HT201812: Find and remove duplicate items in your iTunes library

Learn about Find and remove duplicate items in your iTunes library
AUTbone
Level 1 (9 points)
iTunes

Q: How do I deselect all?

I have several thousand duplicate songs. When I use "find duplicates" it generates an enormous list of songs with all boxes checked. If I choose to delete all selected at this point I assume it will delete all copies of the song. But instead of going through and unchecking the songs I want to keep it would be very helpful to have a mass deselect and then I can spend an hour at a time selecting the songs I want to delete, deleting them, and then generating a new list the next chance I have.

 

I understand there are scripts that automate this, but I just want the simplest option.

iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on May 7, 2016 2:18 PM

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AUTbone

Q: How do I deselect all?

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  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 May 7, 2016 3:08 PM in response to AUTbone
    Level 10 (85,368 points)
    iPod
    May 7, 2016 3:08 PM in response to AUTbone

    The show duplicates feature shows all matching copies. Cmd+Click on a checkbox will uncheck or check all of them. If you sort by date added you could select the top half of the list then right/ctrl-click and choose check/uncheck selection from the context menu. If you then revert to sorting as Album by Artist you should find that alternate tracks are checked and unchecked. In some cases there might be two copies of each file, in others iTunes may have two entries in the database pointing to the same file. In the first case you want to trash the files you're deleting, in the other you don't. Best to take a complete backup of the library before you start trying to clean up.

     

    tt2