Maximizing Storage: A Guide To Clearing Hard Drive Space On Windows Devices

If your Windows device is running low on storage, there are several ways to free up some space. This can be done by deleting unnecessary files, apps, and games, which can help improve performance and resolve problems during updates.

Firstly, you can clear your Recycle Bin. Windows 10 doesn't erase files from the drive when you delete them; instead, they are relocated to the Recycle Bin and marked for deletion. You can also change your Recycle Bin settings to adjust how much space the system should use for the Recycle Bin.

Another way to free up space is by using Storage Sense, a feature built into Windows that can help free up space automatically by removing files you no longer need. You can also manually delete unnecessary files, such as temporary files, unused files, files synced to the cloud, or unused apps.

You can also use the legacy Disk Cleanup tool to clear unnecessary files on Windows. This will allow you to delete temporary files, Windows Update Cleanup files, upgrade log files, device driver packages, and more.

Additionally, you can free up space by using OneDrive Files On-Demand, which allows you to make files available online-only. You can also uninstall apps and games you no longer need, delete unused languages, and remove offline maps.

If you cannot clear enough space, you can also connect an external drive to move files to a new location and even set it as the default location to save files.

Delete temporary files

Temporary files are created by programs on your computer to hold data while a permanent file is being written or updated. These files tend to stick around longer than they should and can take up valuable space on your hard drive, causing your computer to slow down.

Use the Temporary Files Menu in Windows Settings:

• Open the Windows Start menu and select Settings.
• Ensure System is selected and choose Storage.
• Click on Temporary Files.
• Choose the types of temporary files you want to delete, then click Remove Files.

Use Disk Cleanup:

• Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start button or by searching for it in the search box.
• If prompted, select the drive you want to clean up, then select OK.
• In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, select Clean up system files.
• If prompted again, select the drive and select OK.
• Select the checkboxes for the types of files you want to delete, then select OK.
• Select Delete Files.

Use Command Prompt:

• Press the Windows key + S simultaneously, then type "cmd" or "command prompt" and select Run as administrator.
• Type or paste the command del /q/f/s %TEMP%\ into the dialogue box and press Enter.
• If you see messages stating that files cannot be deleted because they are being used by another process, reboot your computer in Safe Mode and try again.

Delete Temporary Files in Your Browser:

• Browsers leave behind temporary files such as cached websites, cookies, and browsing history.
• To delete these files, go to your browser's settings and look for options to clear browsing data, clear cache, or clear history.
• Common types of browsing data that you can delete include cache, cookies, browsing history, saved passwords, and downloaded files.

Uninstall unused apps

Uninstalling unused apps is a great way to free up space on your Windows device. Here are some detailed, step-by-step instructions to help you get started:

Uninstall Apps from the Start Menu:

• In Windows 10, click the Start button and look for the program you wish to remove. You can find it in the app list on the left or in the tiled section on the right.
• Right-click on the program and select the "Uninstall" option from the menu.
• In Windows 11, click the Start button and look for any pinned apps you want to remove. Click on "All apps" in the upper right corner of the menu to see all installed programs.
• Right-click on the app you want to remove and select "Uninstall".

Uninstall Apps from Settings:

• For Windows 10, go to "Settings > Apps > Apps & features".
• For Windows 11, go to "Settings > Apps > Installed apps".
• This will display all the programs installed on your PC, including Windows Universal apps and standard desktop applications.
• Click on the program you wish to remove in Windows 10 or click on the three-dot icon in Windows 11, then select "Uninstall".

Uninstall Apps from Control Panel:

• Click on the Search field on the Taskbar and type "Control Panel". Select "Control Panel" from the results.
• Choose "Large icons" or "Small icons" from the "View by" drop-down menu, then select "Programs and Features".
• This view will show you standard desktop applications but not Windows Universal apps.
• Select the program you wish to remove, then right-click and choose "Uninstall", or click the "Uninstall" button at the top of the list.

Uninstall Apps using Third-Party Tools:

• You can also use third-party uninstaller software to remove apps and ensure that no leftover files or registry entries remain.
• Examples of such tools include Revo Uninstaller, IObit Uninstaller, and Ashampoo UnInstaller.

Remember to review the apps installed on your device regularly and uninstall any that you no longer need. This will help keep your device running smoothly and free up valuable storage space.

Move files to another drive

If you are running out of space on your Windows device, you can free up some room by moving files to another drive. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

• Connect your removable media to your device: Use a SATA cable or NVMe SSD slot to install the new disk on your PC.
• Open File Explorer: You can do this from the taskbar. Find the files you want to move.
• Select the files you want to move: You can either right-click on the files and select 'Copy' or 'Cut', or use the keyboard shortcuts 'Ctrl + C' or 'Ctrl + X'.
• Navigate to the location of the removable media: Right-click and select 'Paste', or use the keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl + V'.
• Alternative method using 'Move to': Instead of steps 3 and 4, you can select the Home tab after selecting your files, then select Move to and Choose location. Select your removable media from the list and then select Move.

Additional Tips

• If you are moving installed programs, you may need to use a PC transfer software such as EaseUS Todo PCTrans.
• You can also change the file default location from the C drive to another drive in your Settings.
• If you are moving your Windows operating system to another drive, you will need to use a Windows migration tool such as EaseUS Partition Master or a Windows System Image Tool.

Empty the Recycle Bin

Emptying the Recycle Bin is one of the easiest ways to free up hard drive space on your Windows PC. Whenever you delete a file on your computer, it isn't technically gone—it's simply been moved to the Recycle Bin, allowing users to recover the data if they deleted it by accident. However, the Recycle Bin can grow large over time, so emptying its contents is the first thing you can do to free up space on your computer.

• Using the "Manage" menu: Open the Recycle Bin, click on the "Manage" tab located in the menu bar, and click "Empty Recycle Bin."
• Using the "Contextual" menu: Right-click on the Recycle Bin to open the contextual menu, then click "Empty Recycle Bin."
• Through your Settings: Click on the "Windows" icon, then "Settings," "System," "Storage," and "Temporary Files." Click on the "Recycle Bin" checkbox, then click "Remove Files" and wait for your computer to delete any files in your Recycle Bin.
• Using Disk Cleanup: Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start button and typing "Disk Cleanup" in the search box, then selecting it. Select the drive you want to clean up and click "OK." In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, select the checkboxes for the file types you want to delete and click "OK," then "Delete Files."
• Using the Command Prompt: Open the Command Prompt by searching for it in the Start menu, then right-clicking on the app and selecting "Run as administrator." Type the following command to empty the Recycle Bin and press Enter: `rd /s %systemdrive%\$Recycle.Bin`. When asked if you're sure, press "Y" on your keyboard to confirm.
• Using PowerShell: Open PowerShell as an administrator, then input the following cmdlet for emptying the Recycle Bin: `Clear-RecycleBin -Force`. Hit Enter to execute, then press "Y" on your keyboard to confirm.

Remember that once you empty your Recycle Bin, the content is gone forever, unless you saved it on an external hard drive or the cloud. So, make sure you only empty the Recycle Bin when you're sure you no longer need the files.

Use OneDrive Files On-Demand

OneDrive Files On-Demand is a feature that allows you to access all your files in the OneDrive cloud with File Explorer, regardless of whether they are downloaded to your Windows computer or device. In other words, you can see all your OneDrive files, even those only available online, in File Explorer, just like any other.

Files On-Demand helps you save storage space on your computer by downloading and keeping local copies of your OneDrive files only if you access them or manually specify that you want them always to be available offline. This is a faster and more efficient approach, allowing you to browse your entire collection of files without sacrificing local storage.

How to Use OneDrive Files On-Demand:

Telling which files are available offline and online-only:

After enabling OneDrive Files On-Demand, you'll notice that browsing your files in File Explorer now has a new status badge in the bottom-left corner. These badges let you know whether files and folders are available only online or offline.

• A white cloud with blue borders icon indicates that the file is only available when connected to the internet and is not using local storage. You'll need to double-click the file to finish the download and open it with an application.
• A white icon with green borders and a check mark indicates that these files are available offline, and you can open them without an internet connection. They are taking up local storage space.
• A solid green icon with a white check mark indicates that you've marked these files as "Always keep on this device," and they are also using local storage space.

Enabling or disabling OneDrive Files On-Demand:

During the initial setup, OneDrive will prompt you to turn on Files On-Demand. If you didn't turn it on or changed your mind, you can use these steps to enable or disable the feature:

• Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area and select Settings.
• Click on the Settings tab.
• Under "Files On-Demand," check the "Save space and download files as you use them" option to enable the feature.

If you're looking to disable Files On-Demand, clear the option described in step three, but note that turning off this feature will download all your files configured to sync with OneDrive.

Making OneDrive files available offline:

You can make files available offline in two ways. You can either double-click each file individually to trigger a download, or you can right-click one or more files and select "Always keep on this device." After marking items as "Always keep on this device," new files or folders you create on other devices or the web will always sync to your computer. Otherwise, new files and folders will appear as online-only.

Saving storage space:

If you're running out of space, you can make files available without an internet connection by making them online-only again. Right-click one or more files and select the "Free up space" option from the context menu. Once you make files available online-only again, you'll still view the files in File Explorer, but they'll appear with a white cloud icon, and you'll need an internet connection to open them.

Frequently asked questions