Channel 08 · Shortcut ⌘8
DUPLICATE FILES
Short answer
CleanUai’s channel 08 (Duplicates) finds identical files in the folders you pick: Downloads, Documents and Desktop by default, plus any you add. It only calls something a duplicate when the whole content matches, not just the name. In each group one copy always stays, and the others go to the Trash.
How it knows they’re the same
- It groups files by size.
- Among those with the same size, it compares a hash of the first 64 KB.
- Only what still matches is read in full and compared by SHA-256.
That way only real candidates get read to the end, and names and dates don’t count: two files with different names and the same content are duplicates.
Which copy stays
The one that stays is the oldest, or the one in the source folder. It shows as Keep and can’t be checked. The others come checked, and you can uncheck any of them or open a preview before you decide.
What stays out
- Files under 1 MB, hidden files and symbolic links.
- Apps and other packages, and the Photos library.
- What the guard protects.
- Project dependencies, like
node_modules,Podsand venv: they repeat the same files on purpose. A switch in Where to look includes those folders.
Hard links count once. APFS clones show with a warning, because deleting a clone frees almost nothing.
Step by step
- Open channel 08 (
⌘8). - In Where to look, check the folders and add others if you like.
- Go through the groups and filter by kind: videos, photos, installers or documents.
- Press Remove. The checked copies go to the Trash, and the one that stays doesn’t move.
Questions
Can I delete both copies by accident?
No. In each group, the copy that stays can’t be checked.
Does it find similar photos?
No. It only finds identical files, byte for byte. Two similar photos, or the same photo at another size, are different files.
Why doesn’t node_modules show up?
Because those folders repeat files on purpose, and the tool would download everything again. If you want to scan them anyway, turn on Include project dependencies in Where to look.
See also
Updated