{"id":"duplicates.what-is-auto-scan-in-duplicates","url":"/faq/duplicates/what-is-auto-scan-in-duplicates","category":{"id":"duplicates","title":"Duplicate files"},"subcategory":{"id":"scanning","title":"Scanning and Auto-scan"},"question":"What is Auto-scan in the Duplicates window?","alt_questions":["Does Storage Studio look for duplicates in the background?","How does automatic duplicate scanning work?","Is Auto-scan on by default?","When does the background duplicate scan run?","duplicates auto scan storage studio","Does it check for duplicates automatically?"],"short_answer":"Auto-scan checks a source for duplicates in the background so results are ready when you look. It's on by default per source; This Mac is only scanned when idle, plugged in and cool, cloud accounts wait for a short pause, and each runs at most once every few hours.","answer_markdown":"**Auto-scan** lets Storage Studio check a source for duplicates quietly in the background, so results are ready when you open the window. It's on by default, and there's a separate switch for each source.\n\nIt's built to stay out of your way:\n\n- **This Mac** is only scanned when your Mac is idle, plugged in and cool, because reading your files competes with your own work.\n- **Cloud accounts** are much lighter to check — only a list of file fingerprints is read — so they just wait for a short pause in your typing, and run on battery too unless it's low.\n- Background checks run one account at a time, and at most once every few hours for each source.\n\nResults are remembered between launches, so the window opens instantly.","answer_html":"

Auto-scan lets Storage Studio check a source for duplicates quietly in the background, so results are ready when you open the window. It's on by default, and there's a separate switch for each source.

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It's built to stay out of your way:

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Results are remembered between launches, so the window opens instantly.

","answer_text":"Auto-scan lets Storage Studio check a source for duplicates quietly in the background, so results are ready when you open the window. It's on by default, and there's a separate switch for each source.\n\nIt's built to stay out of your way:\n\n- This Mac is only scanned when your Mac is idle, plugged in and cool, because reading your files competes with your own work.\n- Cloud accounts are much lighter to check — only a list of file fingerprints is read — so they just wait for a short pause in your typing, and run on battery too unless it's low.\n- Background checks run one account at a time, and at most once every few hours for each source.\n\nResults are remembered between launches, so the window opens instantly.","tags":["duplicates","auto-scan","background"],"related":[{"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"},{"id":"duplicates.why-does-the-duplicate-scan-say-waiting","question":"Why does the duplicate scan say \"Waiting\" and never seem to run?","url":"/faq/duplicates/why-does-the-duplicate-scan-say-waiting"},{"id":"duplicates.does-duplicate-scanning-slow-down-my-mac","question":"Does duplicate scanning slow down my Mac or drain the battery?","url":"/faq/duplicates/does-duplicate-scanning-slow-down-my-mac"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What is Auto-scan in the Duplicates window? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Auto-scan checks a source for duplicates in the background so results are ready when you look. It's on by default per source; This Mac is only scanned when idle, plugged in and cool, cloud accounts wait for a short pause, and each runs at most once every few hours.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Duplicate files","path":"/faq/duplicates/"},{"name":"What is Auto-scan in the Duplicates window?","path":"/faq/duplicates/what-is-auto-scan-in-duplicates"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/what-is-auto-scan-in-duplicates","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is Auto-scan in the Duplicates window?","alternateName":["Does Storage Studio look for duplicates in the background?","How does automatic duplicate scanning work?","Is Auto-scan on by default?","When does the background duplicate scan run?","duplicates auto scan storage studio","Does it check for duplicates automatically?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Auto-scan lets Storage Studio check a source for duplicates quietly in the background, so results are ready when you open the window. It's on by default, and there's a separate switch for each source.\n\nIt's built to stay out of your way:\n\n- This Mac is only scanned when your Mac is idle, plugged in and cool, because reading your files competes with your own work.\n- Cloud accounts are much lighter to check — only a list of file fingerprints is read — so they just wait for a short pause in your typing, and run on battery too unless it's low.\n- Background checks run one account at a time, and at most once every few hours for each source.\n\nResults are remembered between launches, so the window opens instantly.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/duplicates/what-is-auto-scan-in-duplicates"}}]},"fragment":"
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Duplicate files · Scanning and Auto-scan

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What is Auto-scan in the Duplicates window?

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Short answer: Auto-scan checks a source for duplicates in the background so results are ready when you look. It's on by default per source; This Mac is only scanned when idle, plugged in and cool, cloud accounts wait for a short pause, and each runs at most once every few hours.

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Auto-scan lets Storage Studio check a source for duplicates quietly in the background, so results are ready when you open the window. It's on by default, and there's a separate switch for each source.

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It's built to stay out of your way:

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  • This Mac is only scanned when your Mac is idle, plugged in and cool, because reading your files competes with your own work.
  • Cloud accounts are much lighter to check — only a list of file fingerprints is read — so they just wait for a short pause in your typing, and run on battery too unless it's low.
  • Background checks run one account at a time, and at most once every few hours for each source.
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Results are remembered between launches, so the window opens instantly.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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