Where duplicates come from
- Downloading a track again because you forgot you had it.
- Several versions of the same track: radio edit, extended mix, a 128 and a 320.
- Copying USB sticks back and forth between computers.
- Copying files into a folder per event instead of using playlists.
The cost isn't just disk space. When you search for a track, you see three copies and don't know which one is the good one.
Three ways to find duplicates
| Match by | Catches | Misses or mistakes |
|---|---|---|
| Filename | Tracks that kept their name | Misses renamed tracks; merges different tracks with the same name |
| Title and Artist tags | Renamed files with intact tags | Misses tracks with empty or wrong tags |
| Audio content | Renamed, retagged, even different formats | Very little, just double-check different mixes |
Comparing audio content is the only way that filenames and tags can't fool.
Which copy to keep
- The highest quality: lossless (WAV, FLAC) before MP3, higher bitrate before lower. Just make sure it isn't a fake FLAC.
- The copy in your main folder, not the one in Downloads.
- The copy with labels and full tags, so you don't redo the work.
Deleting safely
- Delete to the Trash, not permanently. Live with it for a few days, then empty the Trash.
- Keep at least one copy per group. Obvious, but easy to get wrong in a bulk delete.
- Watch your DJ software's playlists. A playlist pointing to a deleted file will report it missing. Prefer keeping the copy that's in your playlists.
- Two different mixes aren't duplicates. Keep both the radio edit and the extended mix if you play both.
With TaxonomyDJ
The Duplicates tab in TaxonomyDJ matches by audio content, filename, or title, so renamed tracks still get caught. You choose which folders to keep first, and whether to keep the newest, oldest, or highest quality copy. Copies with different audio, or the only labeled copy in a group, are never preselected for deletion. Files go to the Trash, and every group keeps at least one copy.
Free on every plan, scanning and deleting, and it works on folders you haven't added to the app.