New phone, double photos? Why it happens and how to fix it

When you switch phones and every photo appears twice, it's almost always because your pictures came across by two routes at once: your online library (Google Photos or iCloud Photos) and a restore or copy onto the new phone. Photos already stored in your online library don't need to be restored separately, so the cleanest approach is to pick one route and let it finish. If you've already got doubles, clear them from the library once the new phone has stopped syncing.

How the doubles happen

Both Google and Apple keep photos separate from the device backup:

• Google: Google's Pixel help says photos and videos are backed up separately through the Google Photos app, not as part of the device backup. A photo can only be backed up to one Google Account at a time, so the new phone should use the same account as your library.
• Apple: Apple says that with iCloud Photos on, photos upload to iCloud on their own and aren't part of your nightly iCloud backup.

The doubles tend to come from extra routes on top of that:

• A second account. Signing in to Google Photos or iCloud with a different account on the new phone starts a second library.
• A manual copy. Copying your camera folder to the new phone by cable or a transfer app, while Google Photos or iCloud Photos also syncs, gives two copies on the phone.
• Extra folders. On Android, Google Photos can also back up folders from other apps, so check which ones are on.
• Not knowing what's synced. On iPhone, Apple's help says to check Settings, your name, iCloud, Photos: if Sync this iPhone is on, your photos are stored in iCloud Photos and don't need copying in.

Step 1: Pick one route

1. Decide where your master library lives. For most people it is Google Photos or iCloud Photos.
2. Sign in to the same account you used on the old phone.
3. Let the sync finish before copying anything. Apple notes that after a restore finishes, photos keep downloading from iCloud in the background. Stay on Wi-Fi and leave the phone alone until it settles. Google says the restore during setup can take up to 24 hours.
4. Don't copy photos in by hand if the library is already syncing them.

Don't delete anything on the old phone until you've checked the new one shows everything.

Step 2: Check the backup settings on the new phone

Android

Open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, then Photos settings, then Backup, and check Back up device folders. Turn on only the folders you want. Google's help says you can turn each folder on or off.

iPhone

Go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then Photos, and check that Sync this iPhone is on. Apple's help says that's where you see whether the photos are stored in iCloud Photos.

Step 3: Clear the doubles

Free options

• iPhone or Mac: use Apple's Duplicates album. On iPhone, open Photos, tap Collections, scroll down to Utilities and tap Duplicates. On a Mac, click Duplicates below Utilities in the Photos sidebar. Merging keeps one copy and moves the rest to Recently Deleted for 30 days.
• Google Photos: compare the copies by hand on photos.google.com and move extras to the trash. See how to delete duplicate photos in Google Photos.

Apple's help describes the album as finding duplicates. It doesn't describe choosing the best of several similar shots or a burst, which takes a human eye, or a tool.

With Doppelgone

Doppelgone finds exact copies, lookalikes and burst shots, keeps the best shot of each set (eyes open, sharp, well lit) and says why. You approve every clean-up.

• Google Photos: the Chrome extension on a computer. The Android app cleans the photos stored on the phone itself, which is a separate job from cleaning the Google Photos library.
• iCloud Photos: the Chrome extension at icloud.com, or the iPhone app; the Mac app also cleans the Mac Photos library.

Photos never leave your device. Removed photos wait for 30 days in the service's own trash with one-click undo, and favourites, videos and photos shared with you are never touched. See the download page.

Frequently asked questions

Why does every photo appear twice on my new phone?

Usually because two routes delivered them: your online library and a restore, a manual copy or a second account. Sort out the route first, then clear the doubles.

Do I need to restore my photos from a backup?

If your photos are in Google Photos or iCloud Photos, they're already in your library. Google says photos are backed up separately from the device, and Apple says photos in iCloud Photos aren't part of the nightly backup.

Can I use two accounts?

Google says a photo backs up to only one Google Account at a time, so use the account your library lives in. A second account means a second library.

Is it safe to delete one of the copies?

Yes, if you review each set first. Removed photos wait 30 days in the service's trash, so you can undo.

Will I lose photos if I wait?

No. Waiting for the sync to finish costs nothing, and cleaning before it finishes only means you'll clean again.

What does it cost?

Free covers unlimited scans and 200 clean-ups. Pro is one $9.99 payment, no subscription, for up to 3 libraries.

What to do next

Let the new phone finish syncing, then run a free scan to see how many doubles you have. If you're also leaving iCloud, see iCloud to Google Photos transfer duplicates, and why Google Photos has duplicates for more causes.

Google Photos is a trademark of Google LLC; iCloud and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc. Doppelgone is not affiliated with Google or Apple.