What Is the Difference Between Duplicate Photos and Similar Photos

The debate for differences between duplicate and similar photos has been ongoing. While these two terms are used interchangeably, there are differences between the two that every user must be aware of.

Both identical and duplicate photos differ on multiple grounds, and today, we will discuss them.

We will explain the differences between the two based on three common factors –

Origin of Pictures
Size of Pictures.
Quality of Pictures.

Besides these, we will also explain which images are harmful to your PC and how you can clear identical and duplicate images to save space on your PC.

This article is the perfect read for those struggling with duplicate/similar pictures and facing slow performance issues. Make sure you read the post till the end, as I have a recommendation for you. It is an automatic way to detect similar and duplicate images. Without further ado, let’s begin!

What Are Duplicate Photos?

Duplicate Photos are also called exact copies of photos. When two or more images with no hair of a difference are detected, they are called duplicates. The textbook definition of duplicates says the same thing, anything that shares similar attributes with the source from which it is copied is a duplicate. These can be copied files created after the original picture with no self-defining qualities.

What are Similar Photos?

Similar Photos are individual entities that appear to be the same but slightly differ in the captured details. The difference can be as small as a change in an eye movement or as massive as replacing a person but using the same page. Two images can be considered similar when both are taken under similar lighting conditions and locations. However, even a single change in the frame makes a difference.

After going through the definitions, I hope you understand the two better. To clear the difference in a single sentence, a duplicate image is created after an original image is taken, while similar images are two different entities captured individually.

Keep in mind duplicate images are not the result of multiple clicks. However, similar photos are accumulated due to successive clicks.

What are the Differentiating Factors between Duplicate and Similar Photos?

S.No.	Factors	Duplicate Photos	Similar Photos
1.	Origin of Pictures	Duplicate photos are derived copies of an original picture. Hence they originate from an original photograph.	Similar photos are clicked individually and are often a result of multiple identical properties of a picture.
2.	Size of Picture	Duplicate photos can have any size as they are often a result of changes in format or quality.	Usually, similar photos have the same size as the original picture as they are created with the same sensor and frame.
3.	Quality of Pictures	Duplicate photos may vary in quality as they might result from edited images of degraded or upgraded quality.	Similar images have the same size and quality as the original ones as they are clicked in the same setting.

So, these are the core differences between duplicate and similar photos. Other than these, you can differentiate between the two by analyzing them side by side. Duplicate images have no differences whatsoever as they are the same image copied twice. On the other hand, similar images appear to be the same but slightly different.

How are Duplicate Images Created?

Duplicate images are created in three ways –

By creating copies of an image voluntarily or mistakenly.

Copying files from one storage device to another without checking if they exist.

When you copy the same image multiple times.

These actions increase the chances of creating duplicate images.

a. After editing an image and saving it with a different name or format.

When you edit an image, the editing software always creates a copy keeping the original intact. However, this behavior of the tool creates exact replicas of the image.

When you want to use your images in different formats, you convert them from JPG to PNG or any other format. This recreates the same file with a different extension, and Windows Explorer cannot notify you as the extensions are different. Conversions can range from multiple formats, such as –

– RAW to JPG
– RAW to JPEG
– RAW to PNG
– PNG to JPEG
– JPEG to PNG.

The combinations are endless. Therefore, you must be careful with such operations.

Downloading the same image multiple times.

You might have often encountered situations when you want to download a file, but the internet connection drop or the browser becomes unresponsive. In such cases, you click the download button multiple times, thus creating duplicate copies.

When you search for an image online and download it, to realize it doesn’t match the source format where you want to use it. So you download the same file in a different image format creating the copy.

How are Similar Images Created?

Similar images are created in three ways as well –

1. Simultaneously clicking with the original image.

When you use your smartphone camera, you do not realize you are clicking multiple shots at once. This is why end up similar photos with the same frame.

2. Pictures clicked using the burst mode of a smartphone.

Burst mode helps create animations using images in multiple frames. While clicking pictures in it, the idea is to create a GIF or have the best shot and remove the rest of the images, but people don’t do that and end up with tens of similar pictures.

3. Changes were made to the colors and other attributes while editing.

When you have edited an image and changed the color, saturation, and contrast settings, it can be considered an image similar to what you had before. Not to mention, editing the background and other details is an option that makes an image appear similar to the original but not completely duplicated.

Keeping these evident differences in mind while sorting duplicates from similar ones, you easily avoid confusion.

How Do These Pictures Affect Your PC’s Performance?

I hope you have understood the difference between duplicate and similar pictures and that having them is a waste of storage space. When you have the original image, there’s no need to keep the edited image copy.

These pictures are not lethal to your PC. However, they sure are not vital. In fact, by deleting these unwanted images, you can recover storage space.

Some of the core ways these files affect your PC are –

Duplicate/Similar photos take up a lot of space.
These files clutter the image collection.
If left untreated for longer, duplicate images can become malware.

So, what is the best way to deal with duplicate/similar images? Finding and removing these images is the appropriate solution. However, the only issue in removing these images is the confusion between the original and duplicate/similar images. You may end up removing the original photo. And you do not want that, so what can be done?

You can use a third-party tool to detect and delete duplicate and similar images.

How to Remove Duplicate/Similar Pictures From Your PC?

When you manually search for duplicate images on your PC, removing them is nothing less than a headache. You will have first to find them, select them, and then remove them while taking care that you do not delete the original files. Moreover, it may take a lot of time and effort.

However, with an automated way, the job can be done quickly, and the software knows how to accurately differentiate between original and duplicate images. If you are looking for one such way, your search finally ends!

Duplicate Photos Fixer Pro is a tool dedicated to finding, fetching, and removing duplicate photos from your PC, Google Drive, Dropbox, and a USB stick with just a few clicks. To give you a perspective, here’s how the tool works.

First things first, download the application from the button below.

Install the application > open it and decide the comparison method- Similar Match or Exact Match.
Next, import your images and set the Matching Level.

Now, let the software work its magic.

Check the outcome of the scanning performed.

Mark the Similar/Duplicate Images for Deletion

Read the Warnings Carefully and get Rid of All your Duplicate/ Similar Images in a Click!

Once you click okay, the system processes, and voila!

Similar and Duplicate Images – Look Alike But Are Different

Duplicates and similar images are both different in properties and nature. However, both are harmful to your PC storage and should be taken care of immediately. Needless to say, you can finish the task using Duplicate Photos Fixer Pro.

The tool is easy to use and yields the best results for PCs with hidden duplicate images that must be deleted.

That’s all for this one. You can read more blogs here if you need more details about the tool. I hope this gives you an insight into the differences between duplicate and similar images. Good luck!

Dishank Sharma

A creative tech-writer who loves to explore latest tech-trends & convey them to his readers in the simplest way possible. He loves to blend the crispness of technology with a pinch of creativity while curating best practices for the readers. In his free time, he likes to scribble poetry, listen to rap & travel.