Review Duplicate Reference Images Before Deleting Them

Search is:duplicate in refern to surface files with matching perceptual hashes. Treat the result as a review list. A perceptual match describes visual resemblance; it does not prove byte identity or tell you which version to keep.

Prepare before cleanup

Make an independent backup of your media and workspace data. Check that all relevant drives are available and indexing has completed for the set you want to review. A partial index gives a partial view of the library.

Begin with one small group. Open the candidates at a useful size and compare:

• Dimensions and visible detail, including compression artifacts.
• Crop, orientation, transparency, and any annotations in the pixels.
• Source URL, creator, notes, and other metadata you want to retain.
• Where each image is used, including canvases and linked references.

A smaller file may be an intentional export. A crop may preserve a detail you need. Two visually similar frames may show different moments of an action. Keep both when the difference serves a purpose.

To compare a pair side by side, select both files, choose Review 2 items, and press V for culling mode. Up keeps the current file, Down moves it to Trash, and you can undo either choice.

Choose a keeper deliberately

Prefer the version that fits your needs, then preserve useful source information from the other entry before removing it. Do not assume deleting a duplicate merges its tags, notes, or canvas placements into the remaining file. To keep its tags, hover the file you will remove and press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+C, then hover the keeper and press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+V.

Linked copies are a separate concept: they can show one physical source in several folder placements. They are not automatically several media files consuming the same amount of storage. Inspect paths and relationships before interpreting the grid as a disk-usage report.

Remove a checked candidate and verify

Use the app's trash action for a candidate you have confirmed you do not need. Check the surviving image, its metadata, and affected boards before continuing with a larger set. If the result is unexpected, stop and restore from the available recovery path or your independent backup.

Do not automate deletion solely from a hash result or a filename suffix. This guide has no measured storage-saving percentage and makes no claim that a cleanup is safe without inspection.

If you want related images rather than cleanup candidates, use visual similarity search. Keep a backup plan for both the originals and the organization work.