Over time, your PC’s hard disk drive can become cluttered with unnecessary files that take up valuable storage space. Here are some of the best ways to free up drive space and increase available storage capacity on your Windows computer.
Table of Contents
Use the Disk Cleanup Utility
Windows includes a built-in Disk Cleanup utility that can help delete unneeded files. To use it:
- Open the Start menu and search for “Disk Cleanup”.
- Select your main hard drive (typically the C: drive) and click OK.
- Check the box next to any file category you want to delete, such as Temporary Files, Recycle Bin, etc.
- Click OK and then Delete Files to permanently remove the unnecessary files.
Disk Cleanup frees up space by getting rid of files that Windows doesn’t need to operate properly.
Uninstall Unused Programs
Uninstalling programs you no longer use is an easy way to gain back hard drive space.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features.
- Sort programs by size to see which are using the most space.
- Select any apps you want to remove and click Uninstall.
Removing unused and redundant software can recover gigabytes of drive capacity.
Move Files to External Storage
If your PC has a secondary internal hard drive or external USB drive, move infrequently accessed files there. This clears space on your primary drive.
- Connect the second drive if external.
- Use File Explorer to locate files to move, like photos, videos, music, etc.
- Right click on them, select Cut, then paste them onto the destination drive.
Migrating stagnant files to separate storage media prevents your primary disk from becoming overloaded.
Enable Storage Sense
Windows 10 and 11 have a Storage Sense feature that automatically deletes temporary files and empties the Recycle Bin.
- Go to Settings > System > Storage.
- Turn on Storage Sense.
- Set it to run on a schedule and delete files after minimum time thresholds.
Letting Storage Sense continually clean up unneeded data reduces clutter and frees up space in the background.
Use Third-Party Tools
Specialized third-party software provides additional ways to clean residual junk files and find space hogs. Examples include:
- CCleaner: Deletes browser caches, logs, cookies, and other unused data
- TreeSize: Scans drives and visually displays space usage for easy analysis
- Wise Disk Cleaner: Cleans up temporary files, Windows patch backups, and more
Advanced utilities like these give you more control over locating and removing files that Stock Windows utilities might miss.
Delete System Restore Points
Windows creates System Restore points to allow reverting your PC back to an earlier state if needed. But the accumulated restore points take up drive space.
- Again open Disk Cleanup as explained above.
- Click Clean up system files.
- Check the box for System Restore and Shadow Copies.
- Select Delete.
Removing older restore points you don’t need anymore can recover substantial storage capacity.
Format and Partition the Drive
If your hard disk is still nearly full after trying the above methods, you can reformat or partition it to truly start fresh.
- Backup essential data to external media first!
- Use Windows Disk Management.
- Right-click the drive and select Format or Shrink Volume.
Completely wiping and repartitioning the drive eradicates all files but is most effective at maximizing usable space.
Upgrade to a Larger Drive
If your disk usage remains critically high after attempting these fixes, consider replacing the hard drive with a higher capacity model.
- Buy a new internal or external HDD with more storage.
- Use cloning software to transfer your data.
While more expensive, upgrading to a larger physical disk is the only way to truly increase the absolute storage limit.
Following these tips will help you clean out hard drive clutter, recover lost capacity, and monitor your PC’s storage utilization. Performing regular disk maintenance is crucial for maintaining optimal Windows performance.
