How to Use the Main Window and the Tool Balls?

Free Duplicate Finder opens on the Scanner page, which is where duplicates are found and handled. Three blue tool balls float in the top-right corner of the window and give you quick access to the extra tools.

Step 1: Get familiar with the main window

The left rail switches pages: Scanner (magnifier), Log, Database, Settings (gear), About (info) and the back arrow. The toolbar above the list holds Start, Pause, Stop, Clear List, Export HTML and Print. The status bar at the bottom reports elapsed time, how many duplicates were found and how much space was freed.

Main window with the tool balls
Main window with the tool balls

Step 2: Hover the tool ball to unfold the tools

Move the mouse over the grid ball in the top-right corner. Two more balls slide out under it:

  • Broom – clean junk files.
  • Compare arrows – pairwise comparison.
Hover the tool ball to unfold the tools
Hover the tool ball to unfold Junk Cleaner and Pairwise comparison

Step 3: Pin the tools or move the balls

Click the grid ball once to keep the tools unfolded, click it again to fold them back. Press and drag any ball to move the whole group somewhere more convenient.

What each page is for

  • Scanner: add folders, scan and clean duplicates.
  • Log: browse the log of past scans.
  • Database: keep the scan database for faster rescans.
  • Settings: language, theme and which interface starts.