How to delete duplicate files in Google drive?

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.