{"id":"duplicates.what-do-the-dates-shown-for-each-duplicate-copy-mean","url":"/faq/duplicates/what-do-the-dates-shown-for-each-duplicate-copy-mean","category":{"id":"duplicates","title":"Duplicate files"},"subcategory":{"id":"choosing-what-to-keep","title":"Choosing which copy to keep"},"question":"What do the dates shown for each duplicate copy mean?","alt_questions":["Created and modified dates in Duplicates","Which duplicate is the original?","How do I tell which copy is older?","Find the original file among duplicates"],"short_answer":"Each copy shows when it was created and last modified on your Mac. Since the content is identical, the dates show each copy's history — when it was downloaded or copied — rather than which is the original. Use them with the folder to decide what to keep.","answer_markdown":"Each copy shows when it was **created** and last **modified** on your Mac. Because duplicates have identical content, these dates mostly tell you about the copy's history — when it was downloaded, copied or saved there — rather than which one is \"the original\".\n\nStorage Studio's recommendation also takes into account when you last opened each copy, where it knows, along with whether it lives in a working folder or in Downloads or Desktop. Use the dates together with the folder each copy is in to decide which one you want to keep.","answer_html":"

Each copy shows when it was created and last modified on your Mac. Because duplicates have identical content, these dates mostly tell you about the copy's history — when it was downloaded, copied or saved there — rather than which one is "the original".

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Storage Studio's recommendation also takes into account when you last opened each copy, where it knows, along with whether it lives in a working folder or in Downloads or Desktop. Use the dates together with the folder each copy is in to decide which one you want to keep.

","answer_text":"Each copy shows when it was created and last modified on your Mac. Because duplicates have identical content, these dates mostly tell you about the copy's history — when it was downloaded, copied or saved there — rather than which one is \"the original\".\n\nStorage Studio's recommendation also takes into account when you last opened each copy, where it knows, along with whether it lives in a working folder or in Downloads or Desktop. Use the dates together with the folder each copy is in to decide which one you want to keep.","tags":["duplicates","dates","keep"],"related":[{"id":"duplicates.which-copy-does-storage-studio-recommend-keeping","question":"Which copy does Storage Studio recommend keeping, and why?","url":"/faq/duplicates/which-copy-does-storage-studio-recommend-keeping"},{"id":"duplicates.how-do-i-check-a-duplicate-before-removing-it","question":"How can I check a duplicate before I remove it?","url":"/faq/duplicates/how-do-i-check-a-duplicate-before-removing-it"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What do the dates shown for each duplicate copy mean? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Each copy shows when it was created and last modified on your Mac. Since the content is identical, the dates show each copy's history — when it was downloaded or copied — rather than which is the original. Use them with the folder to decide what to keep.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Duplicate files","path":"/faq/duplicates/"},{"name":"What do the dates shown for each duplicate copy mean?","path":"/faq/duplicates/what-do-the-dates-shown-for-each-duplicate-copy-mean"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/what-do-the-dates-shown-for-each-duplicate-copy-mean","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What do the dates shown for each duplicate copy mean?","alternateName":["Created and modified dates in Duplicates","Which duplicate is the original?","How do I tell which copy is older?","Find the original file among duplicates"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Each copy shows when it was created and last modified on your Mac. Because duplicates have identical content, these dates mostly tell you about the copy's history — when it was downloaded, copied or saved there — rather than which one is \"the original\".\n\nStorage Studio's recommendation also takes into account when you last opened each copy, where it knows, along with whether it lives in a working folder or in Downloads or Desktop. Use the dates together with the folder each copy is in to decide which one you want to keep.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/what-do-the-dates-shown-for-each-duplicate-copy-mean"}}]},"fragment":"
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Duplicate files · Choosing which copy to keep

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What do the dates shown for each duplicate copy mean?

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Short answer: Each copy shows when it was created and last modified on your Mac. Since the content is identical, the dates show each copy's history — when it was downloaded or copied — rather than which is the original. Use them with the folder to decide what to keep.

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Each copy shows when it was created and last modified on your Mac. Because duplicates have identical content, these dates mostly tell you about the copy's history — when it was downloaded, copied or saved there — rather than which one is "the original".

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Storage Studio's recommendation also takes into account when you last opened each copy, where it knows, along with whether it lives in a working folder or in Downloads or Desktop. Use the dates together with the folder each copy is in to decide which one you want to keep.

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Last reviewed

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