[Solved] Photos Keeps Importing Same Photos from iPhone

When you want to transfer photos from iPhone to computer, but the iPhone import photos that are already imported. This article will help you fix this issue. And provides a way to transfer photos from iPhone to computer without duplicate.

Dylan

By Dylan / Updated on September 13, 2024

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Photos keeps importing the same photos

I’ve got my photos set to only import new photos from my iPhone 16 with iCloud. But every time I connect my iPhone, there are about 50 old photos that keep appearing under the “new” imports, and it keeps importing new copies of them. How can I stop this? Thanks

- Question from MacRumors.com

Why does Photos duplicate photos when importing?

Transferring photos from iPhone to computer is a common way to backup or manage data. However, when you sync photos, you might find the Photos app keeps importing same photos from iPhone to the targeted device. Usually, there are 2 causes of this issue.

photos icon

• iCloud sync error: Although iCloud Photos supports incremental backup that only adds changed photos. But it does not perfectly work every time. Besides, if the iCloud Photos is enabled while you synced photos with the iCloud client on a computer, the photos would be duplicated.
• “Optimize Storage” feature enabled: If your iPhone is syncing with iCloud and the Optimize Storage feature is turned on, the Photos app does not know which pictures have been import

How to fix Photos keeps importing same photos from iPhone

According to the common causes, here we provide 2 methods to fix this problem. If you have already imported all photos you need to your computer, you can turn to the next part, we will guide you on how to delete duplicate photos on computer and iPhone.

Method 1. Only sync photos via iCloud or iCloud client

If you want to transfer photos from iPhone to computer with iCloud client manually, please disable the iCloud Photos. Or only sync pictures with iCloud Photos feature turned on.

If you backup iPhone pictures to iCloud, you’d better choose to either manually sync them on computer or automatically upload it by turning on iCloud Photos on iPhone.

Method 2. Disable the “Optimize Storage” feature

With the “Optimize Storage” enabled, your iPhone will keep smaller photos and videos and upload the original photos to the iCloud storage for saving internal storage. But it can be the cause of the “Photo keeps importing same photos” problem.

Here are the setps to disable this feature:

✍Note: After disabling the “Optimize Storage”, your iPhone will download and store original photos and videos. Please make sure the device has enough space to save all photos.

Step 1. Tap “Settings” on your iPhone and choose the Apple ID/iCloud Banner.

Step 2. Tap “iCloud” > “Photos”. Choose “Download and Keep Originals”.

icloud photo

How to delete duplicate photos after importing iPhone photos

After solving this solution, the redundant imported photos are still on your computer. To quickly delete them, you can turn to FoneTool, which is a professional iOS/PC photo deduplicating tool. It can quickly find and delete duplicate/similar photos on your computer/iPhone/iPad.

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Step 1. Run FoneTool, go to "Toolbox" and click “Photo Deduplication”.

click photo deduplication

Step 2. When the program is launched, choose “Filter photos in the computer”.

scan computer

Step 3. Click “Add Folder” and select the folder that contains the imported photos. Then click “Start scanning”.

start scanning computer

Step 4. All duplicate and similar photos will be sorted. Select the photos you want to delete and click “Delete”.

Delete Duplicate Photos

Transfer photos from iPhone to computer without duplicate

FoneTool is also an iPhone transfer tool. It supports deleting duplicate and similar photos and transfer photos you need to computer/external disk without duplicate. After running “Photo Deduplication”, scan the iPhone. It will help you find out all duplicate photos, delete them.

scanning ios device

Then turn to the “iPhone to PC” feature, and follow the guide to transfer photos from iPhone to computer.

tranfer to computer

Conclusion

This is how to fix "photos keeps importing same Photos from iPhone" and avoid duplicate photos. You can try only syncing photos with iCloud Photos or iCloud client, and disable "Optimize Storage".

In addition, FoneTool can help you find and delete duplicate photos after importing/transferring photos without duplicate. And it is also a powerful iOS manager enabling you to transfer data between iPhone and computer, convert HEIC photos to JPG, and so on.

Dylan
Dylan · Editor
Dylan is an editor of mobile backup software. He likes to share the latest news about iPhone and iOS, write useful tips, and give solutions to help people solve all kinds of issues.