- Duplicate files can crop up for all kinds of reasons: Maybe you downloaded a file, forgot it was there, and then downloaded it again; maybe you copied a folder of images and then never got around to getting rid of the originals. Whatever the reason, they clog up your disk space and shouldn't be left to gather dust.
- For the purposes of this guide we're going to use DupeGuru-it's Lifehacker's pick as the best duplicate file finder for Windows, and it's available for Mac and Linux as well. If you're not taken with DupeGuru, then some of the best alternatives are CCleaner and Duplicate Files Finder for Windows, and Gemini for Mac (another Lifehacker recommendation).
DupeGuru
- dupeGuru is a tool to find duplicate files on your computer. It can scan either filenames or contents. The filename scan features a fuzzy matching algorithm that can find duplicate filenames even when they are not exactly the same. dupeGuru runs on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
- After you've installed the software, the first screen you'll see is a fairly sparse one. Tap on the plus icon to choose the folders to scan for duplicates-choose your entire hard drive to go the whole hog and scan everything. Click 'Scan' and DupeGuru gets to work.
- Original files are marked in blue, with duplicates underneath, so tick individual files or select 'Mark' and 'Mark All' to tick everything at once. Files can be deleted, or copied or moved to another location for checking.You may have to wait some time, depending on the size of the selected folders, but eventually a list of matches appears on screen.
