How-To Guide

How to Compare Two Hard Drives and Detect Missing or Duplicate Files (Mac)

Multiple external hard drives connected to a Mac - compare and verify backups with DriveVault

Whether you're backing up footage, syncing projects, or cleaning up duplicates, comparing two hard drives on macOS is a chore. Doing it manually means hours of drag-and-drop checks and guesswork.

If you've ever wondered "did that backup actually work?" or "do I have two copies of this project?"—you're not alone. DriveVault's Compare feature was built for exactly this.

The Smarter Way to Compare Drives

DriveVault's Drive Comparison feature scans two drives side by side, flagging missing files, duplicates, and mismatched folders. You'll instantly see what's safe, what's redundant, and what's missing—without plugging drives in and out repeatedly.

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Side-by-Side View

Compare two drive catalogs in a clear, visual layout

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Duplicate Detection

Find identical files across drives instantly

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Missing File Alerts

Know immediately when a backup is incomplete

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Sync Analysis

Keep mirrors consistent and verified

Why It Matters

Redundant backups eat storage. Missing files risk entire projects. With DriveVault, you verify backups without plugging drives in and out endlessly—saving both time and protecting your data integrity.

Step-by-Step: Using DriveVault Compare

1

Scan Both Drives

Connect each drive and scan it into DriveVault. This only needs to be done once per drive—after that, you can compare them anytime, even offline.

2

Open the Compare Tool

Open the Compare tool from the sidebar and select your two drives. DriveVault will analyze the catalogs and identify differences.

3

Review Flagged Items

Review flagged duplicates, mismatches, and missing files. Each item is color-coded so you can quickly understand what's identical, what's unique to one drive, and what's missing.

4

Take Action

Decide whether to clean duplicates, copy missing files, or leave everything as is. DriveVault shows you exactly which drive has each file, so you can make informed decisions.

Tip: You don't need both drives plugged in to compare them. Once scanned, DriveVault compares the catalogs—so you can verify a backup even when one drive is stored offsite.

Stop guessing what's on your backup drives.

Compare, detect duplicates, and confirm backups in seconds with DriveVault.

Download Free on the App Store

Pro Tips

  • Run Compare before archiving — Guarantee your backup matches the original before you put the drive on a shelf.
  • Delete duplicates smartly — Always confirm file size and date before removing. DriveVault shows both so you can be certain.
  • Generate a report — Export a comparison report for peace of mind when handing projects to clients or archiving for compliance.
  • Compare against your NAS — Scan network drives too, then compare against your portable backups.

With DriveVault's Compare feature, you'll never wonder "is my backup complete?" again. Verify once, trust forever.

Download Free →