How to find duplicate files on Windows

Here are a number of free solutions to track down and delete duplicate files that unnecessarily exhaust the memory of our Windows computer

Duplicate files are a real problem. They take up unnecessary space in your computer's memory and make even regular backups heavy. Tracking them down and eliminating them is one of the tasks we need to do to restore speed and momentum to our PCs.

We often don't know why our computer can't load programs anymore or the performance is significantly worse. In most cases, the reason is to be found in the duplicate files in our Windows PC. Finding them can be complicated, but fortunately there are several programs that analyze the computer's hard drive and search for duplicate files. Each software has its own features and functionality and you'll have to find the one that best suits your needs. Here are the best programs to delete duplicate files on Windows.

Duplicate Cleaner Pro 4

One of the best solutions to find and delete duplicate files is Duplicate Cleaner Pro 4. This solution has only one flaw: it isn't free. It offers, however, an optimal cleaning system and has several features, very specific, useful to restore speed and excellent performance to our Windows computer. There is also a trial version that we can test before completing the purchase.

dupeGuru

If we are looking for a free solution one of the best is dupeGuru which is divided into three versions according to the tasks it performs: dupeGuru, dupeGuru Music Edition and dupeGuru Pictures Edition.

As mentioned, it is a totally free service that, as you can guess from the names, also has two versions dedicated to the exclusive cleaning of music files and photographs and videos. Music Edition can find the same MP3 even if it is encoded differently. Just as Pictures Edition finds the same photo even if it has been cropped or rotated differently. DupeGuru is an open-source system and will not install malware, junk files or annoying toolbars on your PC. One of its strong points is its very intuitive interface. Even those who have never used such systems will instantly understand how to start cleaning up their files. Once the analysis is over, you will see all duplicate files and you can decide whether to delete them all or select them manually.

Duplicate Cleaner Free

This solution, made by DigitalVolcano, is a free version of a paid package. During installation no malware and no junkware will be downloaded. In short, it is reliable. The interface is very clean and easy to use. The developers have come up with a great product with the hope that the user will then purchase the paid package.

VisiPics

As you can tell from the name this solution is perfect for scanning very similar photos and eliminating duplicates that weigh down the memory of our computer. Photos with different filters, resized or rotated will be reported as duplicates and we'll decide whether to keep them or delete them permanently. If you often work with a lot of photos, or if you are a photography enthusiast, this is probably the best solution for you.

Duplicate File Finder

Duplicate File Finder is a free software, but it uses a different system. It analyzes all the files and separates the ones that are identical in size. It then checks them to see if they are duplicates or not. This means that Duplicate File Finder might not be as reliable as other solutions already mentioned, but it is definitely the fastest way to perform a scan, quite accurate, if we have a large amount of files. It also has an unattractive interface, but it is easy to use.