How to Reduce Storage Space by Removing Duplicate MSG Files

A large number of Outlook MSG files can use up a lot more storage space than you may think. The problem is not usually the size of individual emails but the number of duplicate copies stored in backup folders, project archives, migration folders and external drives.

There could be five or ten copies of one email with several attachments in a bunch of different places. Multiply that by thousands of messages and the wasted storage can really add up.

One practical way to reduce this unnecessary data is to remove duplicate MSG files. But deleting files with similar names is dangerous. Two MSG files can look similar but have different attachments, replies or message content.

The safer alternative is to find true duplicates, retain the most complete copy, check the archive, then delete.

In this guide, you will learn about the storage space consumed by duplicate MSG files, how to find them, what cleanup options are available, and how MSG Duplicate Remover can be of assistance when you have a large Outlook MSG archive.

Why Should You Remove Duplicate MSG Files?1. Free Up Disk Space

Duplicate emails can take up gigabytes of useless storage space, especially when attachments are involved.

2. Reduce Backup Size

Having a backup of multiple copies of the same email takes longer and uses more storage space.

3. Make Email Archives Easier to Manage

A clean archive makes it easier to browse, organize, search, and maintain.

4. Prepare for Email Migration

Eliminating duplicate MSG files before migration helps reduce the number of files to be processed.

5. Avoid Paying for Unnecessary Storage

If your organization is storing email archives on external drives or cloud storage, you can eliminate duplicate data to reduce storage needs.

Method 1: Find and Delete Duplicate MSG Files Manually

Best for: Small collections of MSG.

If you have a small archive, you might be able to find duplicate files with Windows File Explorer and an MSG-compatible application.

Steps

• Make a full backup of the MSG archive
• Open the folder with the MSG files in it.
• Look for files ending with.msg.
• Sort Files by Name, size, or Date.
• Detect possible duplicates.
• Open the files you think.
• Compare sender, recipient, subject, date, and message body.
• See attachments.
• Move confirmed duplicates into a temporary folder.
• View the rest of the archive.
• Confirm and permanently delete the duplicates.

Pros

• No special software required.
• Full control of the removal process.
• Ideal for small archives.

Cons:

• Very slow for large collections.
• Doubles easy to overlook.
• It is hard to compare files that are in a lot of different folders.
• Manual check can result in accidental deletion.

File names like Invoice.msg and Invoice (1).msg can indicate possible duplicates but they should never be taken as proof.

Method 2: Organize MSG Files Before Removing Duplicates

Best for: Archives across multiple folders.

First, arranging the collection makes it easier to find redundant data.

Steps

• Make a copy of the archive.
• Sort MSG files by year, customer, project or department.
• Find folders with duplicate e-mail data.
• Check out those folders first.
• Check for duplicate candidates.
• Move confirmed duplicates to a different location.
• Go through the other files.
• Again, measure the size of the archive.

For example, these folders might have some email overlap:

• Email Archive 2024
• Customer Backup
• Migration Export

Pros

• Project Emails
• Compresses big archives.
• Helps to find out copied sources.
• Better organization of folders.
• Cut out needless comparisons.

Cons

• Needs to be prepared by hand.
• Does not find duplicates automatically.
• There still might be duplicates in unrelated folders.

Method 3: Rebuild the Archive from a Clean Backup

Best for: Users with a verified, duplicate-free backup.

If you have a clean MSG archive, rebuilding the working collection may be easier than deleting thousands of duplicate files one by one.

Steps

• Find the clean backup.
• Do not change the original backup.
• Make a new working folder.
• Recreate the directory structure needed.
• Copy only the MSG files you need.
• Do not mix overlapping backups.
• Check urgent emails.
• See attachments.
• Measure the size of the new archive.
• Do not delete the original backup until you check it.

Pros

• Provides a blank canvas.
• Can remove widespread duplication.
• Future storage management assistance.

Cons

• Needs a good backup.
• It takes time to build up a big archive again.
• Not practical if each backup has duplicates.

Method 4: Use MSG Duplicate Remover

Best for: Large MSG collections with hundreds or thousands of duplicate messages.

If the archive becomes too big to be cleaned manually, then Softaken MSG Duplicate Remover is a more practical way to identify redundant MSG files in bulk.

Instead of opening each message manually, special duplicate removal software can scan selected MSG files or folders and locate duplicated email records based on relevant message information.

Key Benefits of Removing Duplicate MSG Files

• Free up space by deleting duplicate email files and attachments.
• Cut down backup requirements. Store fewer unnecessary copies.
• Better organize your archive. Keep folders cleaner and easier to navigate.
• Migrate faster: Process fewer MSG files.
• Maintenance ease: Reduce the number of files that require regular maintenance.
• Protect important data: Keep at least one verified, complete copy of every email.

Conclusion

Duplicate MSG files can take up a surprising amount of storage space without making any noise, especially if emails contain large attachments and the same messages have been exported more than once.

For small archives, you may have enough by manually comparing File Explorer and an MSG compatible application. Another is to restore the archive from a clean backup.

But with thousands of MSG files spread across many folders, manual cleanup is slow and hard to manage. This is where MSG Duplicate Remover can help you to find and remove bulk duplicates in a better way.

The cardinal rule is to protect your original data. Before deleting anything, make a backup. Compare the contents of the emails, not just the filenames. Check the cleaned archive before deleting duplicate files permanently.

After the duplicate MSG files are deleted and the results verified, the recovered storage can be used for new backups, archives or other business data.

Frequently Asked Questions1. How much storage can I recover by removing duplicate MSG files?

It is contingent upon the amount and size of duplicate emails. Large attachments in archives have the potential to recover large amounts of storage.

2. Are MSG files with the same filename always duplicates?

Yes. The same filename can be in different folders but with different emails. Check message content and properties before deleting any.

3. Do duplicate MSG files also duplicate their attachments?

Yes. Attachments stored in each MSG file count against the storage of that file. Deleting a confirmed duplicate can reclaim the space used by its attachments.

4. Is it safe to remove duplicate MSG files from a business archive?

Yes, if you backup, identify duplicates properly, keep the most complete version and check the cleaned archive before deleting it forever.

5. Can MSG Duplicate Remover help reduce MSG archive size?

It can help you find and delete duplicate MSG email files in bulk, which is useful if you have a large archive where manual searching for duplicates would be impractical. Always have a backup before cleanup.