# Compare two folders or a folder with its backup

> Drop the original and the copy. Each file is listed as only in A, only in B, changed, moved or the same.

See which files are missing, extra, changed or moved between a folder and its copy or backup ZIP. Runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded.

- Tool: [Compare folders](https://fixmint.cc/compare-folders)
- Category: [Files & archives](https://fixmint.cc/files)
- Fixes: What is missing from my backup?
- Runs in the browser: files and text stay on the device, no sign-up, free.

## How to compare two folders

1. Drop the original folder, or its ZIP, into A.
2. Drop the copy or the backup into B.
3. Read the list. Turn on Check contents to find changed files of the same size and moved files.

## Questions

### How are files matched?

By their path inside the folder. When both sides have one top folder, its name is left out, so Photos and Photos copy line up. Quick mode calls a file the same when its size matches and, between two folders, its modified time does too.

### What does Check contents do?

It reads each file whose size matches on both sides and compares SHA-256 fingerprints, so a change that keeps the size is found. It also finds moved or renamed files. A ZIP is not unpacked: its stored CRC-32 is compared instead, which is rarely fooled but is a 32-bit check.

### Are my files uploaded or changed?

No. Both sides are only read inside this tab, and nothing is sent anywhere or written back.

### What is OS junk?

Files that Finder and Windows add by themselves, such as .DS_Store, Thumbs.db and __MACOSX folders. Ignore OS junk leaves them out; switch it off to list them too.

## Related tools

- [Find duplicate files](https://fixmint.cc/find-duplicate-files): Same files saved twice
- [Folder size analyzer](https://fixmint.cc/folder-size-analyzer): What is eating my disk space?
- [Compare binary files](https://fixmint.cc/compare-binary-files): Are these two files the same?
- [ZIP viewer](https://fixmint.cc/zip-viewer): What is inside this ZIP?