Czkawka (Krokiet) is for Windows users who need to reclaim space or sort through large photo, music, and download folders without relying on a basic duplicate-only scan. It brings several kinds of file checks into one portable application, so you can review exact copies alongside similar media and other cleanup candidates.
Find the files that are taking up space
The duplicate finder compares files by name, size, or hash. A cache helps speed up later scans, which is useful when you revisit the same folders after removing or moving files. The results are presented for review: the program does not delete files automatically, and you decide which items to delete, move, or link.
For photo collections, the similar-image scan can identify pictures that are not exact copies, including images at different resolutions or with watermarks. The similar-video tool looks for visually similar videos rather than relying only on identical files. Using that video feature requires FFmpeg to be installed separately.
Music scans can identify the same music by tags or content. Other checks can locate empty files and folders, temporary files, large files, broken symlinks, corrupted files, and files whose extensions do not match their contents. These separate scan types let you focus on a particular cleanup task instead of treating every file as a duplicate.
Use the portable Windows interface
The current Windows interface is Krokiet, built with Slint and supplied as a single EXE that runs without installation. The project also has an older GTK interface named Czkawka, but it no longer receives new binaries since version 12; Krokiet is the recommended interface. Both interfaces use the same core, can reuse cached scan data, and do not connect to the internet.
Because Czkawka (Krokiet) runs as a standalone EXE rather than through an installer, place the file in its own folder before launching it. The Windows release has several build variants, which can make choosing one less straightforward; if one build does not start, another Windows variant may work. HEIF and RAW image support is not included in the Windows builds.
Know what to expect from scans
Scans identify candidates, but the final cleanup remains under your control. This matters when a folder contains files that look alike but serve different purposes, such as resized photos or videos with similar content. Reviewing the listed results before taking action helps you avoid removing a file you still need.
Czkawka is an open-source project by Rafał Mikrut and contributors. The Krokiet app is licensed under GNU GPL v3, while the core code is under MIT. The software is also available for macOS, Linux, and Android (Cedinia), in addition to Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Choose scans that match the cleanup task
For a large download folder, start with duplicate and large-file checks, then review empty files and temporary items. For a photo archive, use the similar-image scan alongside exact duplicate matching; for video collections, install FFmpeg before running the similar-video tool. This focused approach makes it easier to inspect results in manageable groups and choose what to keep.