Free Find / Delete Duplicate Files Utilities

Search for and remove identical files, MP3s, zero-length files, etc

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Free Find / Delete Duplicate Files Utilities

The free tools on this page will scan your system and present you with a list of duplicate (identical) files so that you can remove them to reclaim your hard disk space. They are particularly useful if you find yourself mysteriously (or otherwise) running out of hard disk space, and know that you have copies of the same files scattered all over your computer.

Some of the tools will actually check the contents of your files and compare them in order to determine if they are identical (rather than just looking for superficial things like same file names, dates or sizes). Other features typically include the ability to scan only for certain types of files (such as files with a certain pattern in their filenames, eg all files ending in .doc or .mp3, etc), the ability to rename duplicate files, delete to the Recycle Bin (where it can be undeleted if there is a mistake removing it), etc. They typically also give you an easy way to eliminate those duplicate files, so that you don't have to scour your hard disk folder-by-folder to manually delete them. (The tools that provide a byte-by-byte comparison also give you more confidence in deleting because you know for sure that you're not deleting some file that only looks superficially the same.)

Commercial products, like Heatsoft's CloneCleaner Pro are not listed below. Besides the usual features found in the free products, this program includes the ability to save your search criteria as favourites for use in the future, ability to look for dups over the network, smart marking and easy deletion, the ability to copy/move to a particular folder, customizability, etc.

In addition, if you are desperately short of hard disk space, the free or open source software on the Free Disk Usage Management and Reporting Software may also be useful. Those programs will help you identify which folder on your hard disk contains the largest or most files, or which file type occupies the most space, and so on.

Disclaimer

The information provided on this page comes without any warranty whatsoever. Use it at your own risk. Just because a program, book, document or service is listed here or has a good review does not mean that I endorse or approve of the program or of any of its contents. All the other standard disclaimers also apply.