How to Compare Two Folders or Directories in Windows

Comparing two folders without actually going through their contents can be handy at times. Let’s look at some methods to accomplish this in Windows.

Of course, you can always manually open every directory to check the files, but that gets unwieldy — especially if you are sifting through dozens or even hundreds of folders with similar files (backups, for example). For such scenarios, you need a better approach.

Using the Properties Window

A simple way to get a quick glance at the details of any folder is by looking at the Properties. While this saves you from having to open the folder and peruse the contents, you still have to individually right-click every directory you want to check the properties of.

This makes it unsuitable for large-scale comparisons, but for most home users, that is not an issue. If all you want is to look at the size of each folder and how many files it contains, the Properties window is enough.

With WinMerge

There are other ways besides the Properties window to compare files and folders in Windows, but we are jumping straight to a third-party tool first. Why? Because it is much easier.

Let’s face it – no one fancies having to use the Command Prompt or type a PowerShell script for any task. While these methods have their uses (especially in system administration), most end users will find it easier to use a dedicated file comparison tool.

And that’s whereWinMergecomes in. There are a bunch of such applications, of course, but WinMerge is by far the most popular. It is a free tool, so it costs you nothing to download and use if you find yourself comparing folders.

Don’t be confused by its name – while its primary use is tomerge folders, it can

Through the Command Prompt

Third-party tools aside, Windows has some utilities for file comparison as well. Unfortunately, they lack a GUI, since we are talking aboutCMD commands. But if the terminal screen does not daunt you, the robocopy command (and yes, that’s the actual name of the command) can be a powerful tool.

While the Properties window is good for comparing folders at a glance, it doesn’t really tell you much about their contents or how they differ. Which is a problem when you are comparing backup folders, as you need to quickly find out the unique files in them. The robocopy command is perfect for this.

Using Powershell

Command Prompt isn’t the only command-based interface in Windows.Powershellis a more modern, more powerful scripting feature that can be used to automate most Windows tasks, and of course, compare folders.

Unlike Command Prompt, however, Powershell doesn’t quite have a dedicated command to compare folders. Instead, we need to chain together multiple commands to get the differences between two directories.

To pull it off, we will first recursively use the Get-ChildItem command on both the directories and store them in different variables. Then we can use the Compare-Object command to compare the data and list out the differences..

If this seems more involved than the Command Prompt, it is. The main advantage of Powershell is that it can be scaled up to hundreds or even thousands of folders easily.

What is the Best Method to Compare Two Folders in Windows?

Built-in methods of comparing directories are scarce in Windows, so the most convenient option is to use a third-party tool like WinMerge. Such a method is user-friendly and flexible, giving you the best experience in comparing multiple folders without getting overwhelming.

If you are only interested in a surface-level comparison, simply opening the Properties window of the folders side-by-side may be good enough. This is handy for determining the size of folders, or the number of files they contain.

But the most powerful method of comparing directories is invariably by using scripts or commands. For this, you can either leverage Powershell or the Command Prompt. The syntax is a bit weird in both cases, but you can always copy the command for subsequent uses, and copy the paths from the Properties tab too.

Levin Roy is a software engineer who loves writing about technology. Whether it is Windows tips-and-tricks or in-depth guides about application development, Levin uses his practical experience and technical skills to create articles that can help solve tricky problems.Read Levin’s Full Bio

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How to Compare Two Folders or Directories in Windows#

Using the Properties Window#

With WinMerge#

Through the Command Prompt#

Using Powershell#

What is the Best Method to Compare Two Folders in Windows?#

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