How to delete duplicate files in Google drive?

Using the Google Drive web interface to manually identify and delete duplicate files in Google Drive can work, but it has some limitations and might be tedious if you have many files. Here's a general approach you can take:

How to manually identify duplicates via Google Drive web interface:

1. Open Google Drive in your browser.
2. Sort files by name or date:
   Click on the "Name" or "Last modified" column headers to sort the files. Duplicates often have similar or identical names and are grouped together.
3. Scan through the list visually:
   Look for files with the same name or similar content.
4. Preview files:
   Click on files to preview their content before deleting, ensuring you're not removing important files.
5. Select duplicates:
   Use checkboxes to select files you identify as duplicates.
6. Delete duplicate files in Google Drive:
   Move selected files to Trash or permanently delete them.

While manually using the web interface works for small collections, for larger drives, consider using dedicated duplicate detection tools to save time and reduce errors.

How to delete duplicate files in google drive? Here's a step-by-step approach:

1. Download Your Files to Your Computer

• Download your entire Google Drive or specific folders to your local computer using Google Drive’s Backup & Sync tool or Google Drive's web interface.
• This allows you to use desktop tools to scan for duplicates.

2. Use Desktop Duplicate File Removal Tools

• Once files are on your computer, you can use free or built-in tools to identify and delete duplicates, use PowerShell scripts, as previously mentioned. Or, use free duplicate file finders.

3. Manually Review and Delete Duplicates

• Use the duplicate file finder tools to identify duplicate files.
• Carefully review the duplicates to ensure they are identical or that you want to delete them.
• Delete the duplicates to free up space on your local disk.

4. Re-upload Cleaned Files to Google Drive

• After removing duplicates locally, upload the cleaned set of files back to Google Drive.
• Organize files into folders if needed, and delete the old versions from Google Drive.

5. Use Google Drive Web Interface to Delete files in Google Drive

• You can manually select files in Drive (by holding Ctrl or Shift) and delete multiple duplicates at once.
  Remember to empty the trash to permanently free space.

Google Apps Script is a scripting platform primarily designed to automate tasks within Google Workspace applications like Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, etc. It runs in the cloud and cannot directly interact with your Windows computer's local files, if your goal is to delete duplicate files in Google Drive, then Google Apps Script is a good option. Here's how to delete duplicate files in google drive:

1. Search by Filename:
If your duplicate files have similar or identical filenames, you can use the search bar.
Example: Enter name:"Report.pdf" to find all files named "Report.pdf".
You can also use * as a wildcard, but Google Drive's search is limited.

2. Sort Files by Name or Size:
In your Google Drive, click on the "Name" or "Size" column to sort files.
This makes it easier to spot files with the same name or similar sizes.

3. Use Search Filters:
Click the filter icon in the search bar.
Filter by type, owner, or date to narrow down duplicates.

4. Manual Comparison:
Once duplicates are identified visually, select each duplicate file (click the checkbox).
You can preview files to verify if they are indeed duplicates.

5. Delete Duplicates files in Google Drive:
After verifying, delete duplicates by clicking the trash icon.
Remember to empty your trash to permanently free up space.

Google Apps Script is a scripting platform primarily designed to automate tasks within Google Workspace applications like Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, etc. It runs in the cloud and cannot directly interact with your Windows computer's local files, if your goal is to delete duplicate files in Google Drive, then Google Apps Script is a good option. 

How to Delete Duplicate files in Google Drive with Google Apps Script

1. Identify duplicates based on criteria such as filename, file size, or content hash.
2. Write a script to scan your Drive, check for duplicates, and delete the redundant files.

Example Script to Remove Duplicates in Google Drive
Below is a simple example that finds duplicate files based on filename and deletes duplicates:

function deleteDuplicateFiles() {
  const files = DriveApp.getFiles();
  const fileMap = {}; // to store filenames and their IDs

  while (files.hasNext()) {
    const file = files.next();
    const name = file.getName();

    if (fileMap[name]) {
      // Duplicate found, delete the current file
      Logger.log('Deleting duplicate: ' + name);
      file.setTrashed(true);
    } else {
      fileMap[name] = file.getId();
    }
  }
}

For me, Rclone is a quite good command line for managing cloud storage that can intelligently identify and handle duplicate files in Google Drive by comparing file hashes, offering precise control for advanced users willing to work in a terminal.

How to delete duplicate files in Google drive with Rclone

Step 1: Install rclone from its official website and configure it with your Google Drive using rclone config.

rclone config

Step 2: Dry-run a dedupe check with this command to safely list duplicates:

rclone dedupe --dry-run remote:path --by-hash

Step 3: Review the list carefully to confirm which files will be merged or deleted.

Step 4: Execute the dedupe command by removing --dry-run to let rclone keep the first copy and delete duplicates.

--dry-run

Step 5: Empty the trash via Google Drive's web interface to permanently free space.

In fact, Rclone provides a reliable, hash-based method to find and delete duplicate files in Google Drive. It is now an ideal for large, organized datasets.

Cons:

• Requires comfort with command-line interfaces; no graphical user interface.
• Lacks visual previews of files before deletion.
• Potentially dangerous if misused, as deletions are immediate and bypass trash.
• Setup and configuration can be technical for non-programmers.
• Only handles exact duplicates (same hash), not similar or renamed files.

Here are the 2 best free ways to delete duplicate files in Google Drive, from simplest to most powerful.

Method 1. Use Google Drive's Built-in Storage Management

Best for: Quick cleanup with Google's official tools

1. Go to drive.google.com → Settings → Manage storage
2. Click "View items taking up storage"
3. Sort files by name or size to manually identify duplicates
4. Google will often group similar files together for easier identification

Pros: Native, secure, no third-party access needed

Cons: Manual process, time-consuming for large collections

Method 2. Use Dedicated Duplicate Finder Apps (Most Effective)

Best for: Automated scanning and bulk removal

Top Recommendations:

• Drive Duplicate Finder (Chrome Web Store) - Simple, free browser extension
• Cloud Duplicate Finder (cloudduplicatefinder.com) - Web-based, scans without full access
• rclone (advanced users) - Command-line tool with dedupe function

Safety tip: Always use apps from verified sources and grant minimal permissions (read-only first). Review duplicates before deletion.

Start with Method #1 for a quick overview and use Method #2 with a trusted tool for bulk duplicates. Always review files before permanent deletion, as Google Drive's Trash only keeps files for 30 days.