Why Am I Losing Storage on My PC With No Reason? How to Fix That?

“Why am I losing storage on my PC?” If you encounter same problems like other users, follow this guidance to know what takes up space on PC and how to fix that in 6 ways.

Irene

By Irene / Updated on November 6, 2023

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Storage is fundamental in computer usage, as it enables the retention of data, programs, and the efficient operation of the system. Nevertheless, there are instances where you may observe that your hard drive keeps losing disk space for no reason, even when you haven't added significant applications or a substantial amount of data like the following help-seeker:

Use case: Why am I losing storage on my PC without any reason?

   
   
   

Hello, I have a new laptop. On 17/08/19, C:\ had 85GB free space out of 117 GB total. Every week, it loses about 5GB of free space, and currently stands at 66.7 GB. I do not understand why free space should be lost. At this rate, the drive will fill up in 3 months. Why am I losing storage on my PC? Can someone please help?

 

Have you ever wondered why your computer's storage space disappears suddenly, losing several gigabytes without any reasons? It's important to investigate and figure out the reasons behind this mystery, so we can find the right solutions. In the upcoming sections, we'll explore the factors causing this puzzling situation and discover effective ways to fix the problem that your computer keeps losing storage space.

why am i losing storage on my pc

Why is my disk space full without any reason?

C drive filling up automatically is an unexpected problem. When encountering that, users usually hope to know “Why do I have no space on my PC”? The main causes of this issue are typically:

Viruses and malicious software may continuously create files, filling up your system drive.
• You might have saved large files on your C drive without realizing it. For instance, the default download folder is usually on the C drive.
• Files like page files, remnants of old Windows installations, temporary files, and other system files could be taking up space on your system partition.

There could be more reasons why your C drive is mysteriously getting full. You can try the methods below to free up space on your C drive in Windows 11/10/8/7.

6 ways for fixing computer keeps losing storage space

After answering “Why do I have no space on my PC”, now, it is time to following the fixes to solve that. Here are 6 practical ways.

Way 1. Remove hibernate files

In Windows, a substantial portion of your RAM is use to accommodate the hibernation file. When your computer's RAM clocks in at a generous 8 gigabytes, the hibernation file (referred to as hiberfil.sys) stakes its claim at approximately 4 gigabytes. It might be among the contributing factors to the problem of "Why Am I Losing Storage on My PC."

Step 1. Open the Start menu, type "cmd," right-click on Command Prompt, and pick "Run as administrator."

Step 2. Type "powercfg.exe / hibernate off" and press Enter.

hibernate off

This should give you more free space on your system drive.

Way 2. Show hidden files or folders

What takes up space on PC? Maybe there are many hidden files or folders on your device but you do not notice them. You can also uncover hidden files and folders that could be eating up space on your drive space. Once you find them, you can delete these files and folders if they are useless.

Step 1. Go to "Control Panel," then click on "File Explorer Options." Next, click the "View" tab and tick the box that says "Show hidden files, folders, and drives."

show hidden files

Step 2. Then back to the drive that's causing the trouble. See if any hidden things are hogging space. If you don't need them anymore, say goodbye by deleting them.

Way 3. Check your software conflicts and virus infection

Did you install any suspicious programs from unknown sources or open strange email attachments recently? If yes, that may be one of the answers of "Why is my disk space full with no reasons". A virus could be eating up your hard drive space! When you see your drive space is full suddenly, you can scan for viruses before taking the next step.

antivirus software

Have good antivirus software installed, like Windows Defender. Keep it updated and run a thorough scan. Also, make sure your system is up to date to protect against viruses and malware. However, antivirus software will cause system conflicts. For smoother system running in the future, it is recommended to try the next method.

Way 4. Run PC Cleaner for cleanup

People who have used antivirus software may be familiar with the adverse effects like freezing or error code notices. To safely check and remove viruses, here we recommend a multifunctional tool, AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard, which is designed for all Windows editions (11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP).

This tool can scan and clear various junk files, and easily remove system and registry clutter, enhancing security against viruses and malware. Download the freeware with the following simple steps to fix losing storage on your PC.

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

Step 1. Run the installed AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard, and then click "Free up" > "PC Cleaner" from the top pane.

pc-cleaner

Step 2. In the pop-up window, click "Start Scan" to scan for potential viruses.

start-scan

Step 3. Wait until the scanning process completes. If you want to stop, you can click the "Cancel Scan" button.

scanning

Step 4. When it is finished, all kinds of available junk files will be displayed. Then, choose the options you want to clean, then click "Clean All" to begin the cleaning process.

after-scanning

Step 5. When you see a correct symbol displayed in the interface, you can click "Back" to go to the main interface.

cleanup-finish

Way 5. Move large applications to another drive

If your storage space still is taken up after trying the above methods, you can try to move large applications to release space. However, moving programs isn't as straightforward as moving personal files like pictures or documents. Trying to copy and paste programs can mess up the boot file, causing those moved apps to not work properly when you try to use them.

Upgrading to AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional allows you to easily transfer installed programs from one drive to another drive without data loss and boot issues. Once you upgrade to this version, you can use many other powerful features to fix computer problems.

Step 1. In the main interface, click "Free up" on the top pane and choose "App Mover".

Click App Mover

Step 2. There are two options that you can choose in light of your needs. Here we click “App Mover”. You can also click “Move Folders” if you need to move folders from C drive to D drive.

Two Options

Step 3. Then, select the C drive and hit "Next".

Select Partition

Step 4. Choose the target apps you want to move and select the destination location, then click "Move".

Move Adobe

Step 5. In the pop-up window, you need to read the prompts. Click "OK" to begin the process.

Click OK

Way 6. Extend drive space without data loss

If you have upgraded to the Professional version, there is another function worth to trying. “Allocate Free Space” allows you to move free space from one drive to another, thus extending your drive space easily and without any risk of data loss.

Step 1. Right-click on a partition that has enough space and select “Allocate Free Space” from the list.

allocate free space

Step 2. In the next window, preset the size of the free space you want to allocate and the target partition you want to allocate the free space to. When done, click on “OK”

preset size

Step 3. After returning to the home interface, hit “Apply” on the upper left and then, hit “Proceed” to start the space allocation.

apply

Summary

With the user case “Why am I losing storage on my PC”, we share 6 easy and practical solutions for the problem. If you want to further troubleshoot the problem, it can offer various solutions, you can also try to explore the features of Merge Partitions, Coning Disks, and Wipe Partition.

For other computer issues-solving, functions like Migrate OS to SSD and Convert System Disk between MBR/GPT are also popular among users. If you are a Windows Server user, here is the Server Edition that can be chosen.

Irene
Irene · Staff Editor
Irene is an Editor of AOMEI Technology. She devotes herself in giving insightful thoughts on common computer problems with simple and clear guidance. Irene loves to help people solve problems and explore more solutions on relevant issues. She loves reading, singing and travelling.