You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

gmd39 Author

Level 1

13 points

Apple Photos duplicates

Does the duplicates function work only with the System Photo Library? Will it work with other photos libraries, of which I have several?

Thanks

Greg

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 13.5

Posted on Sep 7, 2023 1:05 AM

Top-ranking reply

léonie

Level 10

197,279 points

Posted on Sep 7, 2023 1:24 AM

I am seeing a duplicates album in all Photos Libraries, if there are duplicates. But only, if the libraries are on a volume, that is always available for the background processes, that are scanning the library. And it may take weeks for the duplicates album to appear in any library (depending on the size of the library). The system Photos Library is special, and some features are only available for the System Photos Library. Other applications can only access the Photos in the System Photos Library, and only the System Photos Library can be used with iCloud Photos, but the other Photos services are available in all your libraries. See:

System Photo Library overview

Create additional libraries

View in context

Apple Photos duplicates

Similar questions