DupeKiller is a lightweight GUI utility for identifying and removing duplicate files based on filename patterns. Designed for simplicity and speed, it helps clean up cluttered directories with minimal fuss.
- 📁 Manual folder selection via dialog
- 🧠 Duplicate detection using filename pattern matching (
* - Copy*) - 👀 Scrollable preview of detected duplicates
- 🗑️ File deletion with optional dry-run mode
- 🧪 Dry-run toggle to simulate deletion safely
- 🎨 Color-coded feedback:
- 🔴 Red for deleted files
- 🟠 Orange for dry-run previews
- 📄 Log file creation with timestamp
- 🚪 Option to auto-open log file after deletion
- 📊 Footer labels showing version and duplicate count
DupeKiller uses filename pattern matching (e.g. * - Copy*) instead of hash or byte-level comparison. This decision was driven by a specific—and frustrating—real-world problem:
Microsoft OneDrive, in its infinite wisdom, often creates unnecessary file copies rather than overwriting existing ones. Instead of syncing cleanly, it litters your folders with duplicates like file - Copy (1).txt, file - Copy (2).txt, and so on. These aren't true duplicates in content—they're just redundant clutter.
DupeKiller was built to target this mess directly. By focusing on predictable filename patterns, it offers a fast, no-nonsense way to clean up what OneDrive left behind—without the overhead of hashing or deep file inspection.
It’s a pragmatic solution to a modern annoyance.
DupeKiller is distributed as a standalone .exe built with PyInstaller. No Python installation or dependencies required.
- Download the latest release from the Releases page
- Run
DupeKiller.exe
- Launch the application
- Select a folder to scan
- Review the list of detected duplicates
- Toggle dry-run mode if desired
- Click "Delete" to remove duplicates or simulate deletion
- View the log file for details
-
❗ No undo functionality after deletion
Once files are deleted, they’re gone. Use dry-run mode to preview before committing. -
⚠️ False positives possible
Detection is based solely on filename patterns. Files with similar names but different content may be flagged. -
🧹 No recursive folder scanning
Only the selected folder is scanned—subdirectories are ignored for now. -
🧊 UI may freeze briefly during large scans
Performance is generally smooth, but very large directories may cause temporary lag.
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See license.txt for details.
See changelog.md for version history and feature progression.