Tools and methods to remove duplicate files in Windows 11

Delete duplicate files in Windows 11 It is an important task that must be addressed if we want to maintain system performance and free up disk spaceOver time, we accumulate unnecessary copies of documents, images, and other files, which can make things difficult to organize and slow down our computer.

Luckily, there are several tools and methods that allow us to identify and delete these files efficiently. In this article, we will explore the best options available, both using specialized programs and taking advantage of Windows' own features.

Why it is important to remove duplicate files

Many users believe that deleting duplicate files in Windows 11 is a secondary issue, of little importance, but the truth is that they are wrong: The accumulation of repeated files can sometimesnegatively affect PC performance. Some of the main reasons for removing them are:

• Disk space optimization: Duplicate files take up unnecessary space, which can lead to storage problems.
• Performance improvement: A disk with fewer unnecessary files offers faster access to information.
• Better file organization: Reducing duplicates makes it easier to manage and locate important documents.

Tools to remove duplicate files in Windows 11

To accomplish this task, we can use third-party programs specialized in finding duplicate files. Below, we show you some of the best options.

CCleaner

CCleaner is one of the most popular tools for PC maintenance. In addition to cleaning temporary files and optimizing the system, it has a specific function to detect and remove duplicate files.

Here are the steps to use this tool on Windows 11:

1. First we download and install CCleaner on our computer.
2. Then we open the application and go to the section Tools.
3. select Duplicate Finder.
4. We choose the drives or folders we want to analyze.*
5. Click on Search and we review the results.
6. Finally, we mark the files to delete and confirm the action.

(*) It is recommended to uncheck the option System files to avoid deleting important documents.

Link: CCleaner

Duplicate Cleaner

Duplicate Cleaner is another excellent free tool that can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Although it offers some premium features, its free version already allows you to remove duplicate images, audio, videos, and documents.

To use it we must do this:

1. To start, we download the enforcement from the Microsoft Store.
2. We run the program and select the type of file you want to analyze.
3. Then we choose the folder or drive where the search should be performed.
4. Click on Scan selected folders.
5. After the analysis, we decide whether to keep or delete the found files.

Link: Duplicate Cleaner

Wise Duplicate Finder

Wise Duplicate Finder allows you to scan the disk for duplicate files and provides options to delete them manually or automatically.

Its use is very simple:

1. We download and install Wise Duplicate Finder.
2. We open the program and select the folders or drives to analyze.
3. We run the scan and review the results.
4. Finally, we select the duplicate files and choose the action to perform.

Link: Wise Duplicate Finder

Manual methods to remove duplicates

If you prefer not to install additional programs, it is also possible to remove duplicate files manually using the File Browser o PowerShell. We explain it below:

Using File Explorer

Windows 11 allows us filter files by extension and sort the results to identify duplicates more easily. Here's how to do it:

1. First we open the File Explorer and select the folder to analyze.
2. In the search bar, we write the extension of the type of file we want to search for (for example, * .jpg for images).
3. We sort the results by name o date, to detect duplicates.
4. Finally, we select and delete the duplicate files manually.

Using PowerShell

Using PowerShell you can run a command to find duplicate files based on their hash:

Get-ChildItem -Path C:\Users\YourUser -Recurse | Get-FileHash | Group-Object Hash | Where-Object { $_.Count -gt 1 } | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Group

This command lists duplicate files in a specific folder. They can then be deleted manually.

It must be insisted that removing duplicate files in Windows 11 is an essential process to optimize system performance and free up space. Using tools such as CCleaner, Duplicate Cleaner o Wise Duplicate Finder, you can automate this task quickly and safely. You can also use manual methods using File Explorer or PowerShell, although they require more time and effort. Keeping your disk tidy will allow you to enjoy a more efficient PC free of unnecessary files.