# Delete Duplicate

**URL:** <https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/delete-duplicate/48156>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [26 December 2025 04:46 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/delete-duplicate/48156 "2025-12-26T04:46:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FransLumbs](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/franslumbs/32/27251_2.png) [@FransLumbs](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/FransLumbs)\
**Post date:** [26 December 2025 04:46 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/delete-duplicate/48156/1 "2025-12-26T04:46:58Z")

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### Operating system

Windows

### Joplin version

3.4.12

### What issue do you have?

Hi, I'd like to ask If I delete some duplicates outside the system, will it affect the system? What will happen? Is it something I shouldn’t do? Is there an alternative? Also, what is the best way to find duplicates, empty notes, extensive notes, or to sort by size? What is the standard procedure?

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![mrjo118](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/mrjo118/32/23404_2.png) [@mrjo118](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/mrjo118)\
**Post date:** [26 December 2025 14:12 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/delete-duplicate/48156/2 "2025-12-26T14:12:46Z")

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This has already been answered by 3 different people, including Laurent himself. You’re not going to get a better answer

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**Author:** ![banan314](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/banan314/32/5012_2.png) [@banan314](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/banan314)\
**Post date:** [26 December 2025 14:40 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/delete-duplicate/48156/3 "2025-12-26T14:40:43Z")

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> [@FransLumbs](#):
>
> duplicates outside the system, will it affect the system?

Always create a backup before doing such a thing, I deleted too many notes many times

> [@FransLumbs](#):
>
> Is it something I shouldn’t do?

Are you a software developer? If not, it will be difficult for you, but if you have a tested backup then what's the worst thing that could happen? Worst case 30 wasted hours on reverting the mess you cause.

> [@FransLumbs](#):
>
> Also, what is the best way to find duplicates, empty notes, extensive notes, or to sort by size?

You can try to adjust my script I used to remove duplicated tags, but first you have to edit it and note that if you run it as is, it's gonna make some irreversible changes to the system.

> <https://gist.github.com/camilajenny/63a22ade45e58e726efc56bb3a3e6e1d>

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FransLumbs](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/franslumbs/32/27251_2.png) [@FransLumbs](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/FransLumbs)\
**Post date:** [29 December 2025 09:48 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/delete-duplicate/48156/4 "2025-12-29T09:48:21Z")

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Hi,

I'm communicating via an assistant - i did not get the previous answers. i am asking if there is any programmatic way to delete duplicates found by an external program? is there an internal unique note number i can use to call the API and delete all of the duplicates in one run? or can i export everything as MD and re-import everything as MD deleting in the middle step? thanks.

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/cozic/original/3X/1/c/1c948e33314e232a0927789508474d8624f4270b.png) [@system](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [28 January 2026 09:48 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/delete-duplicate/48156/5 "2026-01-28T09:48:33Z")

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