Scan and clear duplicate files

CleanMyMac helps free up disk space by locating and removing duplicate files – identical copies of files that may be scattered across various locations on your Mac.

1. In CleanMyMac, click My Clutter in the sidebar.

2. From the dropdown list, choose a location to scan.

3. Click Scan to begin, and wait for the results.

   

   To rescan, click Start Over on the upper left, confirm, and click Scan again.

4. Review and clear duplicate files:

   • Files suggested for quick review and removal appear in a tile. These are files from the last three months.

     

     Click Review to see details and select the files you want to delete.

     After reviewing, click Remove to delete the selected files.

     

   • To view and manage all duplicate files in detail, click Review All Files above the tiles, then select the Duplicates category.

     

     After reviewing, click Remove to delete the selected files, bypassing the Trash.

When reviewing the details, CleanMyMac shows the found duplicate files in groups. Each group shows a thumbnail (for images and videos) or an icon (for other files), the name of one of the files in the group, the number of duplicates, and their total size. Right-click a group to:

• Apply smart selection – CleanMyMac will automatically select duplicates for removal

• Deselect all files in the group (if you've already selected some)

• Add all files in the group to the ignore list – CleanMyMac will skip these files in future scans

Clicking a group reveals a list of duplicate files with additional information for each file:

• Name
• Location
• Creation date
• Size
• Preview (for images and videos)
• Metadata (for images and videos)

Right-click a file to:

• Select it for removal
• Reveal it in Finder (or click the Reveal icon when hovering over it)
• Get file info
• Preview it via Quick Look