Make Mac BetterHow to find duplicate files on a Mac
Downloads twice, copies of copies, the same photo in three folders… Duplicates take up space without you noticing. macOS finds some of them; for the rest you need a tool that compares contents.
Step by step
Photos: the Duplicates album
In the Photos app, look for Duplicates in the sidebar, under Utilities. Review each group and click Merge to keep a single copy with the best quality and all its information.
Music: show duplicate items
In the Music app, choose File › Library › Show Duplicate Items. Check that they really are the same version before deleting.
The Finder: look for copies by name
Search Downloads and Documents for files whose names end in “copy” or (1), (2)… and sort by size to see the biggest first. This finds obvious copies, not identical files with different names.
Compare contents with a tool
Make Mac Better’s Files module compares contents, not names: it finds exact copies (same size and SHA‑256 fingerprint) in Downloads, Desktop and Documents and lets you choose which one to keep.
Is it safe to delete duplicates?
Only if they are exact copies. Two files with the same name can be different versions, and two with different names can be identical. Make Mac Better only marks files with identical content, always asks first and moves them to the Trash, never deletes them permanently.
How much space can I free up?
It depends on how you work, but Downloads tends to accumulate the most: repeated installers, attachments saved twice and old videos. Sorting by size shows where the space is going.
Does it read the contents of my files?
Make Mac Better compares files on your Mac and nothing leaves the computer. It skips technical folders like node_modules so it doesn’t touch projects.
What about duplicates in iCloud Drive?
Files that are only in iCloud and not downloaded can’t be compared until they are on your Mac. Download them first if you want to check them.