Q: How to bulk delete duplicate photos in iphoto?

I appreciate your responses, but your answers are still oblique.

I see no easy way to do this out of the phone directly. It does involve both the Mac and the phone, as both are integrated.

I purged all images on my phone, so we've eliminated that issue :-)

Image Capture is one of those "under the radar" apps that I wouldn't have thought to use because I download my other camera's image directly into non-iPhoto libraries right from a card reader.

You mentioned another way to bulk delete photos directly from the phone.

How exactly does one do this? (besides tethering to desktop and using Image Capture)

TIA

Meanwhile, can we agree that there is no good Apple solution to remove duplicate photos (with the same name) from iPhoto? Still have a few thousand of these. :-)

Correct - duplicate elimination as steated many times is not a feature of iPhoto - there are several programs that do t well and safely - iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ -  is the one I think is best since it does a good job on duplicates and has many other unsful functions  - Dupicate annihaliator is very good for just duplicates

LN

Or the free iPhoto Remove Duplicates.scpt :-)

Larry — you're awesome because you're here a lot and offering plenty of good info to folks' questions. Thanks for being a resource.

>>few people have this issue

That's just inaccurate. I just started having this problem, and one quick google has brought up tons and tons of people asking about it over several years.

>>duplicates in iPhoto are strictly caused by user actions importing things multiple times or other user errors like importing one iPhoto library into another one (which should NEVER be done)

You keep saying that (I've seen your answer on other threads too) — but it's just not true. Maybe wishful thinking. I, for one, have never done either of these things. I always import only once, and delete those pics from the camera. I have never imported another iPhoto library. I've never used any other photo management software. I've never had Photo Stream turned on.

Nevertheless I now have a ton of dupes, and many thumbnails randomly appearing in my library as if they were regular photos. In my case it's especially weird because I'm getting multiple sets of duplicates, and which pics get duplicated seems to have nothing to do with whether I've edited or exported them to Facebook or anything like that — most of the dupes are on photos I've never even looked at since importing them from a phone or camera.

Anyway, I've seen the advice to try various tools and I'll do that. But I just wanted to point out that there is, in fact, something wrong in the iPhoto system. It's not user error. Hope Apple keeps looking at it as an issue to fix. :)

Few people do have teh problem - no matter what you "google" you find lots - because there are billions of people in the world and millions using iPhoto - very few of them have a problem with duplicates

as to your specific symptons - with the vey limited informtion you provide My guess is that sometime in the past you imported an old iPhoto library into a new one  - one of the user errors that causes user created duplicates

iPhoto simply havs no way of "creating" duplicates on its own - only user error can do it

THanks for your notes

LN

Larry, we do appreciate your input here, but you must know that for every inquiry here, as well as posts found in Google searches, there are a gazillion folks who just figured they had to live with the problem.

Why are there 4 software programs for sale to fix a "non issue"?

Not everyone is a tech.

Is possible using icloud backup feature creatively. ..

1.  Go to Settings/icloud ensure that this feature is on

2.  Uncheck "photos" in the Settings/icloud menu

3.  At the bottom of Settings/icloud screen tap Storage and Backup

4.  Ensure icloud backup is enabled

5.   Tap Back Up Now

6.  When backup complete go to settings/general/reset and erase all content & settings

7.  Restore your phone from the icloud backup you just created

8.  Everything is there as before but zero photos

How does this remove duplicates, but leave an original set? The idea is to only have one set of photos remaining, not delete your entire library.

How do you know which photos are duplicates vs. originals? I tried manually deleting and stopped when someone mentioned deleting originals accidentally.   Did you find an answer to your question: have been trying to figure out what the safest way to approach this is. Thanks for any help - about ready to try iPhoto Remove Duplicates.  But concerned about original vs. duplicate question. Thanks, Ruth

IPLM is the best

But I strongly suggest that you do not use any program that is not recommend by Old Toad, Terence Devlin or me. Doing so endangers your library

LN

Thanks Larry, before I purchase IPLM, I want you to know that I have iphoto 09 version 8.1.2.  I've been afraid to upgrade until I get these duplictes figured out.  I have 152,100 pics: many of which are duplicates (its true). 351 GB.  (2157 movies).

Will IPLM work with this many pics?  Can IPLM sort them all at one time since they are duplicated throughout the whole iPhoto library that opens when I open iPhoto.  I have never sorted into libraries or albums.  And if IPLM can do this, it will leave the original, correct?  I have been reading through all of your posts for quite some time - I am as you can tell very much at the beginner level.  Ultimate goal, get rid of duplicates and upgrade to iphoto 11 and updgrade from Mountain Lion to Mavericks.  Thanks much for any further info as to IPLM working for my situation!  Ruth

yes

It may take some time of course - that is a lot of photos (I only have about 65,000)

additionally IPLM has a good help file and good support if you need personal help

LN

Larry, on your advice (and having a very similar problem to Ruth), I've just bought IPLM and deleted 14,584 dulpicate photos from my Library!  Fantastic.  Haven't checked all of the remaining ones yet (around 43k) but it's all looking good so far.  Well worth the £23 it cost.  Moral of this story: never let a "friend" who "knows how to move photos around in multiple libraries" (he patenly had no clue!) to touch your photo collection ;-)

Moral of this story: never let a "friend" who "knows how to move photos around in multiple libraries" (he patenly had no clue!) to touch your photo collection ;-)

Good suggestion 

I have my account password protected and let "friends and kids" use the guest account or ther own account leaving mine alone

LN

It's actually easy! This is the Apple App to do this, for free:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/duplicate-cleaner-for-iphoto/id586862299?mt=12