Stop Letting Duplicate Files Eat Your Mac Storage

If your Mac, external hard drives, or media drives are running out of storage and you suspect duplicate files are taking up unnecessary space, this episode walks through how to find and delete duplicate files on Mac and compares several of the most popular Mac duplicate file finder apps.I explain why duplicate files become such a problem over time, especially for filmmakers, video editors, photographers and anyone managing large amounts of media, and share my experience testing Nektony Duplicate File Finder, HyperDeck, Tidy Up 6, Gemini 2 and dupeGuru.I break down the pros and cons of each duplicate finder, what I liked, what frustrated me, which apps were easiest to use, how well they handled multiple hard drives, and what to consider before deleting thousands of duplicate files.If you’re searching for the best duplicate file finder for Mac, the best Gemini 2 alternative, how to find duplicate videos and photos, how to clean up an external hard drive, or simply how to free up Mac storage without accidentally deleting something important, this episode should help you figure out the right workflow and duplicate finder for your setup.Chapters:0:00 - Intro0:30 - Why this matters to you0:47 - Explaining duplicate file finder software0:57 - Overview of the two parts of video1:11 - Tutorial: step 1 (back everything up... my recommended software is BackBlaze and Free File Sync)2:36 - Tutorial: step 2 (begin the scan)3:04 - Tutorial: step 3 (wait for it to process files)3:11 - Tutorial: step 4 (review results)4:02 - Tutorial: step 5 (create action plan for files)4:14 - Explaining hard links vs aliases (aka soft links)5:17 - Tutorial: step 6 (select which files to delete)5:41 - Tutorial: step 7 (remove files)6:04 - Tutorial: step 8 (if needed, recover files from backup)6:20 - Tutorial: step 9 (if 1,000% sure, backup primary cleaned up drives)6:35 - Mac duplicate file finder software review intro6:46 - Gemini 2 review7:46 - Tidy Up 6 review8:22 - Dupe Guru review8:39 - HyperDisk review9:02 - Nektony's Duplicate File Finder review9:23 - Outro🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach?Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help.✅ Work with me: https://philsvitek.com/collaborate/🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers.📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content?Join me on: Patreon – http://patreon.com/philsvitek Substack – http://philsvitek.substack.com🎬 My Films The Love Market – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#lovemarket Finding Love in Bogotá – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#bogotatrip The Arbiters – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#thearbiters