Photos for Mac removes wrong duplicates

I have around 1800 duplicate photos in my library and wish to remove them.


Using the Duplicate finder function in Photos, it correctly identifies photos which appear the same, but on closer inspection, many of the duplicates are significantly different file sizes. We are talking a factor of 10 or more. e.g. higher res = 3MB, lower res 200KB. When I commence the "Merge" function for any of the duplicates, Photos tells me it will keep the highest quality photo and delete the lower quality one, but I have found this to be untrue.


In several spot tests, Photos will keep the lower-resolution version of the photo, not the higher one as claimed.


Is this a bug, or is there a way to configure the system to pick the right one?

Mac Studio (2023)

Posted on Apr 1, 2024 03:32 PM

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Posted on Apr 4, 2024 04:05 PM

Here's an example of the problem.


These two photos have the same resolution 928x1237, but one is 2.7x larger than the other in filesize. When you view them full screen, the photo on the right is unquestionably clearer than the one on the left (not really visible in this screenshot, but very obvious at full size).


When I merged these, Photos kept the one on the left, which is poorer quality.


There is not much point having a Duplicate-removal function if it can't be trusted to retain the best photo.


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Apr 4, 2024 04:05 PM in response to Jamie Crain

Here's an example of the problem.


These two photos have the same resolution 928x1237, but one is 2.7x larger than the other in filesize. When you view them full screen, the photo on the right is unquestionably clearer than the one on the left (not really visible in this screenshot, but very obvious at full size).


When I merged these, Photos kept the one on the left, which is poorer quality.


There is not much point having a Duplicate-removal function if it can't be trusted to retain the best photo.


Apr 5, 2024 01:19 AM in response to Jamie Crain

I have just tested this in the current version of macOS Sonoma, with the same result.

For two JPEGs with the same pixel size but a different amount of JPEG compression, Photos is keeping frequently the higher compressed version with a smaller file size, usually a saved, adjusted version. In the case where I tested this, the keeper has been the newer version, so the adjusted version has been kept, not the original. And on all the keepers the exif tag "Lens ID" has been missing - very annoying to see "No Lens" in the info for a photo in Photos, also the "Keeper" had no caption and a different title. For example:




The info of the less compressed, removed version:

Apr 2, 2024 01:32 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thanks. In my case the larger file would be the original so I’m fairly sure that would have the higher resolution.


The favourites thing is interesting, I will check that out.


I’m still at a loss to know how 1800 duplicates ended up in there. I’m very meticulous about how I import and manage my photos yet in some instances there are whole batches from trips that are doubled up.

Apr 5, 2024 02:49 AM in response to Jamie Crain

Have you filed a bug report? You could use the feedback link posted by Richard Feedback - Photos - Apple,

or, if you have a developer account or are participating in a beta software forum and have access to the Feedback Assistant, use the Feedback Assistant. The feedback Assistant will allow you to add screenshots and test data and logs.


It would already help a lot, if the Duplicates album would highlight the versions, that Photos has picked as keepers. so we can see, what will be kept, before we merge the photos.



Apr 2, 2024 07:14 AM in response to Jamie Crain

I haven't found that to be true, but then I'm not sure you mean by resolution-- resolution is measured in pixels or pixels per cm, not megabytes or kilobytes. It's possible (though not likely in this extreme) that a 200 KB picture has a higher resolution than a 3 MB one. The size of a file in bytes reflects the level of compression. When a picture has lots of sky, for instance, where it all looks pretty much the same, then the file can be made to be much smaller with little or no loss of information. Are you sure that Photos is picking the one with fewer pixels?


I do wish that Photos separated Exact matches from Similar matches. In fact, I'm going here:

Feedback - Photos - Apple

right now and making that suggestion. I can't believe I haven't done it, before.


Oddly, I just tried this, and if one of the Exacts is a favorite and the other not, it marks them both favorite, and the deleted one may not be the one that was originally favorite. Hmm.


We are lucky that the eliminated duplicates go to Recently Deleted, so we have a month to check for mistakes.


Double check on the pixels thing and get back to us...


Apr 3, 2024 07:29 AM in response to Jamie Crain

Jamie Crain wrote: Thanks. In my case the larger file would be the original so I’m fairly sure that would have the higher resolution.

Here are two pictures of a cow being bathed at the fair:


The left one is the original, and the right one is a duplicate.

The left, original picture has a file size of 1.5MB. The right one has a file size of 3.2MB. They both are 4032x3024 pixels. The difference is the compression, not the quality of the picture.


This one

is 3629x2722 and its file size is 6.5 MB.


Aristotle was "fairly sure" that heavy things fell faster than lighter ones-- but he didn't check.

Apr 3, 2024 12:59 AM in response to Jamie Crain

I am always picking the "keepers" manually. Even if the original files are identical, the metadata might differ - different titles or keywords. I am always looking at the photos enlarged to compare the adjustments, then compare the Info, and instead of clicking "merge" I am always deleting the file I want to be removed. Most o the exact duplicates are duplicates I created intentionally, because I need them twice in the same album for a slideshow or in different albums with different dates.


How are you importing your photos? Have you been importing photos by syncing your devices with iCloud or manually with iTunes or the Finder?

Are you importing from a digital camera or from an iPhone or iPad?

Most of the duplicates in my Library have been created along time ago by My Photo Stream.






Apr 3, 2024 01:40 PM in response to Jamie Crain

I import my photos two ways. I have a digital camera with an SD card and select the ones I wish to import. I usually format the SD card after each import.

The other way is with iCloud photo library. I take photos on my iPhone and they appear automatically in the library. A few years back, I would have to connect the cable and import them manually, but in recent years, it happens automatically over Wi-Fi.


I understand the point about compression and resolution, but in many of my cases, the difference between one photo and the other is simply too great for the smaller one to be the better photo.


Eg you can visibly see a difference in the quality of the two photos with Photos picking the worst quality image as the one to keep.


I’m fairly certain there is an error in the logic here.

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Photos for Mac removes wrong duplicates

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