🔁 Duplicate Detector

The Duplicate Detector finds files that are exact copies of each other — the same file uploaded more than once, even under different names.

It first picks out files of the same type and size, then confirms each match by comparing a fingerprint (an MD5 hash) of the files’ contents, so different images that happen to be the same size are not listed. For large photos it compares the original upload, not the smaller copy WordPress shows. The Dashboard’s Duplicate Files card counts the same way (extra copies beyond the first in each group). Files in the Recycle Bin are left out.

Review each group and decide which copy to keep. Use Smart Replace to move any references to the copy you keep before deleting the others.

Questions people ask

Will it find the same picture saved at a different size or quality?
No. It finds byte-for-byte copies only. A resized, re-saved or edited version of a picture is a different file, so it is not listed.

Is the first scan slow?
Only files that share a type and size with another file are fingerprinted, and each fingerprint is remembered until the file changes, so later scans are quick.

Two different images appear as duplicates — is that a bug?
Yes, please report it. Files are only listed when their contents are identical, so two images that look different should never appear together.

What should I do before deleting a duplicate?
Use Smart Replace to swap any references to the copy you’re deleting over to the version you’re keeping, then delete the copy.