A match is evidence.
A decision needs context.

Repeated bytes can be unnecessary clutter, a deliberate backup, or a file that belongs in two different projects. Review the purpose of each copy before changing anything elsewhere.

Start with a manageable folder

Choose a folder whose contents you recognize, such as a completed project's exports or a Downloads collection. A smaller scope makes results easier to interpret. Scanning a whole account at once can mix documents, backups, application assets, and caches that serve very different purposes.

Duplicate File Locator requests read access and keeps your scan in memory. It cannot clean your disk for you. If you plan to remove files later in a file manager, have a backup or a recovery route that fits the importance of those files.

Read the evidence label first

Exact copies have matching size and SHA-256 evidence. Possible copies have missing verification and must not be treated as confirmed matches. Same-name files may be different documents entirely. Use the comparison controls and Viewer when a file format is supported.

Check full relative paths, not only filenames. “Project/assets/logo.png” and “Archive/client-handoff/logo.png” may both be intentionally needed. A duplicate finder cannot infer whether a website, document, shortcut, or other application depends on either path.

Modification time is only one clue

The browser provides a last-modified time. It is not necessarily a creation time and can change after copying or extracting a file. A later timestamp does not prove that a document is more complete or that it should replace another file. With verified exact copies, the content evidence matches despite any timestamp difference.

Build a plan instead of rushing

For each member of a verified group, mark Keep in plan or Potential redundant copy. At least one member must be kept for the group to count as reviewed. You can keep all members when their locations are useful. Labels are session-only review notes; they do not grant write access or execute a filesystem action.

Export the plan as Markdown for reading or JSON for structured review. The report contains names, paths, evidence, and labels. Check for private folder names before sharing it. Downloading the report does not mean the app has reclaimed space.

Understand the storage estimate

For a group of three verified 10 MiB files, the app counts two extra copies and 20 MiB of extra-copy bytes. That assumes keeping one member for the logical calculation; your plan may deliberately keep more. The figure is not a measurement of physical disk savings. Hard links, filesystem deduplication, compression, cloud storage, and application dependencies can change what removal would actually free.

Take the decision back to the source

If you choose to act in another application, reopen the relevant paths and confirm that the files still match your plan. Move a small, understood set to a recoverable location first if appropriate. Check that the remaining files and dependent projects still work. Reconnect and scan again after external changes.

For hashing limits and interpretation, see how duplicate detection works. The manual explains every step in the app.