5 Ways to Clean Up Duplicate Files from Windows PC
Duplicate files somehow manage to clog storage space and cause a lot of confusion. The reason for this is that you will have difficulty identifying the correct files. Additionally, your PC’s storage is significantly reduced. As a result, you will eventually need to take the critical step of cleaning up duplicate files on your computer. You’ll have to put in the effort to check a variety of file formats, including audio files, documents, photos, videos, software files, and more.
We understand how difficult it can be to identify duplicate files. As a result, we’ve developed some of the most effective methods for removing duplicate files.
How To Remove Duplicate Files and Folders From Your Computer?
Method No. 1 – Duplicate File Finder
To begin, use a specialist duplicate file removal tool for your Windows PC. Systweak’s Duplicate Files Fixer, for example, is widely regarded as one of the best duplicate file finders available for Windows.
First, let’s see how easy it is to locate and delete duplicates with Duplicate Files Fixer.
Step 1: Download and install Duplicate Files Fixer.
Step 2:
Scanall files on your computer for duplicates or pick specific files.
Step 3: Add files and folders to scan for duplicate files.
Step 4:
Clickon Scan Mode on the right-hand side to remove duplicate files from Google Drive, Dropbox, or select EML scan mode, as shown in the screenshot.
Step 5: Click the Scan for Duplicates button to begin the scan process. Wait for the scan to be completed.
Step 6: After scanning, duplicate files will be arranged. Here’s how to quickly select duplicate files.
Once all duplicate files have been identified, click the Automark option at the top. This ensures that all duplicate files are automatically marked in each group.
Duplicate Files Fixer also allows you to set automarking priorities based on your preferences.
Step 7:
Clickon each file type, review your selections, and unmark files as needed.
Step 8: Select duplicate files and click Delete Marked.
Why Use Duplicate Files Fixer?
– Scan all types of files.
– Exclude any folders or files you do not want included in the scan.
– View files before deleting them.
– Delete all empty folders.
– Include or exclude specific file types.
Method No. 2: File Explorer (via Indexing)
Using a duplicate file finder tool is the preferred (and even safer) method for removing duplicate files. However, if you do not want to use software or want to learn
Step 1:
In the Windows search bar, type Indexing, and click on Open.
Step 2:
Click on the Modify button.
Step 3: Select Show all locations.
Step 4: Check all boxes and click OK.
Step 5: Launch File Explorer on your computer.
Step 6: Access your user profile by navigating to This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users.
Step 7:
Changethe view layout of the file explorer to see the files. Click the Sort dropdown and select Name and Ascending.
Step 8: In the search bar, enter the name of the file extension to find duplicates. You may also want to look at the file name, modification date, and size.
Step 9: After identifying duplicates, click the Delete option.
Method No. 3: Windows PowerShell
This method uses Windows PowerShell to remove duplicate files from your computer.
Step 1: Press Windows + X.
Step 2: In the context menu, select Terminal (Admin).
Step 3: In the Windows Powershell window, enter set-location -path C:\.
Step 4: Copy and paste the following command. Enter the actual folder’s path instead of the Search and Location folders.
ls “(Search folder)” –recurse | get-filehash | group -property hash | where { $_.count -gt 1 } |% { $_.group } | Out-File -FilePath “(location folder)
Command Prompt
The above procedure will take some time to complete, depending on the number of files. Once the process is complete, open the.txt file to see where the duplicate files are.
Step 5:
Pastethe command below to automatically delete duplicate files. Again, replace the Search folder with the actual folder path.
ls “(Search folder)” -recurse | get-filehash | group -property hash | where { $_.count > 1 } |% { $_.group | select -skip 1 } | del
Method #4: Using Command Prompt
Run the command mentioned in the post on a small folder to obtain more precise results. Also, the commands listed below will work more effectively on similar files.
Step 1: Type cmd in the Windows search bar and select Run from the right-hand side menu.
One of the reasons why duplicate files may appear is when you have enabled automatic file syncing during backups. Cloud backup platforms like OneDrive, GoogleDrive, Dropbox, etc can create duplicate files when settings are not configured properly.
So, if you encounter a situation where your storage is clogged up with a lot of duplicate files, you can disable automatic sync or a feature like this on the cloud backup platform you are using. You can enable it once you have freed up your Windows computer from duplicate files.
To get an in-depth overview on all of the above steps, you can check out this post.
Closing stages
It is important that you keep a check on duplicate files on your computer. They don’t just eat away precious storage space, but also impact the system’s performance and create hindrances in managing files. If you found value in this post, do let us know in the comments section below.
FAQs on Removing Duplicate Files from a Windows PC
What are duplicate files, and why should they be removed?
Duplicate files are identical copies of the same file saved in different locations on your computer. Removing them frees up storage space, improves system performance, and keeps your files in order.
What is the best tool for removing duplicate files from Windows?
CCleaner, Duplicate Cleaner, and Auslogics Duplicate File Finder are some of the most popular duplicate file removal tools. Choose one that meets your requirements and has a user-friendly interface.
Can I manually remove duplicate files?
Yes, you can manually search for and delete duplicate files by comparing their names, sizes, or contents. However, this process can be time-consuming and prone to errors, especially with large