Czkawka
Media library

Duplicate Music: Preserve Tags and Album Artwork

Inspect embedded tags, bitrate, cover art and version labels before deciding which music copy is redundant. A content similarity result is not a music collection policy.

Short answer: How do I avoid deleting the wrong music version?

Inspect embedded tags, bitrate, cover art and version labels before deciding which music copy is redundant. A content similarity result is not a music collection policy.

What to know before you begin

Inspect embedded tags, bitrate, cover art and version labels before deciding which music copy is redundant. A content similarity result is not a music collection policy. The project offers several scanning modes and the current version may place controls differently in Krokiet versus the older GTK GUI. Follow the meaning of the option you see, not just a screenshot from a different release.

For Windows, verify that your chosen folder is accessible and that the correct graphical frontend is running. The recommended approach starts with a small test set, especially when an action could rename, move, delete or link files.

Step-by-step: How do I avoid deleting the wrong music version?

  1. Compare artist, album, track number and release labels.
  2. Inspect bitrate and file type where audio quality matters.
  3. Play a few seconds of each candidate recording.
  4. Archive any alternate edition you want to keep.

Important limitation

Before changing files: A lossless FLAC and a compressed MP3 may sound similar but have different value.

How to verify the result

Verify playlists and artwork still work with the retained files. A scan's estimated savings or the presence of a matching group does not by itself establish which copy should be discarded.

If the procedure does not match your screen, inspect the project's own FAQ and troubleshooting notes and identify the exact release and frontend first.

FAQ

How do I avoid deleting the wrong music version?

Inspect embedded tags, bitrate, cover art and version labels before deciding which music copy is redundant. A content similarity result is not a music collection policy.

What is the biggest risk for this task?

A lossless FLAC and a compressed MP3 may sound similar but have different value.

How do I check whether it worked?

Verify playlists and artwork still work with the retained files.

Related Windows guides

Editorial notes reviewed: November 1, 2026. Version-specific facts are based on the developer's release and FAQ. This guide is educational; it is not a guarantee about a third-party download.

Try Czkawka on Windows

Check the asset name and keep a backup before running a file cleanup operation.

See our download and safety instructions first.