Winrar Says Not Enough Disk Space? 3 Ways to Fix it!

What causes WinRAR says not enough disk space error?

WinRAR is a popular Windows program for compressing and extracting files. It supports many formats, like RAR, ZIP, and 7-Zip, and helps make files smaller for easier storage or sharing. However, during extraction, you might see a message like "Write error: There is not enough space on the disk." This usually means the temp folder on the C drive or the target drive is too full to handle the files.

This happens because WinRAR first unpacks the files into a temporary folder on the C drive, usually at C:\Users\AppData\Local\Temp, before moving them to your chosen destination. If the C drive does not have enough free space, the temporary files cannot fit, and the error occurs. The same issue can arise if the destination drive lacks space for the final extracted files. Other causes might include a damaged hard drive, hidden files, or file paths that are too long. The good news is that simple fixes can solve this problem and let you extract your files smoothly.

How to fix the not disk space error on the disk?

Fix 1. Change the Temporary File Location of WinRAR

WinRAR usually unpacks files to a temporary spot on the C drive during extraction. If your C drive doesn't have much free space left, you can resolve the "WinRAR there is not enough space on the disk" error by switching the temporary folder to a different drive or location.

Step 1. Run WinRAR to enter its main interface, click Options from the top ribbon menu, and select Settings.

Step 2. Select Paths from the left panel, click on Browse under the Folder for temporary files section, and select another location.

Step 3. Untick the box of Use only for removable disks, and click on OK to save the change. Then extract again and see if the “WinRAR can’t extract ISO not enough disk space” issue gets solved.

Fix 2. Increase the disk space

If WinRAR shows the “not enough disk space” error, you can fix it easily by increasing your drive space with AOMEI Partition Assistant. This tool allows you to safely extend partitions without losing any data. Its "1-Click Adjust Space" feature automatically detects unused space on nearby partitions and adds it to the selected drive in just a few simple steps.

This helps create extra room for temporary or extracted files, preventing WinRAR from showing disk space errors during extraction. Unlike manual resizing, which can be complicated and risky, AOMEI Partition Assistant makes the process fast, easy, and secure. You can simply drag a partition’s edge to resize it, and it even supports using non adjacent unallocated space. Besides expanding partitions, the tool also lets you move, merge, or copy partitions, convert FAT32 to NTFS, rebuild the MBR, and clone disks without rebooting, all while keeping your data safe. It’s an excellent solution for fixing the “WinRAR not enough disk space” issue efficiently.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. Right-click a partition (here is D: partition) you want to adjust space and select "1-Click Adjust Space".

🌟Note: It cannot select unallocated space to adjust because the feature is just for partition space adjustment. If there is unallocated space and you want to use it to expand a partition, you can use the feature "Merge Partition".

Step 2. If you want to use the space on F: to expand D: you can simply drag the dot near the partition F: head backward to shrink the partition F: and enlarge the partition D: simultaneously. Then click "OK".  You can simultaneously drag the dot near the partition C: tail forward to shrink the partition C: so the D: will also be enlarged with the space of C: at the same time. In this case, you can adjust all partition space (C:, D:, and F:) on the disk.

Step 3. You can preview the operation by viewing the "Pending Operations". To commit the "Pending Operations", please click "Apply" and "Proceed".

Step 4. The process will start and you can check the progress. It might take time to finish the operation.

Step 5. Wait for the operation to be finished. After it is completed successfully, you will find D: is enlarged and both D: and F: are adjusted.

Fix 3. Repair the Corrupt Files

If your files are corrupted or damaged, you might run into the “WinRAR write error: there is not enough space on the disk” message. To resolve this, try downloading the file again or use WinRAR’s repair feature. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Open WinRAR to get its main interface, and click File > Open Archive from the top left corner.

Step 2. Select the corrupted file and click on Repair from the top menu. Alternatively, you can click on Tools and select Repair archive. Then the tool will prompt you to select a location to save the repaired archive. Click on Browse to select the location and click OK to start the repair.

Conclusion

Nobody likes seeing that “WinRAR not enough disk space” error pop up when you’re trying to unzip something important. The good news? You can fix it without much stress. Moving WinRAR’s temporary files to a drive with more space, using AOMEI Partition Assistant to free up room on your disk, or repairing any corrupted files are all straightforward ways to tackle the problem. Even if you’re not super techy, these steps are easy to follow. AOMEI Partition Assistant is especially handy. It lets you resize partitions or add space in just a few clicks, keeping your data safe and making sure WinRAR runs smoothly. With these tricks, you’ll be back to extracting files in no time, no error messages like WinRAR says not enough disk space in sight.