5 Best Free Duplicate File Finders for Mac [2024]

Ever find your Mac running low on disk space and wonder why it is happening? While the answer may be evident for some heavy users, others might not be expecting to see an entire drive. For many people, the reason for that is an accumulation of duplicate files that they have forgotten about over a period of months and years. However, the fact remains that you need to find and remove these duplicate files and for that, the best solution is a freeware duplicate file finder for Mac.

But the question that immediately arises is which software should you use for this purpose. While there are several great options to choose from, we will share the best free duplicate file finder for Mac.

Part 1. Reasons Why You May Need a Freeware Duplicate File Finder for Mac

Depending on the type of usage you have, the reason for accumulating duplicate files on your Mac can differ quite a lot. However, for most users, these reasons can be condensed into a few broad items, and they are as follows:

1. Backup files are the most common type of duplicate files. If you have created a backup of your system, you will certainly be finding duplicate files on your system no matter what. While this is easier to see as with each backup, your drive gets more and more full, it is not the only thing causing the issue. You might also want to try making backups on an external drive to avoid losing space on your Mac.
2. Multiple downloads are another common reason for duplicate files. Sometimes users download the same file multiple times without even realizing and they just sit on their Macs, taking up space. Having this happen frequently can lead to your system space getting used up quite quickly. Using the best free duplicate file finder for Mac can help you remove duplicate JPG files, videos, and documents and save the ones you want.
3. Copies of the same files on multiple drives are also a reason your drives get used up quickly. Sometimes users save the same item on multiple drives and since there is no way of knowing that a duplicate is being made, the computer simply accepts all files and keeps them stored until the storage starts to get full. Having the best free duplicate file finder for Mac would be the quickest solution to get out of that situation.
4. Sometimes users share the same file on multiple software and each software saves its own copy of that file, which creates duplicates on the system. This is especially common for photo editing and video editing apps, where you save multiple versions of the same photo or video over time. Eventually, you will need to use a Mac free duplicate file finder to free up the space on your Mac.
5. Relevant to the first point, multiple backups can also lead to your storage getting used up. If you are obsessed with data security and want to make sure you never lose any data, you might be making multiple backups on your Mac. This could lead to your storage getting full quite quickly, thereby creating a need for a free duplicate file finder for macOS.

Now that you know what can cause duplication of files on your Mac let us talk about the best free duplicate file finder Mac options that you can opt for to free up disk storage.

Part 2. 5 Best Free Duplicate File Finder and Remover for Mac

1. Disk Drill Duplicate File Finder

Disk Drill is a highly capable tool developed by CleverFiles that offers a lot of features, finding duplicates being one of them. This is one of the best free duplicate file finder Mac users can work with. You can use it to scan both internal and external drives on your Mac. The software offers to scan for various formats, including photos, videos, audio, documents, and more. The software is quite easy to use, and you can use it without requiring any expertise. You can also perform a selective search by dragging and dropping files and folders into the app.

Advantages

Duplicate file finder function is completely free to use

Can work with M1 Macs as well

Search capabilities are pretty good

Disadvantages

Not a standalone free duplicate file finder and remover Mac tool

2. Duplicate File Finder by Nektony

This is another capable free duplicate file finder and remover Mac users can opt for. This is quite amazing in terms of search accuracy and can provide byte-to-byte comparison through an easy-to-use and intuitive interface. The software is compatible with both old and new Macs and can identify duplicates for all types of file formats. While you have the option to select the folders and files you want to search for, the tool also provides auto-selection, where it automatically prepares duplicate files for removal. A key benefit of this tool is that you can also find partial duplicates like photos taken in succession.

Advantages

Searching for duplicates is straightforward and fast

Supports the latest M1 Macs as well

Partial duplicates were also picked up by the tool

Disadvantages

The actual removal of duplicates requires a license purchase

3. BuhoCleaner

This free duplicate file finder for Mac can take on any system and find even the most hidden files for you. Not only does it scan the visible files on your Mac but also ones that are archived. As far as accuracy is concerned, you can get highly detailed and precise search results, so the chances of missing anything are minimal. The software is also well designed, intuitive, and easy to use, so no technical knowledge is required to use this free duplicate file finder for Mac. The software also supports multiple languages including English, German, Chinese, and Japanese.

Advantages

Smart and fast scanning of duplicate files

Intuitive design with good aesthetics

Allows file preview as well

Also includes a cleanup feature to remove duplicate files

Disadvantages

Smart Delete option is not free to use

4. Duplicate Files Fixer

This tool lets you find duplicate files Mac free in an easy-to-use and straightforward package. The software offers a decent range of options to choose from and includes some unique features like auto marking and unmarking of files. You can use it to scan both internal and external drives on Mac and do so on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. The best feature of this is file recovery, where you can easily recover any file that you delete by mistake.

Advantages

Supports automatic marking of duplicate files for removal

Allows recovery of accidentally deleted files

Can remove duplicates from both internal and external storage

Disadvantages

Some important features are limited to the paid version

5. MacKeeper

This is as simple as it gets when you want to find duplicate files Mac free. The software is very straightforward and has several nice features that make it a great package for anyone looking to grab a quick go at duplicate file removal. The software comes in the form of a bundle which can be both a good and a bad thing depending on what you are looking for. The software also provides automatic removal of duplicate files from your Mac and the interface makes the entire experience quite pleasant and easy.

Advantages

Provides a comprehensive bundle of cleaning options

Pleasing interface with intuitive functionality

Automatic removal option is also available

Disadvantages

Multiple tools can be distracting for some users

Subscription-based pricing for the paid version

Each free duplicate file remover for mac that we have shared here comes with its own set of options and perks. Some of them may be useful to you and some may be too much to handle as each user has their own preferences. You can explore each of them and find out what is the best free duplicate file finder for Mac that can meet your specific needs.

You may also want to look for open source duplicate file finder Mac if you think you can further improve the tools by yourself. Do let us know which free duplicate file remover for Mac you found to be the best and if you have any other suggestions, do let us know in the comments below.