How Duplicates Are Detected (SHA-256 Fingerprints)
Key points
- Compare sizes
- Calculate fingerprints
- Group identical ones
Find Duplicate Files compares fingerprints of the contents, not names.
Steps
- First compare file sizes
- For files of the same size, calculate a SHA-256 fingerprint
- Group files with the same fingerprint as duplicates
If the fingerprints match, the contents are in practice identical.
Use "Find Duplicate Files" (free)
Tools that go well with this
- Check a File's Hash (SHA-256): Calculate a file's hash and compare it.
- Make a ZIP File: Pack several files into one ZIP.
- Rename Many Files at Once (Numbers, Dates): Rename many files at once with numbers or dates.