---
id: duplicates.what-do-the-dates-shown-for-each-duplicate-copy-mean
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/what-do-the-dates-shown-for-each-duplicate-copy-mean
category: "Duplicate files"
subcategory: "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."
tags: ["duplicates", "dates", "keep"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/which-copy-does-storage-studio-recommend-keeping", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/how-do-i-check-a-duplicate-before-removing-it"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What do the dates shown for each duplicate copy mean?

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".

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.