Mac GuideDuplicate Files
Finding and clearing copies: content matching, the (1) and copy suffixes, duplicate finders, and cleanup during a rename
Mac Guide
General GuideDeduplicate First, Rename Once: Handling Copies in a Batch
Renaming a folder before clearing its duplicates doubles the work and hides which file is the copy. How to detect copies by content and deal with them in the same pass.8 min read
General GuideThe Downloads Folder Is a Duplicate Factory: How to Clear It
Why the same file ends up in Downloads three times, how to tell the real copies from files that merely share a name, and a cleanup that leaves usable filenames behind.6 min read
General GuideDuplicate Invoice Files: The Same Invoice, Filed Twice
Duplicate invoice files are a filing problem, not an accounts payable one. Where the copies come from, what content matching catches, and what still needs a human.8 min read
General GuideDuplicate Mark: Flag Copies Instead of Deleting Them
A Naming Block that labels a copy in its filename, so duplicates sort next to their originals and someone decides later. When marking beats deleting.6 min read
General GuideDuplicate Scanned PDFs: Why the Same Page Scans Twice
Two scans of one page are two different files, so duplicate finders never pair them. What a content check does catch, and how to make repeats visible instead.7 min read
General GuideWhy Your Files Are Named copy, (1) and (2)
Where the copy, (1), and - Copy suffixes come from, why they say nothing about a file's contents, and how to clear the real duplicates without deleting the wrong file.7 min read
General GuideFind Duplicate Files by Content: shasum and Get-FileHash
Compare files by checksum instead of by name or size. Copy-paste commands for macOS and Windows, how to read the output, and where hashing stops working.7 min read
Mac GuideDuplicate Photos on Mac: Exact Copies vs Similar Shots
The Photos Duplicates album, a content check for loose image files, and similar-shot culling are three different jobs. Which tool solves which, and what none of them do.6 min read
Mac GuideHow to Find and Remove Duplicate Files on Mac (5 Methods)
Find duplicate files on Mac with Finder, a Terminal hash check, the Photos Duplicates album, a dedicated finder, or a renaming pass that clears copies as it works.9 min read
Windows Guide