graphical user interface for the ease of users.
Mistakes to Avoid While Deleting Duplicate Photos
You must avoid these common errors while deleting duplicate photos on Android:
- Take care of deleting the duplicate photos only not the original ones.
- Don’t forget to carefully reviewing similar photos
- You must not ignore the cloud backups before deleting
- Do not proceed to bulk delete without preview
How to Stop Duplicates from Coming Back
Do you want to stop duplicates photos on your Android phone from coming back? You must follow these tips:
- Go to the settings and disable auto-download in messaging apps
- Use cloud backup instead of manual copies
- You should avoid repeated file transfers between folders
- Clean your storage regularly
- Use smart duplicates cleaning tools regularly
Frequently Asked Questions
Are duplicate photo remover software safe?
Yes, most of the apps available to delete duplicate photos in Android phone are safe. Also, it is recommended to know everything about the software before using it.
How often should I delete duplicate photos in Android phone?
It totally depends on the usage. If you take a lot of photos on a regular basis, you need to clean up regularly which can help keep your storage space optimized.
Will deleting duplicate photos from my Android phone delete my original photos as well?
No, but you have to be careful. Use the most trusted and reliable method that only deletes duplicate photos from Android phone.
How do I find duplicate photos on Android without an app?
You may check your phone’s built in cleaner (Samsung’s Device care, for example). And if your phone does not have one, Files by Google is free and from Google itself.
Does Google Photos delete duplicates automatically?
No. It generally skips uploading an identical file twice. However, it will not clean up duplicates that are already sitting in your Gallery.
Why do I have two copies of every photo?
It may happen due to WhatsApp or Telegram auto saving media, a cloud restore, or an editing application that saves a copy instead of overwriting the original.
Why didn’t my storage increase after deleting?
This is because deleted items stay in “Trash” (usually for 30 to 60 days). You need to empty it to reclaim the space.
Conclusion
This blog covers 4 ways to remove duplicate photos on Android: Files by Google, Phone’s built in cleaner, Google Photos and desktop tool.
You may use Files by Google, phone’s built in cleaner, and Google Photos if you want a free option. However, if you have a large library, we suggest you to use a desktop tool to save time.
