StrewnFold bursts and near-duplicates without deleting anything
When you pick several frames of the same moment, Strewn keeps the sharpest one in the dump and moves the others to a Set aside tray. The tray lists each photo with a reason, lets you add any back, and never deletes a file from your photo library.
Coming soon to iPhone
How does Strewn spot near-duplicates?
Each photo gets a 64-bit difference hash computed from a tiny grayscale thumbnail. Two photos whose hashes differ by 10 bits or fewer, and that sit next to each other in the pick or in time, count as a burst. Strewn keeps the sharpest frame and sends the rest to Set aside as Twin of slide n.
The idea is the same one behind perceptual hashing: visually similar images produce similar hashes.
A threshold of 10 bits out of 64 is deliberately cautious. It folds true bursts and near-identical frames while leaving similar-but-different photos, such as two angles of one meal, in the dump.
What is the Set aside tray?
A grid of every photo that is not in the dump, each with a badge: Twin of slide 3, Extra (a photo beyond the slide count) or Unreadable. Tap one to add it to the end of the dump, or open the tray from Replace to swap it into a chosen slide.
The footer says it plainly: nothing here is deleted, these photos are only left out of this dump.
What does Strewn do when a file cannot be read?
A photo that fails to load is skipped and counted as unreadable, kept at the end of the list instead of stopping the sort. You see the count on the sorting screen along with the bursts folded and the chaos slot found.
Does it touch my photo library?
No. Strewn works on copies it makes of the photos you pick (resized to 1600 px, stored in its own space). The Remove button in the editor sends a slide to Set aside. Deleting a dump removes only Strewn's copies. Me, then Your data, shows what is stored and offers a full wipe of Strewn data with a typed confirmation.
When would I want a twin back?
Bursts hide small differences: a blink, a gust of hair, a better smile. If the sharpest frame is not your favorite, open Set aside and swap the twin in. Strewn picks by sharpness, you pick by feeling.
Frequently asked questions
Is a near-duplicate the same as a burst?
Strewn treats both the same way. If two photos look almost identical and sit next to each other, only the sharpest stays in the dump.
Can I get a folded photo back?
Yes. Every folded photo sits in Set aside, and one tap adds it back to the dump.
Will Strewn delete the originals from Photos?
No. Strewn cannot change or delete anything in your photo library.
What does Extra mean in Set aside?
Extra marks a photo you picked that did not fit into the slide count you chose. Raise the count or add it manually.
