How to Delete Duplicate Files and Photos on SD Card Easily

Managing files on SD cards can be important for those who use them for storage, such as camera and drone users. Duplicate photos and files can accumulate over time, taking up storage space and leading to disorganization. This article will show you how to delete duplicate files and photos on SD card easily, quickly and reliably.

A brief comparison

There are two ways to find and delete duplicate items on an SD card.

• Doing it manually You can use your computer or Android phone (depending on what device you use the card on) to browse through the files stored on the card, compare them to find duplicates, and delete unnecessary duplicates. This method can be time-consuming and inefficient.
• Using a duplicate file finder A dedicated tool can scan the SD card used on your device (e.g., a camera or phone), display the found duplicates, and let you delete them at once, with options for customization.

If there are only a few files, the manual method can be suitable. For SD cards with lots of files, I recommend using a tool.

Method 1. How to delete duplicate photos and files on SD card automatically

A duplicate file finder and remover like Cisdem Duplicate Finder can help you get rid of the duplicates items on your SD card via a Mac or Windows computer, or an Android phone.

A set of duplicate files is two or more files that are exactly the same, regardless of their file names. Cisdem Duplicate Finder identifies duplicate photos, videos, audio files, documents, archives and other duplicate files. In addition, this tool detects similar images.

The tool’s support for most RAW image formats is worth mentioning. For photographers and other people who work with RAW images, such support is essential.

On Mac and Windows

In the following steps, I use a Mac as an example to show you the process of removing duplicates from an SD card using this tool. The process is almost the same on a Windows PC.

Step 1. Connect your SD card to your Mac or Windows PC.

There are two options.

• Connect the device (like your camera or drone) that the card is used on to your computer using a USB cable.
• Insert your SD card into a card reader and then connect the card reader to your computer.

When a card is successfully connected, you will be able to find it in Finder (on Mac) or File Explorer (on Windows) and access the files on it.

Step 2. Install the duplicate file finder.

Download and install Cisdem Duplicate Finder on your computer. Open it.

Free Download macOS 10.11 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7

Step 3. Scan for duplicate files.

Click the Add button, select the SD card, and click Open. Alternatively, use drag and drop. I recommend using the Add button on a Mac.

Click the Scan button to start identifying duplicate items. While the scanning speed is usually quick, it may take a while if there are a large number of files. Also, the read speed of the SD card can affect the scanning speed.

Tip: If you want, you can also add a local folder on your computer to find the same files between it and your SD card.

Step 4. View the scan results.

When the scan is complete, the results window will appear, displaying duplicate files in three view modes and allowing you to preview photos and see file information.

Step 5. Remove unnecessary duplicates.

This tool has automatically selected all but one file for deletion in each set of duplicate files. Adjust the selection manually if needed.

In addition, there are preset rules (e.g., Select Newest) for mass selection. On the left, highlight the sets to which you want to apply a rule. And then choose a preferred rule.

When you are sure that all unwanted duplicates are selected, click the Delete button in the bottom right corner, and confirm by clicking Yes in the message that appears. The duplicates will be deleted permanently.

When the process is complete, you can safely eject your SD card from your computer.

Note 1: This tool provides three removal options: Move to Trash (Mac) or Recycle Bin (Windows), Remove Permanently, and Move to Folder. For external storage devices like SD cards, only the latter two options are actually available, and even choosing Move to Trash results in permanent deletion. If you wish to avoid permanent deletion, choose Move to Folder to move unwanted duplicates to a folder on your computer.

Note 2: In step 3, before you click the Scan button, you can click the settings icon in the top right corner and customize settings if needed. For example, you can exclude folders and files of your choice from the scan.

On Android

If the SD card is used on your Android phone, you can use Cisdem Duplicate Finder to handle the duplicate files on it directly on your phone.

(However, if you prefer, you can use the above steps involving using a computer. You can either connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable or take out the card and use a card reader.)

Step 1. Install Cisdem Duplicate Finder. Open it.

GET IT ONGoogle Play

Step 2. Optionally, tap the settings icon in the top right corner and change settings.

Step 3. Tap the Start Scan button to start looking for duplicates within and between your phone’s internal storage and SD card.

Step 4. Tap Images to see all detected duplicate photos. In each set, this tool automatically selected all but one photo for elimination. Also, you can select files by hand or choose a preset rule. Tap Clean and then Confirm to permanently clean up selected items.

Step 5. Continue handling other types of duplicates, such as duplicate videos and documents.

Method 2. How to manually find and remove duplicate files on SD card

I usually recommend the automatic method involving using a tool, but the manual method can be suitable if there aren’t many files on your SD card.

With the manual method, you can use the built-in or a third-party file manager on your computer or Android phone, such as Mac’s Finder, Windows’ File Explorer, and Android’s Files.

Since different file managers may work differently, the following steps only provide general steps of how this method works.

Step 1. Connect your SD card to your computer. Skip this step if the card is used on your phone.

Step 2. Open the card in the file manager on your device.

Step 3. Using the file manager’s features and options to sort the files on your card in a way that makes it relatively easy for you to spot duplicates. I recommend dealing with only one file type, such as images, at a time.

Here are some examples.

• Mac users can use Finder’s Smart Folder to easily organize files by criteria like file type, file extension, file size, and name and sort files by options like name and size.
• Windows users can use File Explorer’s basic or advanced search features to filter files by type and then sort them by a preferred option.
• Android’s Files already automatically displays files by type, such as Images and Videos. Tap a certain type and then sort files by size, name, or date.

Step 4. Now you can identify duplicates by comparing files’ attributes and content.

As mentioned above, the identification of duplicate files usually doesn’t take the file name into consideration. Simply looking at file names won’t be effective.

Step 5. Manually delete duplicates one by one or in bulk.

Will the deleted items go to the trash or recycle bin on your device, or will they be permanently removed? This can vary based on the operating system and your settings. Going to the trash or recycle bin means that you can easily restore them.

Conclusion

Whether you use your SD card to store the videos and videos you take, back up files, or increase the storage on your phone, you will benefit from keeping your card organized and clutter-free. This article discusses two ways on how to delete duplicate photos and files on SD card, providing steps, safety tips and other tips. Regardless of the method you use, it’s always wise to be cautious when deleting files.