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.
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?
How to Search for and Mass Delete Duplicate Files on Mac Using Tenorshare Cleamio
(Optional) Before scanning, go to "Cleamio" then "Preferences" to choose file types, skip hidden files, or adjust photo similarity.
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.
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:
Open the Photos app on your Mac. In the sidebar, scroll down to Utilities section and click on Duplicates album.
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
To permanently remove, go to Recently Deleted in the sidebar, select items, and delete again.
Pros
Cons
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:
Open the Music or iTunes app.
Go to File > Library > Show Duplicate Items.
To find exact duplicates, hold the Option key and click File > Library > Show Exact Duplicate Items.
Review the list of duplicate songs. Select duplicates you want to delete (keep the highest quality version).
Right-click and choose "Delete from Library". Confirm by clicking "Delete Song" > "Move to Trash".
Pros
Cons
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.
Navigate to the Finder menu, choose "File", then "New Smart Folder".
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."
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
Cons
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.
Open "Terminal" in the "Applications" folder, then "Utilities."
Type cd ~/\Foldername (such as cd ~/downloads) to access the directory where you want to find duplicate files.
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.)
Open the file: open duplicates.txt.
Manually review and delete listed files via Finder or Terminal (rm /path/to/file---use carefully).
Pros
Cons
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.
Press Shift + Command + G to open the "Go to Folder" window.
Copy and paste the following path, then press "Return": ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads.
Finder will open the "Mail Downloads" folder, which contains all attachments opened from Mail.
Sort by name/size, select duplicates, move to Trash.
Pros
Cons
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.
Over time, these habits make it difficult to locate duplicate files on Mac without using a dedicated duplicate file finder.
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.
Using a reliable tool to occasionally search for duplicate files on Mac ensures long-term storage efficiency and smoother performance.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Cleamio: All-in-One Mac Cleaner & Optimizer
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By Jenefey Aaron
2026-02-08 / File Tips