{"id":"duplicates.can-i-choose-which-folders-are-scanned-for-duplicates","url":"/faq/duplicates/can-i-choose-which-folders-are-scanned-for-duplicates","category":{"id":"duplicates","title":"Duplicate files"},"subcategory":{"id":"where-it-looks","title":"Where it looks and what it skips"},"question":"Can I choose which folders are scanned for duplicates?","alt_questions":["Can I add a folder to the duplicate scan?","Can I exclude a folder from Duplicates?","Custom folders for duplicate finder","How do I scan a specific folder for duplicates?","Scan only one folder for duplicate files"],"short_answer":"Not right now. This Mac always covers Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures, and cloud accounts are checked as a whole. You can switch Auto-scan per source, scan on demand, and include small files — and nothing is removed until you choose.","answer_markdown":"Not right now. The **This Mac** source always checks your Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures folders, and each cloud account is checked as a whole. Adding or excluding individual folders isn't available right now.\n\nWhat you can control:\n\n- Turn **Auto-scan** on or off for each source.\n- Use **Scan now** to check one source on demand.\n- Turn on **Include small files** to compare files under 1 MB too.\n\nAnd because nothing is removed until you pick it, you can simply leave any set you'd rather keep as it is.","answer_html":"

Not right now. The This Mac source always checks your Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures folders, and each cloud account is checked as a whole. Adding or excluding individual folders isn't available right now.

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What you can control:

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And because nothing is removed until you pick it, you can simply leave any set you'd rather keep as it is.

","answer_text":"Not right now. The This Mac source always checks your Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures folders, and each cloud account is checked as a whole. Adding or excluding individual folders isn't available right now.\n\nWhat you can control:\n\n- Turn Auto-scan on or off for each source.\n- Use Scan now to check one source on demand.\n- Turn on Include small files to compare files under 1 MB too.\n\nAnd because nothing is removed until you pick it, you can simply leave any set you'd rather keep as it is.","tags":["duplicates","folders","settings"],"related":[{"id":"duplicates.which-folders-does-the-duplicate-finder-check-on-my-mac","question":"Which folders does the duplicate finder check on my Mac?","url":"/faq/duplicates/which-folders-does-the-duplicate-finder-check-on-my-mac"},{"id":"duplicates.how-do-i-turn-off-auto-scan-for-duplicates","question":"How do I turn off background duplicate scanning?","url":"/faq/duplicates/how-do-i-turn-off-auto-scan-for-duplicates"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can I choose which folders are scanned for duplicates? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Not right now. This Mac always covers Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures, and cloud accounts are checked as a whole. You can switch Auto-scan per source, scan on demand, and include small files — and nothing is removed until you choose.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Duplicate files","path":"/faq/duplicates/"},{"name":"Can I choose which folders are scanned for duplicates?","path":"/faq/duplicates/can-i-choose-which-folders-are-scanned-for-duplicates"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/can-i-choose-which-folders-are-scanned-for-duplicates","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I choose which folders are scanned for duplicates?","alternateName":["Can I add a folder to the duplicate scan?","Can I exclude a folder from Duplicates?","Custom folders for duplicate finder","How do I scan a specific folder for duplicates?","Scan only one folder for duplicate files"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Not right now. The This Mac source always checks your Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures folders, and each cloud account is checked as a whole. Adding or excluding individual folders isn't available right now.\n\nWhat you can control:\n\n- Turn Auto-scan on or off for each source.\n- Use Scan now to check one source on demand.\n- Turn on Include small files to compare files under 1 MB too.\n\nAnd because nothing is removed until you pick it, you can simply leave any set you'd rather keep as it is.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/can-i-choose-which-folders-are-scanned-for-duplicates"}}]},"fragment":"
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Duplicate files · Where it looks and what it skips

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Can I choose which folders are scanned for duplicates?

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Short answer: Not right now. This Mac always covers Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures, and cloud accounts are checked as a whole. You can switch Auto-scan per source, scan on demand, and include small files — and nothing is removed until you choose.

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Not right now. The This Mac source always checks your Downloads, Documents, Desktop, Movies and Pictures folders, and each cloud account is checked as a whole. Adding or excluding individual folders isn't available right now.

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What you can control:

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  • Turn Auto-scan on or off for each source.
  • Use Scan now to check one source on demand.
  • Turn on Include small files to compare files under 1 MB too.
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And because nothing is removed until you pick it, you can simply leave any set you'd rather keep as it is.

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Last reviewed

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