{"id":"duplicates.what-happens-if-files-changed-since-the-duplicate-scan","url":"/faq/duplicates/what-happens-if-files-changed-since-the-duplicate-scan","category":{"id":"duplicates","title":"Duplicate files"},"subcategory":{"id":"removing-and-restoring","title":"Removing and restoring duplicates"},"question":"What happens if my files changed since the last duplicate scan?","alt_questions":["Are duplicate results checked again before removing?","The copy you're keeping couldn't be verified, so nothing was removed","Stale duplicate results","I moved a file after the scan — is it safe to clean?","Duplicate removal failed after reorganising"],"short_answer":"Storage Studio re-checks the copy you're keeping right before removing anything. If it has moved or can't be read, nothing is removed and you're asked to scan again, so an out-of-date result can never cost you the last copy.","answer_markdown":"Storage Studio re-checks at the moment of removal, so an out-of-date result can't cost you the last copy. On your Mac, the copy you're keeping must still be present and readable; if it isn't, nothing is removed and you'll see *\"The copy you're keeping couldn't be verified, so nothing was removed.\"*\n\nIn a cloud account, the kept copy is checked in the account itself just before anything is removed; if it has gone, you'll see that nothing was removed and you should scan again.\n\nIf you've reorganised a lot since the scan, click **Scan now** for a fresh list before cleaning.","answer_html":"

Storage Studio re-checks at the moment of removal, so an out-of-date result can't cost you the last copy. On your Mac, the copy you're keeping must still be present and readable; if it isn't, nothing is removed and you'll see "The copy you're keeping couldn't be verified, so nothing was removed."

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In a cloud account, the kept copy is checked in the account itself just before anything is removed; if it has gone, you'll see that nothing was removed and you should scan again.

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If you've reorganised a lot since the scan, click Scan now for a fresh list before cleaning.

","answer_text":"Storage Studio re-checks at the moment of removal, so an out-of-date result can't cost you the last copy. On your Mac, the copy you're keeping must still be present and readable; if it isn't, nothing is removed and you'll see \"The copy you're keeping couldn't be verified, so nothing was removed.\"\n\nIn a cloud account, the kept copy is checked in the account itself just before anything is removed; if it has gone, you'll see that nothing was removed and you should scan again.\n\nIf you've reorganised a lot since the scan, click Scan now for a fresh list before cleaning.","tags":["duplicates","safety","scan"],"related":[{"id":"duplicates.are-duplicate-results-remembered-between-launches","question":"Are duplicate results remembered after I quit Storage Studio?","url":"/faq/duplicates/are-duplicate-results-remembered-between-launches"},{"id":"duplicates.will-removing-duplicates-delete-my-files","question":"Will removing duplicates delete my files or lose data?","url":"/faq/duplicates/will-removing-duplicates-delete-my-files"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What happens if my files changed since the last duplicate scan? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Storage Studio re-checks the copy you're keeping right before removing anything. If it has moved or can't be read, nothing is removed and you're asked to scan again, so an out-of-date result can never cost you the last copy.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Duplicate files","path":"/faq/duplicates/"},{"name":"What happens if my files changed since the last duplicate scan?","path":"/faq/duplicates/what-happens-if-files-changed-since-the-duplicate-scan"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/what-happens-if-files-changed-since-the-duplicate-scan","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What happens if my files changed since the last duplicate scan?","alternateName":["Are duplicate results checked again before removing?","The copy you're keeping couldn't be verified, so nothing was removed","Stale duplicate results","I moved a file after the scan — is it safe to clean?","Duplicate removal failed after reorganising"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Storage Studio re-checks at the moment of removal, so an out-of-date result can't cost you the last copy. On your Mac, the copy you're keeping must still be present and readable; if it isn't, nothing is removed and you'll see \"The copy you're keeping couldn't be verified, so nothing was removed.\"\n\nIn a cloud account, the kept copy is checked in the account itself just before anything is removed; if it has gone, you'll see that nothing was removed and you should scan again.\n\nIf you've reorganised a lot since the scan, click Scan now for a fresh list before cleaning.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/what-happens-if-files-changed-since-the-duplicate-scan"}}]},"fragment":"
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Duplicate files · Removing and restoring duplicates

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What happens if my files changed since the last duplicate scan?

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Short answer: Storage Studio re-checks the copy you're keeping right before removing anything. If it has moved or can't be read, nothing is removed and you're asked to scan again, so an out-of-date result can never cost you the last copy.

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Storage Studio re-checks at the moment of removal, so an out-of-date result can't cost you the last copy. On your Mac, the copy you're keeping must still be present and readable; if it isn't, nothing is removed and you'll see "The copy you're keeping couldn't be verified, so nothing was removed."

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In a cloud account, the kept copy is checked in the account itself just before anything is removed; if it has gone, you'll see that nothing was removed and you should scan again.

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If you've reorganised a lot since the scan, click Scan now for a fresh list before cleaning.

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Last reviewed

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