CardTriage support
CardTriage is a free, pre-release Mac app for sorting overlapping card backups. It requires macOS 13 or later. Start with disposable copies and keep an independent backup.
A safe first run
- Choose the source folder you want to sort. Choose an archive separately if you want to compare against existing material. Leave internal-repeat detection on to find duplicates within the source.
- Scan and review New material, Duplicates and Needs attention. Scanning does not move files. New means no match was found in this comparison, not that a file has never been backed up anywhere.
- Start with Copy only new material and choose a separate destination. Review the plan, then apply it. Your source files stay in place and their folder structure is preserved.
- Open Activity to inspect the session report and Undo record.
Folder access and disconnected drives
CardTriage can access only folders you select in the macOS picker. Reconnect a missing drive or select the required folder again when prompted. Keep the relevant source, destination and archive available for the operation you are performing. Full Disk Access is not required.
Stopping or restarting
Use Stop to cancel a running task and allow it to finish stopping. Restarting a scan can reuse completed checksums, but it must inventory files again and recheck changes. If the app or Mac was interrupted during sorting, reconnect the relevant drives and inspect Activity before retrying or using Undo. Do not remove journals or recovery files while investigating.
What counts as a duplicate?
CardTriage compares exact file contents, not visual similarity. An edited image and its original are different files. Sidecars are classified independently from their images. Hidden files, symbolic links and package contents such as Photos libraries are excluded. Read scan warnings and Needs attention before organising anything.
Undo and recovery
Session Undo returns moved files to their original locations. Copies created by a session are retained in a hidden recovery folder at the destination, so they still occupy disk space. Activity shows recovery locations where available. Undo requires the files, journals, drives and permissions to remain available and will not overwrite existing files.
Keep an independent backup. Undo is not a substitute for one. If a session reports a recovery problem, preserve both the source and destination and contact support before changing or deleting recovery material.
Empty-folder cleanup
Cleanup is a separate action with a preview. It preserves the selected source root and skips folders containing media. It is not automatic after moving files and has no standalone cleanup Undo. Inspect the preview before confirming.
Reporting a problem
Use the form below. Include your Mac model, macOS version, CardTriage version, which step failed and the wording of any error. Say whether the storage was internal, external or cloud-backed. Do not send passwords or original media. Reports and screenshots may expose personal filenames and paths; redact them before sharing.
For the product overview and current availability, visit cardtriage.com. The app is still in pre-release testing and is not yet available as a public App Store download.