The short answer: keep every location that still has a purpose
Matching bytes prove equal content. They do not prove that one path is unused. A working folder, offline backup, shared directory and software project may each need its own copy.
Keeper selection therefore starts with purpose, not the filename that looks most original. Any location you explicitly protect stays protected; the tool must not override that choice.
First priority: protection rules and folder context
A copy inside a protected subfolder, recognized software project, package environment, backup or sync context should not be selected automatically. The same configuration may be required independently by two projects.
Synchronized folders need particular care: a local removal may propagate to other devices. A backup copy may be part of a recovery plan. Understand that workflow before treating matching content as redundant.
Second priority: earlier creation time, only when it is trustworthy
If the locations have the same purpose and the creation timestamps genuinely came from the original storage, the earlier item is a reasonable keeper suggestion. It is still a clue rather than proof of originality.
Copying, extracting, downloading, cloud restoration and filesystem migration can reset creation times. Browsers may expose modification time only, and some files have no reliable timestamp. In those cases, the tool should not pretend it found the original.
When time cannot decide, a shorter path is only a stable tie-breaker
If timestamps match, are missing or cannot be trusted, DUPESPACE can use path length and lexical order to keep recommendations stable between scans. A shorter path is not automatically more valuable or more original.
Review the complete path. Downloads, Desktop, Copy and Backup are useful context clues, not automatic removal rules. Suffixes such as (1) or copy also require review.
Use this order for a real decision
Keep protected and irreplaceable-purpose locations first. Confirm whether an independent backup must remain. Only among copies with the same purpose should you use trustworthy creation time, followed by a stable path tie-breaker and manual review.
Begin with a small set of disposable test files, use the Recycle Bin and do not empty it immediately. Reopen retained files and their dependent workflows, then review every success, skip and failure in the CSV report.