macOS storage guide
How to delete duplicate files on Mac
Duplicates pile up quietly: a download you saved twice, photos imported from two devices, a project folder copied “just in case”. Here is how to find identical files on macOS and delete the extra copies without losing anything you need.
Where duplicate files come from
- Downloads — the same installer or PDF saved again as
file (1).pdf. - Photos and videos — the same shots imported from an iPhone, a camera card, and a messaging app.
- Backup-style folders — “Desktop old”, “Documents copy”, or an archive you unzipped twice.
- Synced folders — conflict copies created by cloud clients.
Duplicates are usually the safest space to reclaim: deleting an extra copy leaves the original untouched.
Method 1: find duplicates with Finder
- Open Finder and choose File > New Smart Folder.
- Click the + button and add a rule such as Name contains
copy, or Kind is Image. - Switch to list view and enable the Size column, then sort by size.
- Compare files with the same name and size, and keep the one in the folder you actually use.
Finder does not compare file contents, so treat matching name and size as a hint, not proof.
Method 2: confirm duplicates in Terminal
To be sure two files are truly identical, compare their checksums. Open Terminal and run:
shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/report.pdf ~/Desktop/report.pdfIf both lines start with the same long hash, the files are byte-for-byte the same and you can delete either one. To list checksums for a whole folder:
find ~/Downloads -type f -exec shasum -a 256 {} + | sortRepeated hashes next to each other are duplicates. This is accurate, but tedious across an entire disk.
Method 3: duplicates in the Photos app
On macOS Ventura and later, the Photos app has a Duplicates album in the sidebar. Open it and use Merge to combine matching photos while keeping the highest-quality version and its metadata.
The faster way: scan by content with DeleteIt
DeleteIt is a native macOS app that scans your disk and identifies duplicates by comparing file contents, not just names — so it catches copies that were renamed or moved to a different folder. Matches are grouped together with their size and location, you choose which copy to keep, and DeleteIt removes the rest.
Nothing is uploaded anywhere: the scan runs locally on your Mac. You can start with the free plan and clean up to 10 GiB before deciding to buy a license.
Find your duplicates in minutes
Download DeleteIt free and scan your Mac for identical files, large files, and caches.
How to delete duplicates safely
- Back up first, or at least keep the Trash full until you are sure nothing is missing.
- Keep the copy that lives where your apps expect it (a project folder, your Photos library).
- Do not delete files inside app bundles or
~/Libraryjust because they look repeated — apps often need identical support files. - Empty the Trash at the end; until then the space is not reclaimed.
Frequently asked questions
Does macOS have a built-in duplicate finder?
Only for photos: the Photos app shows a Duplicates album. For general files you need Finder smart folders, Terminal checksums, or a dedicated app.
Are files with the same name always duplicates?
No. Two different documents can share a name, and a duplicate can be renamed. Comparing contents (a checksum) is the reliable test.
Is it safe to delete duplicate files?
Yes, as long as you keep one copy and stay out of system and app support folders. Deleting a duplicate in Downloads or Desktop has no effect on the original.