How To Free Up Space On Windows PC

If your PC is running low on free space, you might not be able to install important Windows updates, and your PC’s performance may be affected. Here are some ways to free up space so you can keep your PC up to date and running smoothly. These suggestions are listed in order, so start with the first one, see if that helps, and then continue to the next one if it doesn't.

To check the total disk space left on your Windows PC, select "File Explorer" from the taskbar, and then select "This PC" on the left. The available space on your drive will appear under "Devices and drives".

Free Up Space Using Storage Sense

Delete Temporary Files With Storage Sense On Windows 11 PC

On Windows 11 PC, You can use Storage Sense to delete unnecessary or temporary files from your device, which can also free up space. 

To delete temporary files with Storage Sense:

• Right-click on the Start menu and Settings.
• In Settings, click on System.
• In System settings, click on Storage.
• Select "Temporary files" in the storage breakdown.
  Note: If you don't see Temporary files listed, select "Show more categories".
  Windows will take a few moments to determine what files and apps are taking up the most space on your PC.
• Select the items you want to delete, and then select "Remove files".

To see what's in your Recycle Bin before you empty it, open it from your desktop. If you don't see the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop, in the search bar on the taskbar, type "recycle bin", then select "Recycle Bin" from the list of results.

Note: Windows moves files you delete to the Recycle Bin in case you change your mind and need them again in the future. You might be able to free up a significant amount of space by deleting Recycle Bin files to permanently remove files you've previously deleted.

Turn ON and Configure Storage Sense

If you turn on Storage Sense, Windows will automatically free up space by getting rid of unnecessary files—including files in your recycle bin—when you're low on disk space or at intervals you specify. The instructions below show you how to delete temporary files and how to turn on and configure Storage Sense.

To turn on and configure Storage Sense:

• Right-click on the Start menu and Settings.
• In Settings, select System from the left panel.
• In System settings, click on Storage.
• In Storage settings, under the "Storage management" area, click on"Storage Sense".
• In the "Storage Sense" settings, turn ON the "Automatic User content cleanup".
• Under the "Cleanup of temporary files", ensure "Keep Windows running smoothly by automatically cleaning up temporary system and app files" is checked.
• Under "Configure cleanup schedules", choose how often you want Storage Sense to run.
  My recommendation: set "Run Storage Sense" to "Every week",
  Set "Delete files in my recycle bin if they have been there for over" to "30 days (default)"
  Set "Delete files in my Downloads folder if they haven't been open for more than" "30 days"
• Scroll down and select "Run Storage Sense now".
  Windows will take a few moments to clean up your files, and then you'll see a message indicating how much disk space has been freed up.

Free Up Space Using Disk Cleanup Tool

If your system doesn't have Storage Sense, you can use the Disk Cleanup tool to delete temporary files and system files from your device.

To run Disk Cleanup:

• Click on Search, type "disk cleanup", then select "Run as administrator" under "Disk Cleanup".
  Windows will take a few moments to determine what files and apps are taking up the most space on your PC.
• In the "Disk Cleanup" tool, select the checkbox next to the type of files you want to delete. To view a description of each type of file, select the name. Be sure to clear those check boxes if you don't want to delete those files.
• When done, click on OK. On the prompt, click on "Delete Files".
• Windows will take a few moments to clean up your files, and then the tool will automatically close.

Clear Microsoft Store Cache

If you used Disk Cleanup to free up space on your device and then see a Low Disk Space error, it’s possible that your Temp folder is quickly filling up with application (.appx) files that are used by Microsoft Store.

To clear the Microsoft Store cache:

• Press the Windows Logo Key  + R to open the "Run dialogue box.
• Then type wsreset.exe and select OK.
  A blank Command Prompt window will open, and after about ten seconds the window will close and the Store will open automatically.

Turn On OneDrive Files On-Demand

If you use OneDrive, You can save space by turning on OneDrive Files On-Demand, which stores a smaller placeholder file on your hard drive instead of the full-size file that's stored in your OneDrive account in the cloud. You'll be able to get to your OneDrive files from your PC without having to use up hard-drive space downloading full-size versions of them all.

To Turn on OneDrive Files On-Demand:

• Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar notification area.
  (You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow ^ next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon. If the icon doesn't appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Select Start, type OneDrive in the search box, and then select OneDrive in the search results.)
• Select OneDrive Help and Settings icon > Settings.
• On the Settings tab, select the Save space and download files as you use them box.

Clean Internet Browsers

You can also free up some more space by cleaning Cached images and files by Internet Browsers.

To clean Cached images and files on Google Chrome:

• Click on ⁝ More and select Settings.
• In Settings, click on "Privacy and security".
• In "Privacy and security" settings, click on "Clear browsing data".
• In the "Clear browsing data" pop-up, Click on the Advanced tab.
  
• Click on "Time range" and select "All time".
• Check "Cached images and files".
• And then click on the "Clear data" button.

To clean Cached images and files on Microsoft Edge:

• Click on ⋯ More and select Settings.
• In Settings, click on "Privacy, search, and services".
• In "Privacy and security" settings, under "Clear browsing data" click on "Choose what to clear".
• In the "Clear browsing data" pop-up, click on "Time range" and select "All time".
• Check "Cached images and files".
• And then click on the "Clear data" button.

Uninstall Unused Apps, Games & Programs

If your PC is still on low storage, try uninstalling apps you don't use anymore.

To Uninstall Apps on Windows PC:

• Click on Start button, then select Settings > Apps > "Apps & features".
• Search for a specific app or sort them to see which ones are using the most space.
• When you find an app to remove, select the More icon next to it and, if possible, select Uninstall.

Run antivirus software

Sometimes a virus or other malware can consume significant hard-drive space by corrupting your system files. If you suspect your PC is infected with malware, use an antivirus program like Windows Defender to run a virus scan and cleanup.