Tools I Find Useful: Auslogics Duplicate File Finder

      I’ve got an every changing pile of files on my computer. Add some, for various reasons. Remove some, usually because their reason is now past. From what I can tell, most people do the same, even as the details vary between people.

      Over time, this adding and removing of files will lead to duplicates. Downloaded twice, without realizing it. Accidentally held down control while dragging. Copied some images for a project, then forgot to delete them. Whatever the reason, unless care is taken, duplicates will slip into the pile of files.

      Depending on the situation, there are a variety of tools to help manage these duplicates. For images, you’re often more interested in similar files then true duplicates. Likewise with audio, although that will take a different tool. But for finding files that are 100% identical I use Auslogics Duplicate File Finder.

Using Auslogics Duplicate File Finder

      Select the directories you want to search, decide what to ignore, and then let it go. When the results come back, select the duplicates you don’t want anymore, before clicking ‘Delete Selected Files’ at the bottom.

      The ability to ignore files based on certain characteristics can be useful. For example, I always have it ignore the dates and file names. If the file somehow got renamed, I want to know about it. Likewise, if it was downloaded twice the date would be different, so I also want to know about that. I find the ability to ignore files based on either being too small or too large less useful, but it does have it’s moments.

      And knowing the files found are in fact duplicates, and not just similar, does make it pretty easy to sort through the results. If it’s not a situation in which you want duplicates, toss all but one in each group. There being a right click option to ‘Select One in Each Group’ helps in doing that.

      Not a tool I use often. Maybe once a month, if that. But when it’s used, it can be very useful.

Desired Duplicates

      Which does bring us to why you would want duplicates. Backups, system files, installed programs sharing libraries, etc. There are a variety of reasons.

      When I am working on a coding project, the version control method I use creates copies of the source files. Having these duplicates around gives me the ability to look backwards through my work, which has value.

      While I have never done a search for duplicates in the ‘Program Files’ or ‘Windows’ directories, I would expect there to be many duplicates there. Common libraries packaged with multiple programs seems a likely culprit. Not to mention the whole ‘WinSxS‘ system.

      Just because it’s a duplicate doesn’t mean it needs to be deleted. Some serve useful purposes. Others are a waste of space. Which is why it’s nice to have tools that will find the duplicates, so you can then decide what to do about them.

Alternatives

      As with files, so to with programs. Multiple people have duplicated this same function. I can’t say which of the various tools is the ‘best‘, just that I like the one I use. You may well like a different one. And to be fair, I don’t use the current version of Auslogics Duplicate File Finder. The version I have works well enough, why update. The tendency for bloat and feature creep as software ages is all too common.

      In case you missed any of the links above: Auslogics Duplicate File Finder can be found at auslogics.com/en/software/duplicate-file-finder/