Best Duplicate Photo Finder
I've been using my Mac for years. Last year, while organizing my photo library, I was surprised to discover I had over 40,000 photos stored. I ran a scan with a professional tool, and the results revealed over 6GB of duplicate or similar images. I attributed this to my habit of taking continuous photos with my iPhone and importing photos from iCloud and external hard drives multiple times. These duplicate photos not only took up a significant amount of hard drive space but also slowed down my Mac.
An efficient duplicate photo finder would be incredibly helpful. In this article, I’ll share the 7 best duplicate photo finders for Mac that I’ve tested and rate them based on my personal experience.
Best overall: Cisdem Duplicate Finder - An AI-powered duplicate photo remover. Accurate, fast, and easy to use.
Best free option: Disk Drill - A data recovery app with free built-in duplicate photo finder feature.
Fastest: PhotoSweeper - Offers the fastest scanning speed among the tested software, but may be challenging for novice users.
To make my testing more reliable, I organized a 10.8GB photo library containing many duplicate and similar photos on my MacBook running macOS 10.15 Catalina.
I then ran scans with 7 the duplicate photo finders for Mac and compared their scan speed, accuracy, preview feature, smart selection rules, ease of use, security, and more.
Here are the 7 best duplicate photo finders for Mac that I tested and reviewed.
Rating: 4.9/5
Compatibility: macOS 10.11 El Capitan or later
Latest version: 6.5.0, released in December 2023
My take: Easy and customizable. It's perfect for managing large photo libraries without technical hassle.
Cisdem Duplicate Finder is a professional tool designed to help Mac users clean up duplicate photos. Developed by Cisdem - a trusted software company known for quality products and excellent customer support, it provides both high accuracy and fast scanning speed. In my test, it took just 15 seconds to scan the entire photo library, and detected 6.07GB of duplicates.
Unlike many software that simply finds exact identical images, Cisdem Duplicate Finder also identify similar images. Powered by AI, it combines histogram and feature similarity algorithms to compare photos, making it easily to find duplicates with slightly different resolutions, burst shots, or multiple edited versions of the same photo. Users can freely adjust the similarity threshold. Especially for users with large photo libraries like photographers, it can quickly clear out redundant photos and free up a lot of space.
After scanning, the detection results are clearly displayed in groups. You can choose from 3 different preview modes to compare duplicate photos side-by-side or view detailed information.
It automatically selects all but one photo for deletion, but you can still make manual adjustments. It offers 8 preset rules for mass selection, such as Select by priority. Note that the automatic selection doesn’t apply to similar photos for security’s sake, but those rules are still available to assist you.
Deleted duplicates go to the Recently Delete album in the Photos app or the Trash, depending on their original location. There’s a Restore from Trash feature to help you easily recover photos when needed.
Free Download macOS 10.11 or later
Rating: 4.8/5
Compatibility: macOS 10.15 Catalina or later
Latest version: 5.0.4, released in July, 2025
My take: Sophisticated software for advanced or experienced users.
PhotoSweeper is the most feature-rich duplicate photo finder for Mac that I’ve tested. It offers many customization options. It’s a good choice for advanced users. However, less technically savvy users may find the app overly complex. It supports finding duplicate images in Mac folders, the Photos app, Capture One, and Adobe Lightroom Classic.
In my tests, it scanned my entire photo library in just 11 seconds. It’s the fastest. However, it doesn't display a total number of duplicate files detected like some other apps do.
PhotoSweeper offers 3 modes for viewing scan results. If you are tech-savvy, I recommend the All-in-One mode, as the Histogram and Metadata panes clearly display image info like ISO, aperture, and lens focal length, which can help you decide which photos to delete when dealing with similar photos.
Its Auto Mark feature offers 30 selection rules for you to choose from and customize. Most of them are easy to understand, but you may need to know some knowledge about images to understand certain options. You can use only the rules that you are comfortable with.
Rating: 4.6/5
Compatibility: macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later
Latest version: 8.5, released in August 2025
My take: Particularly helpful for users who need to manage multiple photo libraries.
Like Cisdem Duplicate Finder, Duplicate File Finder Remover can detect not only duplicate photos but also other types of duplicate files. It also provides a dedicated "Find Duplicate Pictures" mode, which only searches for duplicate photos and videos. In my test, it took 30 seconds to complete the scan, and found 6.04GB of duplicate files. The scanning speed is a bit slower than other programs.
Its interface is clean. However, the image preview feature need to be improved. It doesn't display detailed information of the photos (such as resolution) or provide side-by-side comparison of duplicate photos. Furthermore, Duplicate File Finder Remover can't identify similar photos, which may not be suitable for photography enthusiasts.
It also offers some advanced features, such as merge folders and compare folders. If you have many duplicate photos scattered across multiple photo libraries or picture folders, this duplicate photo finder for Mac is your best choice.
Rating: 4.6/5
Compatibility: macOS 10.15.7 Catalina or later
Latest version: 6.0.2020, released in June 2025
My take: A great option for users who only need basic duplicate photo removal features without having to pay.
Disk Drill is a data recovery app that offers several additional free tools, including Find Duplicates.
It scanned 6.07GB of duplicate files in just 13 seconds. It’s great. However, this tool only scans folders or drives on Mac, not the Photos app. If most of your duplicate photos are stored in your Photos app, it won't help.
The scan results window displays sets of duplicates. To view specific items in each set, you need to expand it. Double-clicking an item to open a preview window. The preview feature is not very convenient. You can't compare duplicates side by side or zoom in/out the photos.
Despite being free, the tool can automatically select duplicates for elimination. It also offers 2 selection rules: Select Oldest and Select Newest, making the removal easy and quick.
Rating: 4.5/5
Compatibility: macOS 10.6 Snow Leopard or later
Latest version: 7.34.0.72, released in June 2025
My take: A bit pricey, but can be a good choice for those using older Macs.
As its name suggests, Easy Duplicate Finder is very easy to use. It has a clean and intuitive interface. Even beginners can use it without confusing. While the latest version only supports macOS 14.0 or later, you can still download the older versions on its official website. The earliest version it supports is macOS 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Its scan speed is slow, taking 1 minute and 16 seconds to scan my 10.8GB photo library. If you're dealing with a larger library, it will take longer. It detected 5.65GB of duplicates, which is not as good as the other duplicate photo finders for Mac I introduced above. I found that some small-sized images were missed during the scan.
What’s more, it lacks similar image detection function. Photos that are slightly different in size or resolution cannot be identified as duplicates.
Easy Duplicate Finder offers 15 flexible selection rules, which can help you quickly filter files for deletion. It also comes with an “Undo” option to easily recover accidentally deleted photos. While most other Mac duplicate file finders don't have this feature, you can still recover deleted photos from the Trash.
Rating: 4.3/5
Compatibility: macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later
Latest version: 2.9.11, released in February 2024
My take: While its scan accuracy should be improved, the Duplicate Monitor feature stands out.
Gemini 2 is a beautifully designed app that helps users manage duplicate photos and other duplicates in two ways. Like other duplicate photo finders, you can use it to search for duplicate photos at any time. It also offers an optional feature to scan for duplicates in your chosen folders in real time and send immediate notifications for instant removal. This way, duplicates won’t accumulate.
Gemini 2 can detect similar photos, although you can’t adjust the similarity threshold. The scan accuracy of this program leaves room for improvement. When using it, it only detected 3 sets of duplicate images and 2 sets of similar images, while I actually have far more duplicates in my library. You can set the minimum file size before scanning. In the Automatic set, many duplicates will be ignored.
Its Summary window shows all detected duplicates and lets you switch between two view modes. Both modes are good for image viewing. It also provides detailed photo information, such as camera model and lens.
The automatic selection feature saves you from manually selecting redundant photos for deletion, but you can still select or deselect duplicates by hand. In addition, 2 selection rules (Select oldest and Select newest) are available, which offers flexibility. Deleted items are moved to Trash, but you can choose to move them to a folder of your choice.
Rating: 4.2/5
Compatibility: macOS 10.12 Sierra or later
Latest version: 4.3.1, released in July 2022
My take: A free duplicate photo finder for Mac that is relatively easy to use but less customizable.
dupeguru is a free and open-source app that provides 2 scanning mode to help users handle duplicate photos in folders on Mac.
The Picture mode is designed to find identical and similar pictures and allows you to set the similarity threshold. In my test, this mode took 1 minute and 5 seconds to complete the scan. It was quite slow and missed 3 sets of duplicates, and similar photo detection was not good.
The Standard mode supports all common file types. In tests, this mode was about three times faster than the Picture mode, and importantly, it found all the duplicates. But it was still slower than the apps discussed above.
In the Picture mode, you can preview duplicates side by side and view their basic information. However, the Standard mode doesn’t support image preview.
dupeGuru provides an option to select all duplicates for deletion with a click. You can choose to move duplicates to the Trash or a specific folder. However, it does not have automatic selection rules, which may be a bit inconvenient for users with large library files. And it doesn’t let you choose which photo to keep as the original. For example, if you want to delete the unedited version while keeping the edited one, the app won’t allow it.
When installing, macOS may warn that “Apple can’t check it for malicious software”. If this happens, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, then choose Open Anyway.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of 7 best duplicate photo finders for Mac.
|
Cisdem Duplicate Finder |
PhotoSweeper |
Duplicate File Finder Remover |
Disk Drill |
Easy Duplicate Finder |
Gemini 2 |
dupeguru |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Compatibility |
macOS 10.11+ |
macOS 10.15+ |
macOS 10.13+ |
macOS 10.15.7+ |
macOS 10.6+ |
macOS 10.13+ |
macOS 10.12+ |
|
1 year price |
$19.99 |
$14.99 |
$14.95 |
Free |
$39.95 |
$19.95 |
Free |
|
Scan Time (10.8GB library) |
15s |
11s |
30s |
13s |
1min16s |
21s |
1min05s |
|
Duplicates Found |
6.07GB |
Not showing |
6.04GB |
6.07GB |
5.65GB |
5.96GB |
Not showing |
|
Similar Image Detection |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Adjust Similarity Threshold |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Work with Photos app |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Preview Modes |
3 modes |
3 modes |
1 mode |
1 mode |
1 mode |
2 modes |
1 mode |
|
Auto Select |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Selection Rules |
8 rules |
30 rules |
6 rules |
2 rules |
15 rules |
2 rules |
No |
|
Remove Methods |
3 methods (Move to Trash, Delete permanently, Move to folder) |
1 method |
1 method |
1 method |
4 method |
3 method |
2 method |
|
Ease of use |
Very easy |
Complex |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Easy |
Moderate |
Easy |
Does Mac have a built-in duplicate photo finder?
Yes. The Photos app in macOS Ventura and later includes a built-in duplicate detection feature. Open the Photos app. Click “Utilities” in the left sidebar. You may see a “Duplicates” album. The detected duplicate photos are grouped here. If the Duplicates album doesn’t show up, check out these possible fixes.
However, Photos cannot successfully detect all duplicates. Especially some edited or cropped photos may be ignored. Furthermore, the detection may be delayed. Sometimes it takes days or even months for duplicates to appear.
Can I recover photos I accidentally deleted?
Yes. All the Mac duplicate photo finders mentioned in the article offer one or multiple methods for removing duplicate photos. By default, deleted photos are moved to the Trash. You can recover them at any time within 30 days. Once you are sure you no longer need these duplicates, you can delete them permanently in the Trash to free up space.
How to avoid duplicate photos on Mac?
To avoid duplicate photos, you can use software to eliminate them regularly. And be mindful when organizing photos. For example, when moving certain photos from one folder to another, use drag and drop instead of copying and pasting.
What’s more, stick to one way to import photos to your Mac. You can use iCloud Photos or a USB cable. This helps prevent importing duplicates.
With a passion for tech and writing, Sarah joined Cisdem, where she focuses on creating articles about using utility tools to enhance file management and simplify contact management.
Volker Zanetti
Very detailed comparison, helped me a lot. I tried the first one and it works really well.
Lionel
I have tons of duplicate photos in my Photos app and is looking for a way to delete all the duplicates in one step. I'm happy to know that there is safe-to-use software designed for this purpose.
christy latham
That's great you are explaining each and everything very well this is helpful for mac user because most of the time user face such problem but here you can give proper solution and make them happy.
Ferser98
Awesome. Cisdem duplicate photo finder really helped me deleted duplicate photos in minutes.
valentine
Why does it ask me for a code before deleting and where do I find the code
Rosa Reyes
Hi, valentine, some of these duplicate photo finders listed in this article are not free, you need to buy a license before deleting. Free trial version only allows you to find duplicates.
Quincy
I love your article, please keep up the good work.Say goodbye to my duplicate files...
Diego Mairena
Hey, Rosa Reyes! Nice name, where are you from? I am Venezuelan. :) Thank you a lot for this post! Most apps did not help me, but the free one kind of did. It is nice to find such in-depth review of these apps, because right now I have a 10,000-items Finder Folder, and I am pretty sure every two of them are duplicates. :P
Yuki
Thanks for your share. These duplicate picture finders all have powerful functions.
Justin
Excellent.
Joshua
I tried these duplicate photo cleaner, but one of them couldn't help me find duplicates. What impressed me most is Easy Duplicate Finder and Cisdem Duplicate Finder.They really worked, thanks.
Melantha
Manually finding all duplicate photos costs me much time, but a duplicate photo cleaner makes it very easy, thank all software developers!
Isaiah
Can Cisdem duplicate finder remove duplicates from external hard drive?
Rosa Reyes
Hi, Isaiah, Cisdem DuplicateFinder can find and remove duplicate files from virtually any storage devices like internal Mac hard drives, external hard drives, cameras, iPods, USB flash drives, memory cards, etc
Noah
I've tried a lot of duplicate photo finders over the years, but i never found a perfect duplicate photo finder which could satisfy all my needs, but i will keep trying. Thanks for sharing these duplicate photo cleaner for me to try.
Jasonlee
Excellent, I tried all the duplicate photo cleaner, but Cisdem Duplicate Finder worked best, I would buy it because I can use it to find and remove all duplicate files including photos, thanks