How to Find/Delete/Prevent Duplicate Files in OneDrive [MiniTool Tips]

This article from MiniTool focuses on how to find and delete duplicate files in OneDrive. It also mentions methods to prevent duplicate files from reappearing in OneDrive.

Duplicate files in OneDrive will occupy OneDrive's storage space, which may cause insufficient OneDrive storage space and fail to back up new data. At the same time, it will also affect the cleanliness of our OneDrive files and interfere with users’ judgment. So how do we find duplicate files in OneDrive? Please see the introduction below.

How to Find Duplicate Files in OneDrive

Generally, there are two types of duplicate files in OneDrive:

• Duplicate files with computer names in file names
• Common duplicate files

The reference image of duplicate files with computer names in file names is as follows:

Duplicate files with computer names in their file names are generally due to the use of the same OneDrive account on two or more devices.

For example, when a computer is logged on to OneDrive and saves the same file while offline, OneDrive cannot recognize this. After reconnecting to the Internet, OneDrive adds the computer name after the file name of one of the files.

You can manually find duplicate files in OneDrive by following the steps below:

Step 1: Click on the small OneDrive icon on the taskbar and select Open folder .

Step 2: Right-click on the blank space to show the Sort by tab and then select Name or Size .

Step 3: Duplicate files will be displayed next to each other.

In addition, you can also use OneDrive duplicate finder software, such as WinMerge , to find out if there are duplicate files in OneDrive.

How to Delete Duplicate Files in OneDrive

Tip: Just in case, please remember to back up your files with MiniTool ShadowMaker before you delete files.

The process of manually deleting duplicate files in OneDrive is simple.

First, sort the files by name or size. Second, right-click the duplicate files and select Delete . If you want to select multiple files , please hold down Shift or Control while selecting.

If you want to restore deleted files, please refer to: How to Recover Deleted Files and Folders from OneDrive?

How to Prevent Duplicate Files in OneDrive

There are two ways to prevent duplicate files in OneDrive. Please choose which one you prefer.

Method 1: Set up OneDrive Sync Conflicts

You can set whether you need to merge duplicate files when encountering duplicate files in OneDrive. Here are the main steps:

Step 1: Click the OneDrive icon in the notification area of your computer, and then click the gear icon and select Settings.

Step 2: Under the Office section, select Let me choose to merge changes or keep both copies , and then click OK .

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Method 2: Refresh the Credential

When there are duplicate files with computer names in file names in OneDrive, you may need to refresh the credential. The guidance is as follows:

Step 1: Enter Credential Manager in the Windows search box and click the best match to open it.

Step 2: Move to the Windows Credentials tab.

Step 3: Under the Generic Credentials section, find all content containing OneDrive Cached Credentials and click the small triangle on the right to select Remove .

Step 4: Restart your OneDrive.

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To Sum Up

After reading the above content, you should know how to find duplicate files in OneDrive and delete them. You can also choose a method to prevent the same situation from happening in the future. If you have any questions about the content described in the article, please let us know by leaving a message in the comment section below.