Hey everyone, I've run into a weird issue with Windows 11. When I copy files into a folder that already has a file with the same name, it used to prompt me to replace, compare, or skip. But now it just adds duplicates automatically, like `dog - Copy.jpg` or `IMG_1234 (1).jpg`, without any notification. I can't remember when this started, but it's becoming a huge headache. I often organize lots of files, including photos and work documents, and now I've got tons of duplicates cluttering my SSD.
I tried a third-party duplicate finder, which detected duplicates by content, but the free version won't let me delete them without paying. What I'm really looking for is a way to restore that overwrite prompt. Is this a bug on Windows 11, or did I change a setting by mistake? Any suggestions would be super helpful!
2 Answers
If the prompts are still missing after that, you might want to check out tools like DupeGuru or Czkawka. Both are free and pretty good at finding and removing duplicates. They could save you tons of time compared to doing it manually!
It sounds like you might have a setting turned on that hides those merge conflict prompts. Try going to File Explorer, clicking on the three dots next to 'View', then choosing 'Options'. From there, head over to the 'View' tab and see if 'Hide folder merge conflicts' is checked. If it is, uncheck it and see if that brings back the prompts for you!
I checked and it was enabled! Just turned it off, let's hope it works!