iOS 16.4 Expands Duplicate Image Detection to iCloud Shared Photo Library

In addition to new emojis, web push notifications, and a range of other features, the iOS 16.4 update expands support for detecting duplicate images to iCloud Shared Photo Library.

ios 16 duplicates
With iOS 16, Apple added a duplicate detection function for the Photos app. If you have duplicate images, the ‌Photos‌ app displays a "Duplicates" folder in the Utilities album section. From there, you can merge all of your duplicate images together.

At launch, the duplicate detection option did not work with ‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library, but that's changing with the iOS 16.4 update. According to Apple, after installing iOS 16.4, you will be able to detect duplicate photos and videos in ‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library, merging them to cut down on unnecessary extra images.

iOS 16.4 is set to be released to the public as soon as next week. The update also includes VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app, a fix for an issue that could cause Ask to Buy requests to fail to appear on a parent's device, a bug with Matter-compatible thermostats, and additional Crash Detection optimizations for iPhone 14 models.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

Cmd-Z Avatar
38 months ago
Cool, but maybe I'll wait a few point-releases before being brave enough to try ?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
munpip214 Avatar
38 months ago
Will this detect if the same picture exists in personal and shared or just separately?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
38 months ago
The list of duplicate images never seems to match between my iPhone and Mac with the same photo library. It makes me wonder if the feature really works well at all.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
axantas Avatar
38 months ago

Interesting. If there's a one copy of a photo in the shared library and another in the personal library, I wonder which it deletes?
It will delete your personal photo - as you are the only one, who is looking for it. You will never find the copy again.
...sorry, but this duplicate,triplicate, quadruplicate photo-thing is an absolute mess here at Apple.

Don't ever trust an automatic cleanup, as you will lose your pictures for sure. Assure an automatic backup somewhere else/local (I do it on Amazon as a second backup) and be sure, you will not lose your photos.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NMBob Avatar
38 months ago
"How can we get them to let us scan their pictures?"
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MaxSto Avatar
38 months ago
Finally!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)