A duplicate-file report is a list produced under particular settings, not a deletion instruction. Two projects may deliberately hold the same template or reference file. Before trying to reclaim space, establish what Synology Storage Analyzer examined and why each proposed copy exists.

Read the report profile beside the result

Open the relevant Report Profile and note whether it includes all existing and future shared folders or only selected shares. Check the report's date and the duplicate-finding option. Synology allows a maximum number of duplicates to be listed, so a report ending at that limit does not establish that no further candidates exist.

Encrypted shared folders must be mounted for the report task to include them. Record the actual folder selection and duplicate-list limit instead of assuming that similarly named reports covered identical data. These settings are essential context when comparing two runs.

Follow the file's role, not just its size

For one candidate pair, record both full paths and ask the owners how each copy is used. A file linked from a project, retained as a delivered record or included in a recovery arrangement may serve a purpose even when its content matches another copy. Inspect that context before proposing removal.

Use a small, owner-approved cleanup plan with an existing recovery path. Check that a document or project still opens from its expected location before expanding the scope. Avoid applying one decision automatically to every row in the report; matching data does not establish identical retention requirements.

Keep storage totals in context

Synology excludes the synoreport folder from analysis because it contains the generated reports. The analysis can therefore differ from actual shared-folder usage. Also distinguish the duplicate list's cap from report-retention settings: one limits listed candidates, while the other controls stored report history.

After an approved cleanup, record the paths changed and observe the relevant storage result. If space does not fall as expected, investigate the storage accounting and retention layers rather than repeatedly deleting more candidates. Keep the report, its settings and the owner's decision together so the cleanup remains understandable later.

Sources: Synology documentation 1.