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Removing duplicate photos in iPhoto.

Apple’s iPhoto software very cleverly checks whether you really want to import that photo that you already have in your library. Nevertheless I always manage to happen across duplicated photos from time to time. And when I do, I always think “Oh, i’ll just check if there are any more” then promptly waste 3-4 minutes checking and re-checking the various menus and buttons for the “Find Duplicates” function. It doesn’t exist. There’s one in iTunes but not in iPhoto.

If you’re similarly afflicted, I can confirm that the tiny little AppleScript available at blog.spoolz.com/2008/11/03/iphoto-applescript-to-remove-duplicates/ is excellent and, despite being published in 2008, still works with iPhoto 9.6 under OS X Yosemite. Just remember to select a bunch of photos in iPhoto before running the script. I definitely didn’t forget to do that and sit wondering why it hadn’t worked. Anyway, thank you Karl!

Now, whether the script will work, could be re-written to work or, indeed, is even required in the upcoming Photos app for OS X remains to be seen.