iPhone 16 pro max and iOS 26.5. Whenever I get a picture in my messages, and save them, in the app photos the pictures are save twice. This is an old thing. How do I change this or this is a bug? Thanks.
Hi Holger.
Go to Settings > Messages > Shared with you, and see if this is set to ‘On’ for Photos. My theory is that with this on, all photos you receive are being automatically saved to Photos, and then when you choose to save a photo, it’s saving a second copy.
If you don’t select the option to save, do you have one copy of the photo in the Photos app?
As I don’t typically use the Apple Messages app, I am not super confident on this, but it is a theory that may be worth testing.
SDP,
Dave
Hopefully that will do the trick. Let us know.
To delete duplicates I’m afraid their may be some manual work involved. To find duplicates, open the Photos app, find the Duplicates collection under the Utilities heading. It looks like both copies are in there though, so you may have to select one of each and delete, rather than a simple select all.
Dave
Actually that Duplicates folder has a Merge button for each set of duplicates. The VoiceOver navigation is a bit janky but if you just keep finding and selecting the Merge button (often findable near the top right it seems) that’ll sort it.
Of course if you have hundreds or thousands, that could be a chore. But it works.
Dave
I have thousands of photos and I wanted to keep the orriginals. Is their a way to automaticaly sellectbthem, and erase them from the phone or mac right away. Thanks.
Comments
Possible solution
Hi Holger.
Go to Settings > Messages > Shared with you, and see if this is set to ‘On’ for Photos. My theory is that with this on, all photos you receive are being automatically saved to Photos, and then when you choose to save a photo, it’s saving a second copy.
If you don’t select the option to save, do you have one copy of the photo in the Photos app?
As I don’t typically use the Apple Messages app, I am not super confident on this, but it is a theory that may be worth testing.
SDP,
Dave
Dave Nason
Never check before. I figure I needed to save it to send it to iCloud instead of phone. I will check what you suggested, thanks, Long live cats.
Dave Nason
Yes, it was on, I turn it off. Will know when I save pictures. Now how do I remove duplicates phictures. LLC.
Fingers crossed
Hopefully that will do the trick. Let us know.
To delete duplicates I’m afraid their may be some manual work involved. To find duplicates, open the Photos app, find the Duplicates collection under the Utilities heading. It looks like both copies are in there though, so you may have to select one of each and delete, rather than a simple select all.
Dave
Dave Nason
Thought there was an app to help with deleting duplicates. Nuts. LLC.
There may be
There may well be. Hopefully someone knows it if so.
Dave
I Wouldn't Entrust This to an App
I wouldn't entrust duplicate deletion to an app... Too much could go wrong.
Michael Hansen
Probably right, sad Bella the cat is not here or I could ask her. Nuts. LLC.
Duplicates folder
Actually that Duplicates folder has a Merge button for each set of duplicates. The VoiceOver navigation is a bit janky but if you just keep finding and selecting the Merge button (often findable near the top right it seems) that’ll sort it.
Of course if you have hundreds or thousands, that could be a chore. But it works.
Dave
I was wondering the same thing.
I have thousands of photos and I wanted to keep the orriginals. Is their a way to automaticaly sellectbthem, and erase them from the phone or mac right away. Thanks.
Don613
That is the 50 thousand dollar question for you and me. Who will come to the rescue? underdog? No, Mighty Mouse? No, AppleVis!!!! Long live cats.