How To Find And Delete Duplicates On Mac

Duplicate files can take up valuable space on your Mac, slowing it down and making it harder to stay organized. Whether it’s duplicate photos, documents, or downloads, clearing them out can improve performance and free up storage. In this guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step methods to find and delete duplicates on your Mac.

Why Remove Duplicate Files?

Keeping your Mac free from duplicate files helps to:

• Free up storage space for important files.
• Improve system performance by reducing clutter.
• Enhance file organization for easy access.
• Prevent backup bloating on external drives or cloud storage.

1. Use Finder to Manually Find Duplicates

If you prefer a built-in method, Finder can help locate duplicate files:

1. Open Finder and go to the folder you suspect has duplicates (e.g., Documents, Downloads, or Desktop).
2. Click on File > New Smart Folder.
3. In the top-right corner, click + to set search filters.
4. Choose Kind (Documents, Images, Music, etc.) and sort files by Name or Date.
5. Look for identical files and delete them manually by moving them to Trash.

2. Remove Duplicate Photos in macOS Photos App

Duplicate images can consume a significant amount of space. To remove them:

1. Open Photos and go to the Library.
2. Click View > Show Duplicate Items (available in macOS Ventura and later).
3. Select duplicate images and click Merge Duplicates.
4. Empty the Recently Deleted album to permanently remove them.

3. Use Terminal Commands for Advanced Search

For tech-savvy users, Terminal can help identify duplicates:

1. Open Terminal (Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
2. Type the following command and press Enter:
   find ~/ -type f -exec md5 {} \; | sort | uniq -w32 -d
3. This will generate a list of duplicate files based on their checksum.
4. Navigate to the file locations and manually delete duplicates.

4. Use macOS Storage Management

Apple’s built-in Storage Management tool can also help:

1. Click Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage.
2. Click Manage to access Recommendations.
3. Review large files, documents, and downloads for potential duplicates.
4. Delete unnecessary duplicate files directly from this tool.

5. Third-Party Duplicate File Finders

For a faster and more efficient cleanup, consider using third-party apps such as:

• Gemini 2—Smart duplicate finder for photos, music, and documents.
• Duplicate File Finder—Scans external and internal drives.
• Easy Duplicate Finder—Uses AI to locate and delete duplicate files safely.

How To Use Gemini 2 To Remove Duplicates:

1. Download and install Gemini 2 from the Mac App Store.
2. Open the app and select Scan for Duplicates.
3. Review the scan results and confirm which files to delete.
4. Click Remove Selected to clean up your Mac.

6. Clear Duplicates in iTunes/Music App

Duplicate songs can clutter your Music library. To remove them:

1. Open Music (or iTunes on older macOS versions).
2. Click File > Library > Show Duplicate Items.
3. Sort and select the duplicate tracks you want to remove.
4. Right-click and choose Delete from Library.

7. Empty Trash & Optimize Your Mac

After deleting duplicate files, make sure to empty the Trash:

1. Right-click on Trash in the Dock.
2. Select Empty Trash to permanently remove duplicates.

Additionally, restart your Mac to ensure it runs smoothly after cleanup.

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Final Thoughts

Regularly clearing duplicate files helps keep your Mac organized, efficient, and clutter-free. Follow these seven methods to find and remove duplicates or let MacRepair Store do the hard work for you. Free up space today and boost your Mac’s performance!