Find duplicate files on your Mac, checked byte for byte.
DiskMate's Duplicates page finds files whose contents are identical, wherever they are and whatever they're called. Every match is confirmed with a SHA-256 hash, so a duplicate is a real copy, not two files that happen to share a name or size.
Pay once, keep it forever. No subscription, no account.
Example scan. Names and sizes are illustrative.
How it finds real copies
Files can only be copies if they're exactly the same size, so DiskMate groups by size and ignores everything that's unique. This step costs nothing.
For larger files, it hashes only the first 64 KB. Same-size files that differ early are ruled out without reading them in full.
Whatever is left is hashed from start to finish. Only files with identical hashes are shown as duplicates.
IMG_4821.MOV in Movies and export-final.mov on the Desktop are matched if their contents are the same.
Sets are sorted by how much space you'd get back, so the copies worth removing are at the top.
Set a size floor so you only see duplicates big enough to matter.
How it works
- 1Find
Choose a minimum size and press Find. DiskMate checks every file in your scan and shows progress as it hashes.
- 2Choose
Each set lists every copy with its folder. Keep the first copy, or Quick Look and reveal each one to decide.
- 3Clean
Press Keep one of each to clear every set at once. The extra copies go to the Trash.
Open the Trash, select what you want and choose Put Back. It returns to the exact folder it came from. Only emptying the Trash deletes for good, and DiskMate labels that button clearly.
Nothing disappears by surprise
- Only byte-for-byte matches are shown, so you never remove a file that only looks similar.
- One copy of every file is always kept.
- Extra copies go to the Trash, so you can restore any of them.
- Hashing happens on your Mac. Your files are never uploaded.
Prefer to do it by hand?
macOS has no duplicate finder outside the Photos app, which can merge duplicate photos from its Duplicates album. For other files, you can search Finder by size, look for pairs with the same size and similar names, and open both before deleting one.
In Terminal, shasum -a 256 prints a file's hash. Two files with the same hash are identical, which is the same check DiskMate runs across your whole disk.
$ shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/file-one.zip ~/Desktop/file-two.zipQuestions
How do I find duplicate files on a Mac?+
Open DiskMate's Duplicates page, set a minimum size and press Find. It groups files by size, then confirms each match with a SHA-256 hash, so only true copies are listed. Keep one of each with a single click and the rest go to the Trash.
Does it find duplicates with different file names?+
Yes. DiskMate compares file contents, not names. Two files with different names in different folders are matched if every byte is the same.
Which copy does DiskMate keep?+
In each set you choose. Keep first keeps the first copy listed and moves the others to the Trash, and you can reveal or Quick Look each copy before deciding.
Is it safe to delete duplicate files?+
Removing a true copy doesn't lose any data, because an identical file remains. DiskMate only shows byte-for-byte matches, always keeps one copy, and moves the rest to the Trash so you can restore them.
Are my files uploaded to check for duplicates?+
No. Hashing happens entirely on your Mac, and nothing is sent anywhere.
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