Find duplicate files on Windows

The same photo in two folders under different names, or a backup full of copies you already have: duplicates waste space and hide the files you need. Here is how to find them by content.

Compare content, not names

Two files with the same name can differ, and two files with different names can be identical. A reliable check looks at the content, usually through a hash, a fingerprint that is the same for identical files.

Option 1: PowerShell

In PowerShell, from the folder you want to check:

Get-ChildItem -Recurse -File | Get-FileHash | Group-Object Hash | Where-Object Count -gt 1

Each result group is a set of identical files. On large folders this reads every file and can take a while. PowerShell only lists them; you delete by hand, so make sure you keep one copy of each.

Option 2: Folvane duplicates view

1. Choose two folders and compare them.
2. Open the duplicates view. It finds identical files across both folders by content, not by name.
3. Pick the copies you do not need. They are moved to the Recycle Bin, and one file always stays.

Because they go to the Recycle Bin, you can still restore a copy if you picked wrong.

Honest limits

• Folvane works with the two folders you select. It is not a scan of your whole drive.
• Identical content means the same bytes. Two similar photos (resized, edited, re-saved) are different files and are not found.
• Check before removing: a file may be used by a program or a project in a specific place even though a copy exists elsewhere.

Frequently asked questions

Does Folvane find duplicates by name or by content?

By content. Identical files are found even if their names differ.

Can Folvane delete all copies by mistake?

No. Copies are moved to the Recycle Bin and one file always stays.

Does it find similar photos?

No. Only files with identical content. Resized or edited versions count as different files.

Does it work offline?

Yes. Folvane needs no internet connection, no account and sends no data.

Folvane

Folvane – €9.99, one-time. Windows 10 (1809+) and 11 · x64 and ARM64 · English and German · One-time purchase, no subscription

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