How to Find Duplicate Files in Windows.

In this tutorial you'll find instructions on how to find and remove duplicate files in Windows. Regardless of the device we use, we often manage many files and folders. It's also no secret that over time (perhaps months or even years) our phones and computers accumulate duplicate information, which not only takes up space but also causes our devices to slow down.

In this scenario, the best you can do is to find the duplicate files and delete them or transfer them to another device as a backup. But where and how to find the duplicate files in the first place? In this guide, we will show you various methods of finding duplicate files in Windows.

How to Find and Remove Duplicate Files in Windows.

• Method 1. Find Duplicate Files Manually.
• Method 2. Find Duplicate Files with a Free Third-Party program.

Method 1. Find & Remove Duplicate Files Manually using File Explorer.

Windows does not offer an easy way to find and remove duplicate files, because the only way to accomplish this task, is to search for or to find duplicate files manually, by using one of the following ways in File Explorer:

Way 1. Locate Duplicate Files using Details View.

1. Change the View to Details.

2. Click on "Name" column to sort files by Name.

3. Locate and remove duplicate files using the information shown in their details. (Size, Created or Modified Date, etc.).

Way 2. Locate Duplicate Files using Preview Pane.

1. Open two separate File Explorer windows for the folders you want to find duplicate files.
2. From View tab, activate the "Preview pane" in both windows.

3. Open files separately in each window and compare their content at the Preview pane.

Way 3. Using Duplicate Files using Search feature.

If you already have some prior information about the files, the search pane in File Explorer can locate the files for you in no time.

1. Simply launch File Explorer and head over to This PC.
2. Now type any detail of your targeted file and hit Enter. (For example: if you are looking for duplicates of a PDF file, you can search for ".pdf").
3. Then change the View to Details and sort the results by Name to locate the duplicate files.

Method 2. Find & Remove Duplicate Files using Free Duplicate File Finder programs.

The second and easier method to find duplicate files in Windows is to install a Duplicate Finder program that makes the job easier.

Below are some FREE Duplicate Finder programs to help you easily locate and remove duplicate files on your PC.

CCLEANER.

CCleaner is one of the most popular tools out there because it not only helps you clean your computer from unwanted programs, but also offers a duplicate file finder tool to easily locate and remove duplicate files in Windows.

1. Head over to the official page of CCleaner and install the Free Version.
2. Once installed, open the program and select Tools from the left panel. Then choose Duplicate Finder.

3. Now, simply select the drive (or drives) you want to search for duplicate files (or click the Add button to include a specific location) and click Search to start the scan. *

* Note: You can also filter the searches by check-marking/unchecking the options in the right pane.

4. After scanning Finally, select the files that you want to delete and click on the Delete Selected button to proceed.

GLARY DUPLICATE CLEANER

Glary Duplicate Cleaner is another free duplicate finder program that let you to easily find and remove duplicates in Windows.

1. Download and install Glary Duplicate Cleaner.
2. Launch the program and choose where to search for duplicates (drives or folders), and use the Options to customize the search. When done, click Scan.

3. Once the scanning is completed, choose the duplicate files and remove them.

AUSLOGICS DUPLICATE FILE FINDER

Another easy to use tool to search and remove duplicate files in Windows is the Auslogics Duplicate File Finder.

1. Download and install Auslogics Duplicate File Finder. *

* Note: During installation avoid to install any other software offered in the installer.

2. After installation, open the program, select where to search for duplicate files, select for which file types to search for and click Search.

3. Once the search completes, select the delete the duplicates files found.

Final Note: In addition to the above free duplicate file finders, you can try the following: DupeKill, Duplicate Cleaner Pro, DoubleKiller.

That's it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.

If this article was useful for you, please consider supporting us by making a donation. Even $1 can a make a huge difference for us in our effort to continue to help others while keeping this site free:

• Author
• Recent Posts

Konstantinos Tsoukalas

Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of Wintips.org. Since 1995 he works and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

Latest posts by Konstantinos Tsoukalas (see all)

• How to Send Automatic Replies in Outlook with an Office365/Exchange Account. - December 6, 2023
• How to Send Automatic Replies in Outlook with POP3/IMAP Accounts. - December 4, 2023
• How to Easy Update to Windows 11 23H2 on Unsupported Hardware. - November 29, 2023