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DuoBolt
Duplicate file finder and look-alike photo culler macOS/Win
DuoBolt is a desktop application for macOS and Windows. It finds exact duplicate files by full BLAKE3 hashing, and groups look-alike photos with a separate engine that ranks them and explains the pick. All inference runs on the device; nothing is uploaded and no account is required. DuoBolt prioritizes safety, performance, and clarity with a local-first architecture where all processing happens on your machine. The workflow is review-first, fully auditable, and reversible.
I'm Ruben, the solo developer behind DuoBolt 2.2 — a desktop app for macOS and Windows that finds duplicate files and, more importantly, helps you cull look-alike photos.
The problem: We all have folders full of bursts, exports, and re-saves. Deciding which copy to keep is tedious — so most of us just keep everything.
The solution: DuoBolt uses on-device AI to rank look-alike photos and explain why it picked one over another. It measures seven criteria: sharpness, resolution, exposure (and face exposure), format fidelity, eyes open, smile, and an aesthetic score. It tells you why it thinks one shot is better — but it never auto-deletes. The final choice is always yours.
Version 2.2 adds two powerful tools:
1. Compare two photos side-by-side with a curtain you drag across them, and a live histogram that shows you the light in each image — so you can see which version is sharper, better exposed, or keeps more detail.
2. Rules you write once. You can set an ordered list of rules — keep the RAW, keep the one with EXIF, keep the one with more pixels, keep the one inside a named folder, or set EXIF rules (ISO under 400, shutter faster than 1/125, aperture wider than f/2.8, at least 12 MP, has GPS). Apply the rules to one group or to every group at once.
What makes it different:
- All AI runs on your device. No uploads, no accounts, no hidden fees. Just your files, on your machine.
- RAW, HEIC and AVIF are read directly — not just the embedded JPEG preview.
- macOS Photos library support. DuoBolt scans the library directly, uses Photos' own names, shows you what Photos knows (favorites, edits, import dates), and removes through Photos' Recently Deleted.
- Built in Rust, solo, with no telemetry and no background network calls. Download is under 10 MB and the app is notarized.
- Free to try. 7 days of Pro, then the app reverts to a generous free tier. The full scan runs, the results are complete — only the amount you can remove in a single operation is capped.
Honest note: DuoBolt is not forensic recovery software. Restoring a file requires that a byte-identical copy still exists somewhere. And it doesn't do framing or composition scoring — it will tell you when two shots are genuinely different and refuse to choose between them, because that's a judgment about the photo's purpose, not a technical one.
I built this alone, in Rust, with a custom multi-platform Skia UI engine and BLAKE3 hashing. I'm happy to answer anything — the AI engine, the comparison curtain, the Photos library integration, or how to make a desktop app that stays out of your network.
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About DuoBolt on Product Hunt
“Duplicate file finder and look-alike photo culler macOS/Win”
DuoBolt was submitted on Product Hunt and earned 2 upvotes and 1 comments, placing #160 on the daily leaderboard. DuoBolt is a desktop application for macOS and Windows. It finds exact duplicate files by full BLAKE3 hashing, and groups look-alike photos with a separate engine that ranks them and explains the pick. All inference runs on the device; nothing is uploaded and no account is required. DuoBolt prioritizes safety, performance, and clarity with a local-first architecture where all processing happens on your machine. The workflow is review-first, fully auditable, and reversible.
DuoBolt was featured in Productivity (660.2k followers) and Storage (7.2k followers) on Product Hunt. Together, these topics include over 160.1k products, making this a competitive space to launch in.
Who hunted DuoBolt?
DuoBolt was hunted by Ruben Nine. A “hunter” on Product Hunt is the community member who submits a product to the platform — uploading the images, the link, and tagging the makers behind it. Hunters typically write the first comment explaining why a product is worth attention, and their followers are notified the moment they post. Around 79% of featured launches on Product Hunt are self-hunted by their makers, but a well-known hunter still acts as a signal of quality to the rest of the community. See the full all-time top hunters leaderboard to discover who is shaping the Product Hunt ecosystem.
Want to see how DuoBolt stacked up against nearby launches in real time? Check out the live launch dashboard for upvote speed charts, proximity comparisons, and more analytics.
Ruben Nine
Hey Product Hunt!
I'm Ruben, the solo developer behind DuoBolt 2.2 — a desktop app for macOS and Windows that finds duplicate files and, more importantly, helps you cull look-alike photos.
The problem: We all have folders full of bursts, exports, and re-saves. Deciding which copy to keep is tedious — so most of us just keep everything.
The solution: DuoBolt uses on-device AI to rank look-alike photos and explain why it picked one over another. It measures seven criteria: sharpness, resolution, exposure (and face exposure), format fidelity, eyes open, smile, and an aesthetic score. It tells you why it thinks one shot is better — but it never auto-deletes. The final choice is always yours.
Version 2.2 adds two powerful tools:
1. Compare two photos side-by-side with a curtain you drag across them, and a live histogram that shows you the light in each image — so you can see which version is sharper, better exposed, or keeps more detail.
2. Rules you write once. You can set an ordered list of rules — keep the RAW, keep the one with EXIF, keep the one with more pixels, keep the one inside a named folder, or set EXIF rules (ISO under 400, shutter faster than 1/125, aperture wider than f/2.8, at least 12 MP, has GPS). Apply the rules to one group or to every group at once.
What makes it different:
- All AI runs on your device. No uploads, no accounts, no hidden fees. Just your files, on your machine.
- RAW, HEIC and AVIF are read directly — not just the embedded JPEG preview.
- macOS Photos library support. DuoBolt scans the library directly, uses Photos' own names, shows you what Photos knows (favorites, edits, import dates), and removes through Photos' Recently Deleted.
- Built in Rust, solo, with no telemetry and no background network calls. Download is under 10 MB and the app is notarized.
- Free to try. 7 days of Pro, then the app reverts to a generous free tier. The full scan runs, the results are complete — only the amount you can remove in a single operation is capped.
- One-time purchase, 2 seats. $34.99 Standard, $64.99 Pro. No subscription.
Honest note: DuoBolt is not forensic recovery software. Restoring a file requires that a byte-identical copy still exists somewhere. And it doesn't do framing or composition scoring — it will tell you when two shots are genuinely different and refuse to choose between them, because that's a judgment about the photo's purpose, not a technical one.
I built this alone, in Rust, with a custom multi-platform Skia UI engine and BLAKE3 hashing. I'm happy to answer anything — the AI engine, the comparison curtain, the Photos library integration, or how to make a desktop app that stays out of your network.
DuoBolt 2.2: [duobolt.app](https://duobolt.app)
For the PH community, 20% off any license with the code PH20 (valid for one week).
What's the one thing you wish a duplicate finder could do, but never does?