The Best OneDrive Duplicate Finder
The fastest and easiest way to find and delete OneDrive duplicate files all at once is using Cisdem Duplicate Finder- an easy-to-use duplicate file finder that can help you accurately identifies duplicate files in OneDrive, regardless of their file names.
“I downloaded a lot of study documents and videos for an exam. without checking duplicate files, I uploaded them directly to OneDrive. I just noticed my OneDrive is cluttered. There are many duplicates scattered across different folders. What’s more, these duplicate files are taking up over 1 GB of space, and I only have 5 GB of free space on OneDrive. I want to quickly delete these duplicate files.”
Are you also troubled by duplicate files in OneDrive? They not only clutter your OneDrive but also take up valuable storage space. It’s recommended to use a professional tool to scan and delete these files automatically. Also, you can manually check and delete them one by one, which will be a bit troublesome. I'll show you both methods below.
Cisdem Duplicate Finder is a professional duplicate file finder for Windows and Mac computers. It helps find duplicate files on computers, external storage devices, and cloud storage, including OneDrive.
Main features of this OneDrive duplicate file finder:
Below is how to use this tool to find and remove duplicate files in your OneDrive.
Step 1. Download and install Cisdem Duplicate Finder on your computer. Open this tool.
Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7 
Free Download macOS 10.11 or later
Step 2. Open File Explorer. Drag the OneDrive folder into the tool. Click Scan.
Step 3. When the scan is complete, the results window will appear, display all duplicate files found in your OneDrive. You can easily view them.
Step 4. In each set of duplicates, the tool automatically selects all but one file for deletion. You can manually select or deselect files if needed. Also, there are several rules for mass selection that you can apply to your chosen sets.
Step 5. When you are sure that all unwanted duplicates are selected, click Delete. Then confirm the deletion.
The OneDrive app will automatically detect and sync the removal of files. When the removal is complete, if you go to onedrive.live.com, you will find that those duplicates are gone and moved to the Recycle bin.
Before scanning and eliminating OneDrive duplicates using Cisdem Duplicate Finder, you should install and set up the OneDrive desktop app. The steps for Windows and Mac are provided below.
On Windows PC
1. Download the OneDrive desktop app and install it. Click the OneDrive icon in your computer’s taskbar. Click Sign in.
2. Sign in with your account. The Your OneDrive folder screen will display the location of the local OneDrive folder on your computer. (Click Change location if you prefer a different path. I recommend sticking with the default.)
3. When you see the Your OneDrive is ready for you screen, click Open my OneDrive folder.
4. Choose how your OneDrive files are accessed:
There are 2 options. Choose either one based on your preferences.
Online-only (default): With this option, your OneDrive files are in online-only status. They won’t take up space on your computer. The files are marked with a small cloud icon.
Always available (recommended): With this option, the OneDrive files will be downloaded to your computer. Right-click the OneDrive folder in File Explorer. Choose Always keep on this device. Then the download will begin. They will take up space on your computer temporarily. After the duplicates remover is complete, you can right-click the local folder and select Free up space.
After setting up OneDrive following the steps above, you can add the OneDrive local folder into Cisdem Duplicate Finder and scan for duplicate files in it.
Here's a video guide for Windows
On Mac
1. Download and install the OneDrive app on your Mac. Sign in with your account.
2. The This Is Your OneDrive Folder screen will show you the location of the local OneDrive folder on your Mac. (Click Change Location if you want to use a different path.)
3. On the Sync Your Files to This Mac screen, select the Sync all option if you want to search for duplicates across your entire OneDrive. Otherwise, choose the specific items you want to sync.
4. Click Open OneDrive Folder to open the local folder in Finder.
5. Wait for the sync to finish. After the files are successfully downloaded, they will be marked with a small tick icon. To scan for OneDrive duplicate files, add the OneDrive local folder into Cisdem Duplicate Finder.
Here is a video guide for Mac
If there aren’t many files in your account, you can manage duplicates manually. In the following steps, I will show you how to make the manual method relatively easy, especially for duplicate files scattered across different folders.
Step 1. Visit onedrive.live.com in your browser. Sign in with your account.
Step 2. In the left side bar, choose My Files.
Step 3. Look for OneDrive duplicate files by file name, file size, or file content.
By file name:
In the Search everything box at the top of the page, enter a keyword that might appear in duplicate files, such as “copy”. Press Enter.
Click the file to preview it. Click the 3-dot icon at the top. Click Delete.
By file size (find duplicates within a folder):
Open the folder that you think may contain duplicate files.
Click Sort > File size.
Scroll down the file list. Watch out for files with the same size, which may be duplicates. You can click Details in the upper right corner to open the details pane. Preview the files to check if they are truly duplicates.
Then select the files that you don’t want to keep. Click the Delete button.
By file content (find OneDrive duplicate photos):
In the Search everything box at the top of the page, enter the asterisk symbol *. Press the Enter key.
Click the Type drop-down menu that appears. Choose Photos. This will display all image files in your OneDrive.
Click the Switch view options icon in the top right corner. Choose Tiles. This will display all photos as thumbnails, making it easier for you to spot duplicates.
Select the duplicate photos that you want to delete. Click Delete.
Why does OneDrive create duplicate files?
OneDrive may create duplicate files with the computer name if there is a sync issue when multiple people are editing the same file simultaneously. If changes made by different users are not synced properly, conflicts can occur. To prevent data loss, OneDrive saves different versions of the file, leading to duplicate files. Go through these duplicates and delete the versions you don’t need.
Here are some common fixes for the sync issues that may cause OneDrive duplicate files with computer name added.
Reset the OneDrive app on your device.
Will OneDrive upload duplicate files?
Yes. Although OneDrive provides a basic duplicate detection feature that helps avoid duplicates by detecting and skipping the reupload of existing files. This feature identifies duplicate files only by file name and extension, making it not accurate enough. Therefore, there can be false positives, and many true duplicate files may still be uploaded.
Is it safe to delete OneDrive duplicate files?
Yes. As long as you preview the files carefully before deleting, you won’t lose any data. Both the automatic and manual methods covered in this article let you check files before removal. When using Cisdem Duplicate Finder, deleted duplicates are first moved to your computer’s Recycle Bin/Trash, so you can recover them within 30 days if needed. If you delete duplicates directly on onedrive.live.com, they’ll be moved to OneDrive Recycle Bin, where they also stay for 30 days.
With a passion for tech and writing, Sarah joined Cisdem, where she focuses on creating articles about using utility tools to enhance file management and simplify contact management.
Waldenberger
I’ve been syncing OneDrive across multiple devices, and duplicates kept piling up. I followed the steps in this srticle and finally got everything sorted. Thank you!
John Stuart Smith
I have spent a lot of time trying to find a way to get rid of all duplicate files in OneDrive. This post helped me.
Ernst Bernard
I had so many files in one drive. Luckily, this app helped me cleared out almost 40 GBs. The auto select feature really make the process more efficient.