How to Delete Duplicate Files in OneDrive: 2 Safe Ways
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Duplicate Finder
The Best OneDrive Duplicate Finder
Quick Answer
You can delete duplicate files from OneDrive manually if you only have a small number of files. For large accounts or duplicates stored across folders, a dedicated OneDrive duplicate file finder can save time. Review the detected duplicates before deletion and restore files deleted by mistake from the Recycle Bin if needed.
Manual vs. Automatic: Which Method Should You Use?
| Method | Best for | Renamed duplicates | Cross-folder duplicates | Bulk cleanup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual method | A few files | No | No | No |
| Automatic method | Many files / folders | Yes | Yes | Yes, with review before deletion |
Method 1: Delete Duplicate Files in OneDrive Manually
If you only have a few duplicate files, you can find and delete them manually on the OneDrive website. Start by comparing file names, sizes, and content to identify possible duplicates before deleting files.
Find duplicates by file name
1. Go to onedrive.live.com in your browser. Sign in to your account.
2. Select My Files in the left sidebar.
3. Open the folder you want to check for duplicates. Click the Name column to sort files alphabetically.
4. Look for files with the same or similar names.
Alternatively, use the Search everything box at the top of the page. Enter a keyword that may appear in duplicate filenames, such as “copy”, and press Enter.
5. Click the file to preview it. Compare its content with the original file.
6. Once you confirm it is a duplicate, click Delete at the top.
Find duplicates by file size
File size can be another useful clue to help you find duplicate files in OneDrive.
1. Open the folder in My files.
2. Click Sort > File size.
3. Scroll through the file list. Check files that have the same or very similar sizes.
4. Select a suspected duplicate. Click Details in the upper right corner to preview its file information and content.
5. Compare the files carefully to make sure they are duplicates.
6. Select the files you want to remove. Click Delete.
Files deleted from OneDrive are moved to the OneDrive Recycle Bin, where they can be restored within 30 days for personal Microsoft accounts, and within 93 days for work or school accounts.
Limitations of the manual method:
If you have many files in OneDrive, manually checking them one by one can take a lot of time. What’s more, it is less efficient when duplicates are stored in different folders or have been renamed.
↓ To clean up duplicate files in OneDrive more efficiently, the automatic method below is more practical.
Method 2: Delete OneDrive Duplicate Files in Bulk Automatically
Cisdem Duplicate Finder is an AI-powered duplicate file and photo finder that works with OneDrive. It identifies duplicate files based on their content rather than file names, so it can also find renamed duplicates and duplicates stored across different OneDrive folders. After scanning, it groups detected duplicates for easy preview and automatically selects extra copies for removal. You can review and change the selections before deleting any files.
On Windows
On Windows, Cisdem Duplicate Finder can connect directly to your OneDrive account and scan files online, so you don't need to download or sync all OneDrive files to your computer first.
Step 1. Download and install Cisdem Duplicate Finder. Open it.
Free Download Windows 10 or later
Step 2. Under Cloud File Scan, click the drop-down arrow next to the Add account button. Select OneDrive.
Sign in to your OneDrive account and allow the required access.
Step 3. Click Cloud Scan.
Step 4. Select the OneDrive folders you want to scan for duplicates. Click OK.
Step 5. Wait for the scan to complete. The results window will appear and display all detected duplicate files in your OneDrive. You can easily view and compare them.
Step 6. 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 7. Make sure only unwanted duplicates are selected, then click Delete. Confirm the removal.
Now all the duplicate files in your OneDrive account are removed at once.
This video shows how to scan your OneDrive online directly on PC without downloading or syncing files.
On Mac
On Mac, Cisdem Duplicate Finder scans the OneDrive folder after the files have been synced to your computer.
Step 1. Download the OneDrive desktop app. Install it. Sign in with your account.
Step 2. At the bottom of the This Is Your OneDrive Folder screen, you can see the location of the local OneDrive folder on your Mac.
Click Change Location if you want to use a different path.
Step 3. On the next screen, select the Sync all files and folders in OneDrive option if you want to search for duplicates across your entire OneDrive. Otherwise, choose the specific folders you want to sync. Click Next.
Step 4. Click Open OneDrive Folder to open the local folder in Finder.
Wait for the sync to finish. After the files are successfully downloaded, they will be marked with a small tick icon.
Step 5. Install Cisdem Duplicate Finder on your Mac. Open it.
Free Download macOS 10.11 or later
Step 6. To scan for OneDrive duplicate files, add the OneDrive local folder. Click Scan.
Step 7. View the detected duplicate files in your OneDrive. The tool automatically selects duplicates for removal. You can adjust the selections manually if needed.
Step 8. Click Delete to remove duplicate files in OneDrive all at once.
FAQs
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. OneDrive saves different versions of the file to prevent data loss, which can lead 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.
- Refresh your credentials in Credentials Manager (Windows) or Keychain Access (Mac).
-
Reset the OneDrive app on your device.
- Uninstall and reinstall the OneDrive app.
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?
It can be safe if you preview the files carefully before deleting. Both the automatic and manual methods covered in this article let you check files before removal. When using Cisdem Duplicate Finder for Windows, deleted duplicates are moved to the Recycle Bin of your OneDrive account. On Mac, the tool moves them to your computer’s Trash. If you delete duplicates directly on onedrive.live.com, they will also be moved to the OneDrive Recycle Bin. In all of these cases, you can recover deleted items.
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.
Adrian Li is Cisdem’s Chief Engineer and serves as the editorial advisor for Duplicate Finder and ContactsMate. His work and insights have been featured in leading tech publications such as Fossbytes, TUAW, Redmond Pie, SafetyDetectives, and BestForAndroid.
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.