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How to Find and Delete Duplicate Files on Mac [5 Quick Ways]
If your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air is constantly running out of storage, duplicate files are often the hidden culprit. Over time, downloads, backups, edits, and syncs quietly create multiple copies of the same files.
Learning how to find and delete duplicate files on Mac helps free up space, boost performance, and keep your system organized. This article explores the 5 quick, safe, and proven ways to find duplicates on Mac, from AI-powered tools to free manual methods.
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Part 1. Best Software to Find and Mass Remove All Duplicate Files on Mac Free [Fatest]
Manually searching for duplicates on macOS can be time-consuming and error-prone. This is where a professional duplicate file finder for Mac becomes the most efficient solution. Tenorshare Cleamio is an AI-powered duplicate file finder for Mac that helps you find and remove duplicate files in bulk, without risking important data. Cleamio can scan all types of duplicate files, such as documents, videos, photos, audio files, and more.
It works on both your Mac's internal storage and external drives, making it perfect for cluttered Macs. Thanks to smart MD5 detection and AI comparison, Cleamio accurately identifies duplicates and eliminates duplicate files on Mac without accidental deletion. Plus, it offers 15 free removals, so you can clean duplicate files on Mac quickly at no cost.
What Makes Cleamio Unique Compared to Other Methods?
- AI-powered & automatic detection (no manual checking)
- Supports all file types, not just photos
- Mass delete duplicate files on Mac in one click
- Safe removal with no accidental data loss
- Free duplicate file, large file, and junk file cleanup up to 15 files
- Faster and more accurate than Finder or Terminal commands
- More features: Mac app uninstaller, remove leftovers, batch rename files, and more
How to Search for and Mass Delete Duplicate Files on Mac Using Tenorshare Cleamio
- Download, install, and launch Tenorshare Cleamio on your Mac. Click "Duplicate Files" from the left menu.
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Select the folders you want to scan. You can pick common folders or add
multiple folders by clicking the "+" button.
(Optional) Before scanning, go to "Cleamio" then "Preferences" to choose file types, skip hidden files, or adjust photo similarity.
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Click "Scan." Cleamio displays duplicate files by type (photos, videos,
documents, audio, etc.) after scanning. They can be sorted into size,
date, or quantity.
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Select the duplicates you want to delete, or use "Auto Select" to safely
choose the largest or oldest files. Choose how to remove them (Trash or
permanent delete), then click "Remove."
Part 2. How to Find and Delete Duplicate Files on Mac for Free Manually
If you prefer free, built-in tools, macOS provides several manual ways to locate duplicate files on Mac. These methods work best for small libraries.
1. Find and Delete Duplicate Photos in the Photos App
The Photos app stores everything in one library and lets you manually review and remove duplicates safely. Even when Photos does not automatically detect every duplicate, you can still delete unwanted copies by checking albums, dates, and similar images.
Step to find and remove duplicate photos in Mac Photos:
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Open the Photos app on your Mac. In the sidebar, scroll down to Utilities section and click on Duplicates album.
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Review the detected duplicate photos. Select the duplicates you want to remove, then click "Merge" or press "Delete" key
Confirm deletion in the popup dialog
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To permanently remove, go to Recently Deleted in the sidebar, select items, and delete again.
Pros
- Completely free and built-in
- Safe merging preserves highest quality version
- Automatically detects exact duplicates
- Doesn't detect similar (but not identical) images
- Can't find duplicates in other folders
Cons
- Only works for photos/videos in Photos app
2. Search for and Remove Duplicate Music
The Music app (and iTunes on older Macs) includes a built-in "Show Duplicate Items" feature. It can list duplicates based on details like artist, album, and track name. You can also identify exact duplicates for more accurate results.
Steps:
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Open the Music or iTunes app.
Go to File > Library > Show Duplicate Items.
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To find exact duplicates, hold the Option key and click File > Library > Show Exact Duplicate Items.
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Review the list of duplicate songs. Select duplicates you want to delete (keep the highest quality version).
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Right-click and choose "Delete from Library". Confirm by clicking "Delete Song" > "Move to Trash".
Pros
- Native solution for music files
- Shows both similar and exact duplicates
- Displays file info (bitrate, size) to help choose which to keep
- Manual selection can be time-consuming for large libraries
- Doesn't work for other media types
Cons
- Only scans Music library, not other folders
3. Use Smart Folders in Finder to Search for Duplicate Files
Finder Smart Folders enable you to find duplicate files on Mac by sorting files by name, size, type, or date. This facilitates easier identification of duplicates, particularly in frequent problem areas such as the Downloads folder.
Steps:
Open Finder.
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Navigate to the Finder menu, choose "File", then "New Smart Folder".
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Press the Plus button in the upper right corner and select search parameters: Kind, Date, Name, File Type and other filters.
Sort the results by "Size."
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Now open files that share the same name or the same size, and compare them to confirm whether the content is duplicated.
Delete unwanted copies manually.
Pros
- Customizable search across any folders
- Can save and reuse search criteria
- No third-party software needed
- Very time-consuming for large numbers of files
- Risk of accidentally deleting wrong files
- Can't detect duplicates with different filenames
Cons
- Only finds files with similar names, not identical content
4. Mass Find Duplicate Files Using Terminal (Command Line)
Terminal can compare file hash values (like MD5). When files share the same hash value, they are identical copies. It is an effective technique when precise copies are needed, but it may be confusing to novices.
Steps:
Download a duplicate-finder script.
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Open "Terminal" in the "Applications" folder, then "Utilities."
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Type cd ~/\Foldername (such as cd ~/downloads) to access the directory where you want to find duplicate files.
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Run: "find ./ -type f -exec md5 {} ; | awk -F '=' '{print $2 "t" $1}' | sort | tee duplicates.txt" and press Enter. (This creates a list of duplicate paths in duplicates.txt.)
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Open the file: open duplicates.txt.
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Manually review and delete listed files via Finder or Terminal (rm /path/to/file---use carefully).
Pros
- Can scan entire system or specific folders
- Content-based detection (finds files with different names)
- Powerful for large-scale searches
- Can be scripted for automation
- Risk of deleting wrong files with rm command
- No visual interface or preview
- Slow for large directories
- Output can be difficult to interpret
Cons
- Requires technical knowledge
5. Check Mail Attachments & Storage Management
Apple Mail stores attachments locally, and duplicates can build up over time. Cleaning attachment folders can free a surprising amount of storage, especially if you receive many repeated PDFs, images, or documents.
Steps:
Open Finder.
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Press Shift + Command + G to open the "Go to Folder" window.
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Copy and paste the following path, then press "Return": ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads.
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Finder will open the "Mail Downloads" folder, which contains all attachments opened from Mail.
Sort by name/size, select duplicates, move to Trash.
Pros
- Built-in system tool
- Shows file sizes to prioritize big duplicates
- Safe deletion (Mail attachments remain in emails)
- Helps free up significant space quickly
- Doesn't scan all file locations
- Manual identification of duplicates
- Can't batch delete multiple items
Cons
- Limited to Mail attachments and system folders
Part 3. Why Do Duplicate Files Accumulate on Mac?
Duplicate files build up on a Mac slowly, often without the user noticing. Daily tasks like downloading, syncing, and backing up files can easily create copies over time.
Common Duplicate File Types on Mac
- Photos and screenshots
- Videos and screen recordings
- Music and audio files
- Documents (PDFs, Word, Excel, PPT)
- App installers and update packages
- Email attachments
Main Reasons Duplicate Files Accumulate
- Downloading the same file more than once
- Importing photos repeatedly from the iPhone or the camera
- Using AirDrop, iCloud, or external drives frequently
- Saving files in multiple folders "just in case."
- App updates are leaving old cache or backup files
- Email attachments auto-downloading
- Manual copying instead of moving files
Over time, these habits make it difficult to locate duplicate files on Mac without using a dedicated duplicate file finder.
Part 4. How to Prevent Duplicate Files on Mac in the Future
Once you clean up duplicates, prevention is key. A few smart habits can help you avoid clutter and reduce the need to constantly search for duplicate files on Mac.
Useful Tips to Prevent Duplicate Files
- Avoid downloading the same file multiple times. Check Downloads first
- Use Move instead of Copy when organizing files
- Keep photos in one primary Photos library
- Rename files clearly to avoid accidental duplicates
- Regularly clean your Downloads and Desktop folders
- Be cautious when syncing data across multiple devices
- Run a duplicate file scan monthly using a reliable duplicate file finder for Mac
Using a reliable tool to occasionally search for duplicate files on Mac ensures long-term storage efficiency and smoother performance.
FAQs About Finding Duplicate Files on Mac
Q1: Is there a way to delete all duplicate files on a Mac?
Yes. You can delete all duplicate files on a Mac by using a dedicated duplicate file finder. These tools scan your Mac and safely remove duplicates in bulk.
Q2: How to delete duplicate files on an external hard drive in Mac?
Connect the external hard drive to the Mac and scan it with a duplicate file finder that can support external storage. Then check and remove the duplicate files securely.
Q3: Can Clean My Mac find duplicate files?
Built-in Mac tools can show large or similar files, but they cannot accurately detect all duplicate files. A dedicated duplicate finder works much better.
Q4: What is the duplicate file remover on a Mac?
A duplicate file remover is software designed to find and delete duplicate files on Mac, such as photos, videos, documents, and more, without deleting originals.
Q5: Can Mac detect duplicate Photos?
Yes. The Photos app on Mac can detect duplicate photos and suggest merging or deleting them, but it only works for images in the Photos library.
Q6: Can I delete cloned files on Mac?
Yes, it is possible to delete cloned files in case they are actual duplicates. It is better to always preview them or use a clever tool to save valuable files first before deletion.
Conclusion
Duplicate files can slow down your Mac and waste valuable storage space. While manual methods can help, they are time-consuming and risky. The smartest way to find and delete duplicate files on Mac in 2026 is to use an AI-powered solution. Tenorshare Cleamio stands out as a fast, safe, and beginner-friendly duplicate file finder for Mac. It offers deep scans, smart removal, and free deletions. For effortless cleanup and long-term performance, Cleamio is highly recommended.
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By Jenefey Aaron
2026-01-08 / File Tips