Grouping duplicates by file type organizes identical files based on their file extensions (like .jpg, .docx, .mp3) during cleanup. This means finding files with the same content but grouping them according to whether they are images, documents, audio, etc. This approach is more efficient than treating all duplicates identically, as it recognizes that different file types often have different sources, importance levels, and cleanup considerations.

For example, you might group all duplicate JPEG photos separately from duplicate PDF reports. Photo management tools like Duplicate Photo Finder or file cleaners like CCleaner often offer this grouping capability. Similarly, software developers might use specialized deduplication scripts targeting specific code file types (like .py or .js) to clean project folders.

This focused grouping minimizes the risk of accidentally deleting valuable files; you might prioritize keeping originals in formats critical for your work. However, it can miss duplicates differing only in file format (e.g., a .docx and its .PDF copy) and requires trusting the extension reflects actual content. Ethically, it aids responsible data management by enabling careful removal of true redundant files, especially sensitive personal data. Future tools may combine file type grouping with format-agnostic similarity detection.