14 DAY TRIAL // One of the coolest new features in iOS 16 is part of the Photos app, as iPhone owners can now easily find duplicate photos and videos thanks to the addition of a Duplicate album.
In other words, when you go to Photos, you should now see a dedicated Duplicate folder, which when opened displays the duplicate media that is stored on the device.
Apple, however, explains that in some cases, the Duplicate folder might be missing from Photos. And as it turns out, quite a lot of people are encountering this problem, so it’s no surprise they have turned to all generic workarounds so far.
The process could take a while, Apple says
Unfortunately, nothing seemed to work, but Apple says that your iPhone must first complete two processes, namely the indexing of the photo library and then the scan for duplicates.
“Starting with iOS 16, the Photos app detects duplicate photos and videos in your photo library and places them in the Duplicates album under the Utilities section. For the Duplicates album to appear, iPhone has to first complete the following steps: index your photo library find duplicates,” Apple explains.
Needless to say, the two tasks don’t happen instantly, and Apple explains that in some cases, they require quite a lot of time before they are complete. In other words, you should give them enough time to come to an end, especially as the process depends on a series of factors, including how many photos and videos you’re storing in the Photos app.
“The detection process requires iPhone to be locked and connected to power. Depending on what tasks are running in the background and the size of your photo library, the process could happen quickly or take up to a few days to complete,” Apple explains in the document.