Storage space shortage is a common problem for Windows PC users; an issue that usually arises from accumulation of apps, personal files, videos, games, downloads, and temporary system data. However, before deleting files and folders accidentally, you can easily determine which items occupy the most disk space using Windows built-in tools.
Checking storage usage helps you free the most space in the shortest time without deleting important files. In many cases there's no need to use complex methods or specialized tools-the built-in Windows features are sufficient to get started.
Checking occupied space via Windows Settings
The easiest way to check storage status is to use Windows' built-in tool. To do this press Win + I to open the Settings window, then go to System > Storage.
In this section, the amount of space used on the primary drive and the file categories occupying storage are displayed. By selecting any category you can also view more details about the files within and manage unnecessary items.
One of the sections that usually takes the most space is Installed apps. By selecting this option you are taken to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. In this section, sort the app list by size from largest to smallest so apps that occupy the most space appear at the top of the list.
If you no longer need an app, choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it. On computers with multiple storage drives, some apps and games also allow the user to move them to another drive.
Clear temporary files
The Temporary files section can also be a significant source of occupied space. Windows shows various temporary files here, including some thumbnails and unnecessary data that in many cases can be deleted.
To see more options, you can click Clean up system files. However, when deleting temporary files be careful because options like Downloads and Recycle Bin may contain files you still need.
Before emptying the Recycle Bin, open it and check files you think you might need later. Deleting the contents of the Recycle Bin can permanently remove those files from the system. Apply the same caution to the Downloads folder.
If your computer has multiple storage drives, on the Storage page go to Advanced storage settings and select Storage used on other drives. This lets you check usage on other drives as well.
How to reduce space used by Windows features?
Part of the storage may be occupied by the operating system itself and Windows features. This information usually appears under System & reserved which may be shown under Show more categories.
Removing or reducing these types of files should be a last resort; because some are essential for Windows to function correctly. Still, if needed, some of the occupied space can be freed.
One item to check is the file related to the Hibernate feature. If you don't use this feature, you can disable it to remove the hiberfil.sys file.
To do this, search for cmd in the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator. Then enter the following command and press Enter:
powercfg /hibernate off
If you later decide to re-enable hibernate, you can use the following command:
powercfg /hibernate on
Reduce space used by System Restore points
System Restore is another feature that may occupy part of your storage. This feature allows restoring the system to a previous state and can be useful if a problem occurs after installing an update or making unwanted changes.
To manage the space allocated to this feature, use the System Restore section in system recovery settings. After selecting the system drive, choose Configure.
In this section you can limit the maximum space allocated to restore points by reducing Max Usage. You can also delete previous restore points; but note that by deleting them you'll lose older system restore options.
Find large files with TreeSize
Windows Storage is suitable for a general view of storage usage, but it's not always sufficient to find large files and folders. In such cases you can use third-party tools like TreeSize Free.
TreeSize can scan the folder structure on a drive and show which folders consume the most space. For a more thorough check, run the program with administrator access and then select the drive you want to scan, such as the C: drive.
After the scan completes, the largest folders appear at the top of the list and you can drill down into subfolders. Folders like Program Files and Program Files (x86) usually take up a lot of space because installed programs reside there.
However, you should not delete files inside these folders directly. If you no longer need an app, it's better to remove it via the Uninstall option in Windows settings.
You can also check your user folder to find large personal files. If the AppData folder occupies a lot of space, some of it may be due to caches or files downloaded by apps like browsers, streaming services, and email clients.
To inspect any folder, right-click it and choose Open so its contents are shown in File Explorer.
Another tool called dupeGuru can help find duplicate files. Duplicate files are a hidden cause of storage consumption and may not be easily noticed during a normal folder review.
Best practices for freeing storage space
Once you identify the main cause of disk usage, the way to free space depends on the file types. For example, if you have games installed through Steam that you no longer play, you can remove them via the Steam client.
Also delete large files you no longer need and, after ensuring no important file remains in the Recycle Bin, empty it.
If you have large files you still need but don't want to keep on the PC, moving them to cloud storage or another drive is a suitable option. For example, you can sync photos with services like Google Photos and then delete unnecessary local copies.
You can also use OneDrive to store files in the cloud and, if system settings support it, remove local copies of files you haven't accessed for a long time.
However, you should not rely on a single copy for important information. Having multiple backups of valuable files remains one of the most important data management principles.
If you're constantly short on space
If your computer's storage keeps filling up, adding a secondary storage drive can be a more logical solution than constantly deleting files. An external SSD can provide significant space and is suitable for files you access frequently.
External hard drives are a more economical option for storing less frequently used files. Even flash drives can be useful for transferring certain files and creating temporary backups.
Storage Sense; Windows' automatic solution
Windows provides a feature called Storage Sense to prevent accumulation of unnecessary files. To enable it go to Settings > System > Storage and select Storage Sense.
This feature can automatically and periodically delete some unnecessary files. By enabling the option to automatically clear user content, you can largely leave management of temporary and unnecessary files to Windows.
In Storage Sense settings you can specify when the feature runs; for example, when storage space is low or at defined intervals.
However, be careful when configuring automatic deletion of Recycle Bin and Downloads contents. Misconfigured options can delete files you still need.
Finally, one of the simplest ways to prevent storage from filling constantly is to keep the Downloads folder organized and periodically delete or move files you no longer need.