Are you wondering why there are so many duplicate photos on your computer? Also, afterward you are looking for a method to delete duplicates from computer. Well, to answer all your queries, we bring you an easy way out with this post. Here we will tell you how duplicate photos in computers accumulate over time. As well as, we will illustrate the step by step process to find and remove duplicate images. With the simple-to-use duplicate photos finder tool and a manual method.
Reasons for duplicate photos on computer
There can be several reasons for duplicate photos appearing on your computer. We have explained each one in detail below, go through them and you will be able to decipher which one or more reasons are causing the duplicates for you.
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Accidental copies: While editing photos, one
might save it as a copy instead of applying the changes to the original photos.
It is also possible to create copies while moving, copying photos from one
location to another. These are termed as accidental copies which are not
intentional but they can easily be created without much notice from the user.
●
Multiple downloads: If you are someone who is
on a tight deadline and unable to find an image, you will download it again.
This habit leads to multiple downloads and the same repeated image is saved
several times creating duplicates.
●
Syncing issues: As most of us like to keep our
important documents on cloud storage to be able to access them from anywhere,
we end up taking more storage space than ever. This is not only a technical
issue but also a manual error. As we end up syncing and downloading the same
images over and over again. Other times, the syncing issues can end up in
duplicating images.
●
Poor organization: If you refuse to keep an
organized photo collection, you are bound to face one or the other issue. The
duplicate photos in computer is the prominent issue without a proper
organization. As the images are all scattered in multiple locations on your
computer as you are not able to find them on time and it leads to the above
issues: multiple downloads and accidental copies.
● Software glitches: Certain software glitches can cause you to repeat an action or task on your computers. Not only this goes unnoticed quite commonly but also makes us scratch our heads at times when we are unable to find the culprit. It is important to keep the computer and applications up-to-date. There is also a need to use reliable antivirus software to keep from falling into vulnerable software which can cause malfunction.
Problem caused by duplicate photos -
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Wasted storage space: Unnecessary storage
space is occupied by the duplicates which can be used for fresh data.
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Cluttered Photo Library: When several versions
of the same photo are available as the edited copies are all saved on the
computer.
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Hampers productivity: Each time you have to
find an image, duplicate images make it harder to select the correct pictures.
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Reduced device performance: When unnecessary
duplicate files are hogging space, then the device can deem to be slower.
●
Backup issues: While backing up, you might end
up spending more space on external drives or cloud drives. This can also cause
unwanted expenses.
How do I get rid of duplicate pictures on my PC?
There are two ways to deal with copies of images on your PC. The best bet will be to use a duplicate finder tool which works on advanced algorithms to find duplicate images based on the content, name and several other factors. Another option is to go through the photo collection manually. We have explained both methods in detail.
Method 1: Using dedicated duplicate photo finder
To find and remove duplicate images on your computer, you need a duplicate photo finder and remover. We recommend using Duplicate Photos Fixer Pro, which is one of the best tools for Windows. It comes with a user-friendly interface and handy features to quickly get rid of duplicate photos in computer. It is equipped with Auto-mark feature to mark all duplicate photos automatically saving you time and effort. Let’s learn how to use it in the following steps:
Step 1: Download Duplicate Photos Fixer Pro from its official website. Finish the installation by following on-screen instructions and then register with the key used to purchase the product.
Step 2: Launch the application and then add the drives to completely scan your computer. Click on Scan for Duplicates.
Now you will be able to see the scan results on your screen. Here you can use the Auto mark feature to quickly get all the duplicates marked automatically.
Thereafter, you can click on Delete Marked and get rid of the unwanted duplicate photos from your computer.
Method 2: Using the manual method
If you are not using a duplicate finder tool, you can go searching for the duplicates on your computer yourself. It will require you to sort the photo collection and then identify the duplicated images manually. First you need to open the folder where you have stored all the images, then go by using the Sort filter in the File Explorer. You can choose by name or date. This will help in sorting the images with the alphabetical order or date wise.
Once you have sorted the collection, you can easily identify the copies of the images and select them. When you are done selecting the duplicates, click Delete to clean duplicate photos.
How to Prevent future duplicate photos?
You can take following actions to prevent yourself from facing multiple duplicate photos on your computer:
● Establish a method to organize photos in order of date, event, location in separate folders.
● Using distinctive names for the files after edits will reduce the number of duplicates and help in quick recognition.
● Be careful while importing repeated copies of photos from external sources such as cameras, smartphones and hard drives.
● Use photo management software to organize your collection better. Some of these tools are capable of using metadata and then organizing the photos at one location. This will reduce the chances of duplicates appearing in several folders.
● Regularly check the photo collection and eliminate any possible duplicates manually. Or run a scan with a duplicate photo finder tool and clean duplicate photos periodically.
● Review the sync settings for cloud storage such as OneDrive, Amazon Photos etc. This will help you in decreasing the ‘sync related copies’ error.
Wrapping up -
Now you must be sure of how duplicates are formed on your computer. The unwanted files always create chaos in the storage and also eat up unnecessary space. These unwanted files should be removed and the regulated way to do so is using a dedicated duplicate photos finder such as Duplicate Photos Fixer. This is your safest bet as the algorithms are capable to find duplicate photos from a large number of photos. It then also gives you the ability to clean duplicate photos in computer in simple steps. However, you choose to remove duplicate images, make sure to follow the clean-up process once in a week or month to keep your storage space decluttered.