# Comparing Directories

If the comparison objects you have chosen (as described in Getting Started) are directories, WinMerge displays the Directory Comparison Results window, shown above. This is a listing of each item that was encountered in both directories, and includes the name of the item, the relative location, and the results of the comparison. The following comparison results are possible:

Result | Icon
Files are identical |
Files are different |
File only in <right dir>... |
File only in <left dir>... |
Directory only in <right dir>... |
Directory only in <left dir>... |
Non-text files are equal |
Non-text files are different |
Error |

Depending on the comparison result for a given file, you have a few options:

1. If the files are different, double-click the item to show the File Comparison View for that file
2. If the file exists in only one of the specified directories, you can right click the list item and copy the file to the other side using the popup menu that appears.

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