Manually sorting files to find duplicates means physically reviewing folders and visually comparing file names, sizes, types, and potentially opening them to inspect content, without using specialized duplicate-finding software. This involves looking for repeated names or similar characteristics yourself. It differs fundamentally from automated methods which use algorithms to compare file content or metadata rapidly and comprehensively.

This manual approach might be practical in limited scenarios, such as organizing a small personal photo library where you visually spot near-identical vacation pictures by date or subject, or when reviewing a few crucial documents like contracts or spreadsheets where careful human judgment on subtle differences is essential. Home users organizing recent downloads or specific project folders might attempt it for a handful of files.

While manual sorting offers complete control over what is considered a duplicate and avoids software errors, its core limitation is the impractical time consumption and high risk of human error with large volumes of files. It quickly becomes overwhelming and inefficient compared to automated tools, especially for identical copies differing only in name or location. For most modern digital storage needs involving significant data, manual searching is generally not feasible, though it remains a starting point for very small, targeted collections.