How to Find And Delete Duplicate Files in Windows 10, 11

Why need to find and delete duplicate files in Windows 10?

Duplicate files can accumulate over time through various activities such as downloading, copying, and creating backups. These redundant files not only waste storage space, but can also slow down your system's performance. 

In addition, having duplicate files can make it difficult to find the version you need. Remove duplicates files can create a more organized file system. And duplicate files can lead to confusion, especially if only one version is changed and not the others. So, it is necessary to find and delete duplicate files in Windows 10/11.

3 ways - Find and delete duplicate files in Windows 10/11

Next, I will show you HOW to find and delete duplicate files in Windows 10, including Windows built-in tools and the excellent Windows duplicate files finder.

▶ Way 1. Find and delete duplicate files with Indexing Options

Using the Indexing Options to find and remove duplicate files in Windows 10 is not a straightforward method. The Indexing option is primarily used to speed up file searches by creating an index of file contents. However, you can use it indirectly to help find duplicates through advanced search filters.

Step 1. Open the search bar, type "Indexing Options" and select it from the search results.

Step 2. Click "Modify" button and select "Show all locations".

Step 3. Check each checkbox and click "OK" button.

Step 4. Press "Win + E" to open File Explorer and navigate to the drive or folder where you want to search for duplicates.

Step 5. In the search bar of File Explorer, type content: [search term]. Replace [search term] with a specific term or extension (e.g., *.txt, *.jpg, etc.) associated with the type of file you are looking for. File Explorer will display a list of files that match your search criteria.

Step 6. Click the column headings to sort the files by name or size. This can help identify duplicate items with similar names or sizes.

Step 7. Right-click on one of the selected files and click "Delete" from the context menu.

▶ Way 2. Find and delete duplicate files by using Command Prompt

Using Command Prompt to find and delete duplicate files in Windows 10 involves a more advanced approach. This method allows you to utilize built-in command-line tools to perform the task. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Type "cmd" or "Command Prompt" and select it from the search results to open it.

Step 2. Use the cd command to navigate to the drive or folder where you want to search for duplicates. For example, to navigate to the Documents folder, you would type: cd Documents.

Step 3. Use the following command to find duplicate files, which will search for and delete duplicate files within the current directory and its subdirectories:

● for /f "delims=" %A in ('dir /b /s /a-d | sort') do @(

 ●  if "%previous%"=="%~nA" (
 ●    echo Duplicate: %~nA
●     echo Deleting: %A
●     del "%A%"
●   ) else (
●   set "previous=%~nA"
●   )
● )

Step 4. The command will display a list of duplicate files and prompt you to confirm their deletion. Carefully review the list before proceeding.

Step 5. Type “Y” and press Enter to confirm the deletion of each duplicate file.

▶ Way 3. Alternative apps to find and delete duplicate files on Windows 10 

If you are trying to find an easier and more efficient way to locate and remove duplicate files from your computer, then AOMEI Partition Assistant for Cleanup is the perfect solution. It can quickly find and remove duplicate files on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11 to free up more disk space and make your computer run faster.

Compared to way 1 and way 2, Windows duplicate files provides a user graphical interface that makes the process of searching for duplicate files more intuitive. It is also much easier to use, you just need to click it.

AOMEI Partition Assistant for Cleanup

Free Up Disk Space To Keep Your PC Running Smoothly and Efficiently

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Windows PCs and Servers

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant for Cleanup. Click the "Find Duplicate Files" tab.

Step 2. You can either click "Scan Now" to start the scan of your system C: drive. Or, click "Custom Scan" to manually select paths to be scanned. (Here, we take the "Custom Scan" as an example.)

Step 3. After clicking "Custom Scan", all local and external drives on your PC will be displayed. You can also click the "Add Path" button, and then a browse folder window will pop up. So you can add more paths on this PC, like Desktop, Downloads, and other folder paths.

Step 4. Once necessary paths are added, you can click the "Scan Now" button to start the scan process.

The scan process might take time. After the scan is complete, all duplicate files will be listed. You can click the button behind to locate them.

You can either manually select duplicate files, or click the "Smart Select" button to automatically select unnecessary duplicate files to delete.

Tips: If the "Smart Select" is ticked, only the oldest duplicate file will be unticked. It means that all duplicate files except the oldest one will be ticked to delete. (The oldest file means the file that was created first. This file will not be deleted. All other duplicate files are considered copies of the oldest file. )

If you manually select all copies of duplicate files, you will get a pop-up warning window to keep at least one copy of the duplicate files. If you indeed want to delete all copies of duplicate files, you can click "OK" so all copies of duplicate files will be selected to delete.  

After unnecessary duplicate files are selected, please click the "Clean Now" button to start the deletion.

Step 5. The deletion might take time. After the process is finished, the selected files will be deleted, and you will get a cleaning completed window displaying how much data you deleted in total. 

Conclusion

Windows 10 find and delete duplicate files is crucial for optimizing system performance and maintaining a clutter-free environment. By using built-in tools or third-party software, you can regain valuable storage space and enjoy a smoother computing experience.

FAQs about find and delete duplicate files in Windows 10

There are some frequently asked questions about find and delete duplicate files that you can refer to:

✦ Is it safe to delete duplicate files?

Yes, it is generally safe to delete duplicate files. However, it's important to exercise caution and review the files carefully before deletion. Make sure that you're not deleting any important or critical files by mistake.

✦ How often should I perform duplicate file management?

It's advisable to perform duplicate file management on a regular basis, especially after significant file transfers, downloads, or updates to your system. This helps prevent the accumulation of unnecessary duplicate files, which can clutter your storage space and potentially affect your system's performance. Setting a routine, such as monthly or quarterly checks, can help you maintain an organized and efficient file system.

✦ If I accidentally delete the wrong duplicate items, can I recover the files?

Yes, you can. AOMEI Partition Assistant can not only help you find and delete duplicate files, but it can also recover accidentally deleted files to avoid important data loss.