Duplicate Detective for Mac review

Duplicate Detective quickly finds and removes duplicate files from various locations on your computer, so you can reclaim the space they're taking up. Just add a folder to this program to see how many duplicates there are, and then remove the ones you choose to with just a few clicks.

Pros

Quick and efficient functioning: Everything this program does, it does quickly. The scans take very little time, and you can add folders in whatever way is most efficient for you, including drag-and-drop and direct browsing. You can also go through duplicates individually to see which you want to delete, or you can use the Auto Select feature to let the program do the work for you and further expedite the process. Even getting back files deleted by accident is convenient, as everything the program removes goes to the Trash, but not off your computer until you empty it.

Full previews: When you're viewing the results of a scan, you get more than just a list of filenames. In fact, you can view entire documents in the Preview screen without actually having to open them, so it's easy to see what you want to delete and what you want to keep.

Cons

No big bites: This program runs great on individual folders, but it runs into trouble if you give it too large of a task. Trying to identify and remove all of the duplicates on your machine at once will almost certainly lead the program to crash. But if you don't mind doing smaller chunks at a time, it's a great option.

Bottom Line

Duplicate Detective is a smooth and convenient program that greatly eases the process of removing duplicated files from your computer. Its interface clearly presents all of your options without extra noise, and its $2.99 price tag makes it a great value for what you get.

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