A comprehensive list of the 15 best duplicate file finder tools will help accurately find and remove duplicates from Windows 11/10/8/7 and older versions.
Have you ever encountered a situation where you wanted to save an important document or program and received a “low storage” message? Seeing such pop-up messages is annoying and frustrating. But you can’t delete just any file to get rid of it, right? Then what do you do?
The best way to make space on your computer is to find and remove duplicate files which unnecessarily take up unwanted space. But can you find them manually? If you can, do you have that much time and patience? We understand that no one has that much free time to sift through hundreds and thousands of photos. This is why we have enlisted the top 15 duplicate file remover tools that you can use to detect and clean duplicates from your PC.
Before we learn about these tools, let’s understand how a duplicate finder tool works.
What Is A Duplicate Finder Tool?
As the name suggests, duplicate file finders are software designed to find and remove duplicates. Whether the same file is downloaded repeatedly or duplicates are created due to some glitch, a duplicate file remover efficiently finds and deletes duplicates.
Some tools, like Duplicate Files Fixer, are designed to scan external and internal storage drives, cloud storage like Google Drive and Dropbox, and even scan for duplicate EML files, scan mobile phones, and clean empty folders. In contrast, others allow scanning and cleaning duplicates from the PC and external hard drives only.
Once this simple yet effective tool is used, you can free up space, boost your PC’s performance, manage files, save time, and keep the system duplicate-free.
How Does Duplicate File Fixer Tools Work?
Duplicate file fixer tools have an intelligent algorithm to identify duplicates based on content. These tools don’t mark a file as a copy because they have a similar name. These tools check the content, file format, size, and other parameters to mark them as duplicates. When a duplicate file is detected during the scan, these tools show a list of duplicates with a preview allowing users to verify if the file is duplicated and allows cleaning them to free up space.
Some duplicate cleaners are part of a system tweaking tool, while others are standalone. It is up to the user which they prefer to use. However, we recommend using a separate duplicate file fixer. Thinking why?
It is because when the focus is on performing a single task, it is done more efficiently than multiple tasks simultaneously. This concept works for both products and humans.
Must Read: Duplicate Files: A Study of their Detection and Management
List of Best Duplicate File Finder & Remover Tools for Windows PC
1. Systweak Duplicate Files Fixer
Best for – Finding duplicate files from PC, external storage, Google Drive, and Dropbox and removing Empty folders and duplicate emails.
Rating – 9.5
Latest Version – 1.2.1.523
Price – $39.95 per year
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – Yes 60-days
File Size – 17 MB
First on our list of best duplicate file finder software for Windows is Duplicate Files Fixer. Developed and designed by Systweak Software, the tool helps detect duplicate files, photos, videos, music, and other file types from PC, Google Drive, Dropbox, connected mobile devices, and external devices. Moreover, it helps delete empty folders and scans for duplicate EML files. You can even use it to perform custom scans and see the space you can recover after cleaning duplicates. It even allows automatically marking of duplicate files leaving one in each group unchecked, which helps save time and avoids frustration.
Key Features:
- One-click scanning and auto-marking duplicates.
- Scan PC, external storage, Google Drive, Dropbox, and duplicate EML files.
- Delete empty folders.
Pros –
- Preview scan results.
- Different scanning and viewing options.
Cons –
- The trial version does not allow cleaning all duplicates. It is limited to cleaning 15 files.
2. Auslogics Duplicate File Finder
Best for – scanning external drives for duplicates and cleaning them for free.
Rating – 9.0
Latest Version – 10.0.0.3
Price – Free
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – Free
File Size – 17.3 MB
If you are looking for the best free tool to detect the same files, Auslogics Duplicate File Finder is just the try tool. The software gives you complete control to mention the file types to look for. You can quickly sift through the search results and delete copies of the files. The software compares the file content and uses MD 5 engine to show accurate results. You can either send the duplicates to Recycle Bin or can delete it permanently to restore storage space and make data easily accessible. The tool is easy to use and finds all types of duplicate files.
Key Features:
- Customize scanning using filters.
- Multi-lingual
- Check for executable duplicate files.
Pros –
- Freely available.
- Rescue center to restore files.
Cons –
- A deep scan is missing, making the tool miss out on some duplicates.
3.CCleaner
Best for – PC optimization and cleaning duplicate files.
Rating – 8.5
Latest Version – 6.14.10584
Price – $ 29.95
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – 30 days
File Size – 54.1 MB
Number three on our list of duplicate finder tools is CCleaner. Although the product gained bad press a few years ago, the company has always worked to make the best product in the industry. CCleaner is a PC optimization tool with a module to clean duplicate files. You can use the software to perform different operations. Regarding identifying and cleaning duplicate files, the duplicate cleaner detects duplicate pictures, videos, docs, and other file types. It even finds similar photos and shows a preview of each detected file.
Key Features:
- Three different options to remove duplicates.
- Detects duplicates from PC, external driver, SD card, etc.
- Scans for duplicate files by content or name
Pros –
- The software receives regular updates.
- Customizable scanning.
Cons –
- The free version has ads.
4. Easy duplicate file finder
Best for – finding and removing duplicates without wasting memory resources.
Rating – 8.0
Latest Version – 7.24.0.43
Price – $39.95
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – 30 days
File Size – 30.6 MB
Easy Duplicate Finder by WebMinds is another top duplicate cleaner software. The tool gives you the option to include and exclude folders. You can choose from different scan modes to scan OneDrive, Google Drive, external hard drivers, and internal hard drives. Also, you can set file size limits, preview scan results, see the amount of space you can recover after cleaning duplicates, and organize your files. Moreover, can decide whether to move duplicates to Recycle Bin or permanently delete them. Using the trial version, you can remove only 10 duplicates.
Key Features:
- Undo feature to undelete files. (The action can be performed only during the current session).
- Compare two duplicate folders.
- Duplicate email scanning.
Pros –
- Save scan results and use them later.
- Multiple scan modes and different methods to remove duplicates.
Cons –
- Previewing is limited, and the app also crashes sometimes.
5. AllDup
Best for – finding duplicates for free
Rating – 8.0
Latest Version – 4.5.48
Price – Free
Trial Version – N/A
Money Back Guarantee – N/A
File Size – 22.0 MB
This professional duplicate finder and cleaner software look for duplicates saved on your hard drive. You can customize scanning to search for duplicates using the file name, extension, size, or content. Moreover, you can scan for similar pictures, music files, and file names using this excellent duplicate finder and preview the scan results to check the content of files before you delete them from the PC. Also, you can perform a search for duplicate files inside archives.
Key Features:
- Exclude entire folders or specific files from the search.
- Save and restore search results.
- Moves files to Recycle Bin for safety.
Pros –
- Search an unlimited number of folders and files for duplicates.
- Export search results to CSV format.
Cons –
- Scanning sometimes is slow.
6. dupeGuru
Best for – searching duplicates based on different parameters.
Rating – 7.5
Latest Version – 4.3.1
Price – Free
Trial Version – N/A
Money Back Guarantee – N/A
File Size – 30.8 MB
Another free tool that helps find duplicate files is dupeGuru. This advanced duplicate file finder helps customize parameters and detect file copies. Its advanced features allow you to find duplicate music, files, and similar pictures. The software is easy, fast, and efficient to use. You can detect duplicates with similar filenames or content and do whatever you want with duplicate files. The software finds duplicate files and allows moving or copying the data to a different location. You can sort results in multiple ways to avoid false positives.
Key Features:
- Special music mode to filter out duplicate music files.
- Find duplicates even when filenames are not the same.
- Picture mode to detect similar photos.
Pros –
- Cross-platform GUI tool to detect duplicates.
- Customizable duplicate cleaner
Cons –
- Beginners sometimes find the tool difficult.
7. Wise Duplicate Finder
Best for – comparing files and finding duplicates.
Rating – 7.7
Latest Version – 2.0.2
Price – $ 19.95
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – 60 days
File Size – 9.44 MB
As time goes on, we fill up the hard drive with different file types without realizing we are cluttering it with duplicate files. With Wise Duplicate Finder, locate and remove these unnecessary files and free up disk space. The duplicate file cleaner scans the PC for duplicate files, groups them, and gives you the control to remove them. You can analyze the result and then can decide whether to delete the copies or not. Also, if anything goes wrong, you can use the backup and restore feature.
Must Read: How to Avoid Duplicate Files While Creating a Backup
Key Features:
- Find similar and duplicate docs, photos, videos, and other duplicates.
- Scan PC, SD card, cloud storage, etc.
- Customize selection using the 8 rules.
Pros –
- Three different comparison modes for accurate results.
- Detects duplicates based on MD 5 and matching file content.
Cons –
- When using the Exact Match mode, the scanning speed declines.
8. Cisdem duplicate finder
Best for – accurately finding duplicates.
Rating – 7.5
Latest Version – 2.9.5
Price – $ 19.99
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – 30 days
File Size – 32.9 MB
When you want to find duplicate files with identical content irrespective of name, Cisdem Duplicate Finder is the tool for you. This best duplicate file finder tool with 100% accuracy finds and helps delete exact duplicates. You can scan for specific file types or sizes and set up an exclusion list to avoid scanning specific files and folders. Moreover, you can scan external and network volumes for duplicates.
Key Features:
- Detect and remove similar images.
- Grouped results to easily clean duplicates.
- Auto-select duplicates.
Pros –
- Scan external and cloud storage.
- Customizable and easy to use.
Cons –
- The preview of scan results is not clear.
9. CloneSpy
Best for – recovering space and deleting duplicate files
Rating – 7.0
Latest Version – 3.43
Price – Free
Trial Version – N/A
Money Back Guarantee – N/A
File Size – 4.55 MB
When struggling with space issues on your Windows PC, use CloneSpy, the free duplicate file removal tool. The software detects duplicate files, photos, videos, etc, and helps clean them effortlessly. Using it, you can look for duplicates with identical names, similarity only in the name, and zero-byte documents. Moreover, it allows erasing copies of repetitive documents, moving them to a specific folder, and more. Also, you can fabricate checksum documents using it and check the PC for duplicates.
Key Features:
- Find zero-byte files.
- Look for duplicates with similar names, titles, and sizes.
- Move unnecessary files to a specific location.
Pros –
- Quick scan results.
- Different filtration options to identify duplicates accurately.
Cons –
- The interface is complicated.
10. SearchMyFiles
Best for – searching and removing duplicates
Rating – 6.7
Latest Version – 3.22
Price – Free
Trial Version – N/A
Money Back Guarantee – N/A
File Size – 148 KB (zipped file)
An alternative to file searching on Windows, SearchMyFiles is another easy way to find duplicates on Windows. To use, you need to change the Search Mode to Duplicate search and then can set preferences to find duplicates. You can search for files based on file wildcard, modifies/created/last accessed time, and other file attributes. The tool performs the search in 2 stages. Stage 1 scans the files and folders according to the settings, and in stage 2, the scanned files are compared to show accurate duplicates. Each group of duplicates is marked with a different color, and you can also see the number of files detected.
Key Features:
- Criteria-based scanning for duplicates.
- Grouped results.
- Portable duplicate file cleaner.
Pros –
- Free duplicate finder and cleaner.
- Different search options.
Cons –
- Not user-friendly
11. Ashisoft Duplicate File Finder
Best for – Thoroughly searching storage devices & comparing files to find duplicates accurately.
Rating – 6.7
Latest Version – 8.1.0.1
Price – $32.95
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – No
File Size – 2.9 MB
When you have hundreds and thousands of duplicates saved on your system, falling short of space is bound to happen. The best way to deal with this situation is to use Ashisoft’s Duplicate File Finder tool that performs byte-level comparison, making dealing with duplicates easy. With the intelligent algorithm the tool uses, you can identify all types of duplicates regardless of name and file format. Also, you can clean duplicates from cloud storage, protect important files, view photos, and scan results side by side using the built-in viewer and clean the system from unneeded duplicates in no time.
Key Features:
- Find and remove duplicate photos, videos, and songs.
- Compare folders.
- Scan Google Drive and Dropbox for duplicates.
Pros –
- Protect and exclude folders from scanning.
- Different filters to effectively scan storage drives.
Cons –
- Cannot scan subfolders. You need to add them for scanning manually.
12. XYplorer
Best for – managing files but has some capabilities for comparing files.
Rating – 6
Latest Version – 24.70.0000
Price – $34.95
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – No
File Size – 5.3 MB
Although a Windows file manager, XYplorer has made its way to this list of best duplicate finder and remover tools because of its ability to find duplicates accurately. Using its duplicate finder feature, you can thoroughly search for duplicates and easily remove them to free up space and manage data. You can even group different types of duplicates and optionally ignore serial numbers and strings. When this option is enabled, files like test.txt, test(1).txt, test(2), and test – copy (3).txt so on will be identified as duplicates.
Key Features:
- Animated GIF preview
- Auto-rotated image preview
- Scriptable and portable file manager
Pros –
- Configurable, fast, and effective tool.
- Frequent and regular updates.
Cons –
- At times, the app is unresponsive.
13. Duplicate Cleaner Pro
Best for – Tidying up music collection, photos, and other files.
Rating – 6
Latest Version – 5.19.0.0.
Price – $ 39.00
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – N/A
File Size – 62.6
Manually finding duplicates is time-consuming, but with the best duplicate file finder tool, Duplicate Cleaner Pro, you can quickly sort your files, images collection, and music files. The tool helps find duplicates saved within zip files, virtual folders, snapshots, etc. It comes with a built-in image browser that allows you to preview pictures side by side for comparison. Also, it lists details of all audio files, including length, bit rate, and sample rate. To delete these files, you can simplify the task using Selection Assistance.
Key Features:
- Four scanning modes to detect duplicates.
- Drive and folder comparison
- Scan portable media devices like smartphones and MP3 players.
Pros –
- Easy to use
- Accurately find duplicate music, photos, and documents.
Cons –
- The trial expires in just 7 days
14. Fast Duplicate File Finder
Best for – finding and clearing duplicates from PC for Free.
Rating – 6
Latest Version – 6.3.0.1
Price – Free
Trial Version – N/A
Money Back Guarantee – N/A
File Size – 10.7 MB
This duplicate cleaner is available in two versions. If you want, you can use the free version. However, if you want to enjoy the advanced features, you can upgrade to the Professional version, which will cost you $39.95. Like other duplicate removal tools explained above, this one allows you to preview scan results, auto-check duplicates, locate files in File Explorer, save and load projects and do more. Unlike the free version of CCleaner has ads, Fast Duplicate File Finder does not show any ads or SPAMS the PC. You can even save the search results and analyze them later to decide what to keep and delete.
Key Features:
- Find duplicates saved in different locations.
- Run a scan in the background.
- Search for duplicates based on content.
Pros –
- Safe to use. It does not scan system files or folders.
- No limitation on the number of files, folders, and drives you can scan.
Cons –
- Quite an old user interface.
15. Duplicate File Detective
Best for – cleaning duplicates from network-enabled devices
Rating – 5.5
Latest Version – 7.2.69.0
Price – $ 60.00
Trial Version – Yes
Money Back Guarantee – No
File Size – 25.0
While going through the data saved on your PC, if you find that several duplicate files are taking up storage space, the best to deal with them is to use a duplicate cleaner. Duplicate File Detector is a duplicate remover tool that helps find and delete copies of files without any problem. You can search for duplicate music files, photos, documents, and archives using it.
Key Features:
- Find exact duplicates.
- Built-in scheduler for scheduled scanning.
- File hash cashing for quick folder comparison
Pros –
- Remove empty folders.
- Replace duplicates with hard links or shells.
Cons –
- The command line interface is a bit complicated to use.
Why use a tool to remove duplicate files?
The primary reason is that Windows does not have a built-in tool to detect and clean tools. In addition, duplicates must be removed to boost system performance, free up space, and keep data organized.
As time passes and you keep using the PC, it gets slower. This may be partly related to hardware upgrades, but another primary reason is cluttered hard drives. Too many files on your drive make the system run out of disk space and resources. Due to this, it takes time to perform a job and costs you time leading to frustration.
But are all files important? Not all, and you can only understand it when you run a scan for duplicates. Once you perform a scan, you will be shocked to see the results and the number of duplicate files on your hard drive. To prevent such issues and to save time, avoid deleting incorrect files, and keep the system optimized using a duplicate file cleaner to remove duplicate videos, photos, music, and files is required.
You can pick any of the tools from the list above. However, if you are looking for our recommendation, the number 1 tool on the list Duplicate Files Fixer, is our pick. Try it and let us know how it performed in the comments section. However, if you selected another tool, let us know why and what you like in the software.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post and are now clear about which duplicate file finder is best to keep your Windows optimized and duplicate-free.
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[Important] 10 Things to Keep in Mind While Removing Duplicate Files
