How to Merge Folders and Remove Duplicate Files?

Windows 10 contains many features that have made computing a lot easy, fun, convenient yet safer for its users.

And this trend keeps on building with every update that gets rolled out. However, it is still found wanting in a few situations. One such situation is where a user needs to merge folders with File Explorer (a part of the Windows 10) and then identify and remove duplicate files. So let’s jump into the solutions we’ve worked out then.

If you’re looking for reliable yet automatic way to remove duplicate folders and files, you can use Clone Files Checker. Download it from the following link, and avoid disorganization.

Remove Duplicate Folders & Files

Clone Files Checker follows Google Software Principles

Solutions

Solution 1: Merge Folders

Since this tutorial deals with merging folders, it doesn’t explain how to compare a file against another. In fact, only text files can be compared to see the differences, and for all other file types, the files have to be opened separately and then compared manually. The easiest way to merge folders is to copy the contents of one folder to the other.

1. Navigate to the folder from which you wish to move the data to another folder.
   
2. Copy all its contents by using the Ctrl + A (select all) and Ctrl + C (copy) shortcut combinations.

   

3. Navigate to the destination folder, and press Ctrl + V to paste the copied content.
   
4. If the folders happen to be of exactly the same name, Windows will prompt a menu from which the next move can be decided. To simply replace the files in the destination folder, click Replace the files in the destination.

   

5. To retain both the files in the destination folder, click on Let me decide for each file, and then select both the Files from and Files already checkboxes.
   
   
   
6. If you want to decide which files to retain from both the folders on a case to case basis, click Let me decide for each file, and then select the Files from checkbox as seen in the following screenshot.

   

7. Make sure to minutely observe file attributes such as file size, creation date for having a better understanding of the file. As an example, if the files in the source folder are bigger and newer than the destination folder, select the Files from checkbox to replace the files in the destination folder with the files in the source folder. And if it’s the other way round, then select the  Files already checkbox to retain the files in the destination folder without being replaced.

Solution 2: Remove Duplicate Files

Duplicate files are one of the more problematic nuisances that affect us nowadays. Sadly enough, Windows hasn’t incorporated any mechanism to guard against duplicate files, and this holds true for all versions of the Windows family. This is why using a third-party solution is the only way forward as things stand, and for that reason, this article uses Clone Files Checker, which is a top-notch duplicate file removal application to track and delete duplicate files.

1. Visit the following website (https://clonefileschecker.com/) through the browser (Chrome, Edge or Firefox) and download Clone Files Checker by clicking on the orange Download Clone Files Checker button.

   

2. After downloading the setup, install it by launching the setup files and then launch it upon successful installation.
3. Add the folder you want to scan for duplicate content. Folders can be added by clicking the Add button, whereas ansubfolderer that has to be left out of the scan can be added by selecting the Exclude From Scan tab and then browsing to it.
   
4. Now select either All Files or Custom option depending on scan’s nature. For instance, if only duplicate music files have to be scanned, you should select Custom →Music. Once you’re done, click on Start Search to initialize the scan.

   

5. When the scan gets over, click on Fix Wizard.
   
6. Now click either Newest or Oldest option.

   

7. Once again you will be provided with 2 choices. Permanent Delete removes all the duplicate data forever, whereas Move to Folder moves the target data to a user specified folder, just in case the user needs those files in the future. Here we opt to go for permanent removal.
   
8. Select Continue to launch the actual duplicate files deletion.
   
9. Once the operation concludes successfully, the following message will popup.