Move or copy files

Here you can move or copy the marked files. Open the panel with the Move or copy files button on the left of the Duplicate files or Remaining files tab.

Destination

Under Move or copy to a folder, enter or browse for the folder to move or copy the files to. If it doesn’t exist you will be asked whether to create it.

Subfolders

You also need to choose how to structure the moved or copied files:

Don’t create subfolders - move or copy all files to the same folder

All files are moved or copied into the same folder. Same-named files can’t both keep their names in one folder - see Overwrite existing files below.

Create subfolders - reproduce the source folder tree structure at the destination

This creates the full source folder structure in the destination, and is particularly useful if you have same-named files.

Examples:

Source file:         D:\MyFiles\Test\File1.txt
Destination folder:  T:\Backups
Result:              T:\Backups\MyFiles\Test\File1.txt

Source file:         D:\MyFiles\Test\Sub\File2.txt
Destination folder:  T:\Backups
Result:              T:\Backups\MyFiles\Test\Sub\File2.txt

Create subfolders - reproduce part of the source folder tree structure ignoring prefix

This keeps part of the source folder structure, leaving out a Prefix to ignore. This avoids creating unnecessarily long paths - it only creates the part of the path that is needed to structure the files you are copying.

The Detect from marked files button works out the common part of the marked files’ paths, and fills it in for you.

Examples:

Source file:         D:\MyFiles\Test\File1.txt
Destination folder:  T:\Backups
Prefix:              \MyFiles\
Result:              T:\Backups\Test\File1.txt

Source file:         D:\MyFiles\Test\Sub\File2.txt
Destination folder:  T:\Backups
Prefix:              \MyFiles\Test\
Result:              T:\Backups\Sub\File2.txt

Create subfolders - based on file metadata

This creates new subfolders based on information about each file - the columns shown in the duplicate files list, such as Image width or the Album metadata.

A Template sets out the new subfolders. It can contain several subfolders, separated by \, and several columns within the same folder name. A column is written as its name in square brackets. Click Column name to pick from the columns available - the one you click is added to the end of the template.

Set a Default value for missing metadata, used when a file has no value for a column.

Examples:

Creating a folder structure from song information, with artist folders containing folders named by year and album:

Template: [_Artist]\[_Year] [_Album]
Result:   T:\Backups\U2\1993 Zooropa\Lemon.mp3

Creating folders for photos by camera model and photo size:

Template: [_Model]\[width]x[height]
Result:   T:\Backups\NIKON D810\7360x4912\Photo.jpg

Notes:

• Be careful when adding many columns, especially ones with a lot of text in them - a single folder name can’t be too long.
• Any characters that aren’t allowed in a folder name are replaced.

Options

• Overwrite existing files - If a file with the same name already exists at the destination, it is overwritten. If not ticked, the file being moved or copied is given a new name with a number, such as File (1).txt, and nothing is overwritten.
• Remove empty folders - After moving files, Duplicate Cleaner removes any folders left empty where files were moved from. It also removes empty subfolders.
• Protect important system folders - Files will not be moved from important system folders. For a list of these folders, see Skip system folders.
• Also process sidecar files - Move or copy the files’ sidecar files with them.

Check for issues first

The Check for issues first button checks the files to be moved or copied against each other and against their destination, before anything is changed. It checks for:

• Clashes with other files in the set you are moving or copying. For example you are copying all files to the same folder, and there are two files called thumbnail.jpg.
• Clashes with existing files at the destination. For example you are copying thumbnail.jpg and this file already exists at the destination.
• Files that are already in the destination folder.
• Subfolder names, or whole paths, that are too long.
• Problems with the metadata template, such as a column that doesn’t exist.
• Files that would be skipped because they are in a protected system folder.

Note: Depending on your settings, clashing files will be renamed or overwritten if you go ahead with the move or copy.

Moving or copying

Click Move files or Copy files to start. You will be asked to confirm. If any groups have all their files marked, you will be warned before moving.