---
id: duplicates.how-do-i-check-a-duplicate-before-removing-it
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/how-do-i-check-a-duplicate-before-removing-it
category: "Duplicate files"
subcategory: "Choosing which copy to keep"
question: "How can I check a duplicate before I remove it?"
alt_questions:
  - "Can I open a duplicate to look at it first?"
  - "How do I see which copy is which?"
  - "Show duplicate in Finder"
  - "Open the duplicate file before deleting"
  - "Where is this duplicate file?"
  - "Reveal duplicate file location"
short_answer: "Click a copy's name to open it in its usual app, click the folder underneath or the Reveal in Finder icon to see where it lives, and compare the created and modified dates shown for each copy before choosing which to keep."
tags: ["duplicates", "open", "finder"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/which-copy-does-storage-studio-recommend-keeping", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/how-do-i-open-a-cloud-duplicate-to-check-it"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How can I check a duplicate before I remove it?

Every copy in a set can be opened and located before anything is removed:

- **Click the file's name** to open it in its usual app.
- **Click the folder underneath** to show it in Finder.
- Use the **Reveal in Finder** icon on the row.

Each copy also shows its created and modified dates, which helps when two identical-looking files sit in different places. It's the quickest way to be sure which one you want to keep — and if you change your mind afterwards, removals on your Mac can be restored from the Recycle Vault.