A simple way to save space is to delete all unnecessary duplicate files. Whether it’s photos, videos, or something else, it’s easy to end up saving the same large file in several different places, and this sometimes happens automatically if you’ve enabled multiple types of backup and sync.
Finding duplicates is a tedious task for a human, but much easier for a computer. A useful tool that gets the job done is called CCleaner.
What is CCleaner?
CCleaner is a popular computer cleaning program. It has been around for more than 20 years and has millions of users around the world. The program can clean and optimize your computer in several ways, but the feature to find duplicate files is one of the most useful.
CCleaner is what is known as a “freemium” program, meaning that the basic version is free, but there is a paid version for those who want more features. It’s called CCleaner Professional and costs about $30 a year.
The free version is enough to search for duplicates, but it is important to note that the manufacturer is quite aggressive in its marketing. The program displays warnings such as “You have an urgent performance issue,” but this is primarily a way to promote the company’s paid service.
As a general rule, you can ignore the warnings and focus on removing duplicates. Here’s how to do it.
1. Install
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You can download CCleaner via the microsoft store. Using the search field on your PC, type Cleanerclick ‘Install’ and accept the warning. If you prefer a standard installer, go to www.ccleaner.com and select ‘Free download.’
2. Update
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If you have an older version, you may need to update yourself to the latest version, called CCleaner 7.x. Depending on the version you have, you can do it through ‘Check for updates‘ in the lower right corner. You can also do this through ‘Settings‘ > ‘Updates.’
3. Get started
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To get started, open CCleaner, click ‘Duplicate finder’ in the menu on the left and select ‘Start now.’ You can scan your entire computer by clicking ‘Drive’ and select a unit. You can also go to ‘Select specific folders’ so ‘Browse’ to, for example, scan only your Documents folder.
4. Remove all duplicates
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Start the scan by clicking ‘Scan.’ Once you’re done, all duplicates will be displayed in a list organized by file type. To remove all duplicates, click ‘Mass selection’ and choose ‘Keep oldest files’ either ‘Keep the most recent files.’
5. Or just a few
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Deleting everything can be risky, so you can select ‘Deselect all’ and manually select the files you want to delete. When you are finished, in all cases click ‘Move to trash’ (either ‘Delete’ if you don’t want to be able to recover the file).
6. View file
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You can get more information about a file by tapping the three dots on the right and selecting ‘See information.’ Use the link below ‘Location’ to open the folder where the file is stored. You can also delete the file by selecting ‘Move to trash’ or ‘Delete’ (as in step 5).
7. Get more power
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The Duplicate Finder feature in CCleaner is simple and straightforward. If you need a more powerful tool, Alldup is a popular free alternative.
It has many advanced features for searching a large number of files and offers more scope to customize it according to your needs. However, its interface may seem unpleasant to inexperienced users.
To install it, go to www.alldup.de/en and select ‘Discharge‘ in the top menu. Click on ‘Alldup (freeware)’ to open the download page. Click on top ‘Discharge’ and choose to save the file to a suitable location on your hard drive. Double-clicking the file will launch a self-explanatory setup program.
