How to Free Up Disk Space on Windows: 4 Easy Fixes

Running low on disk space is a common issue for Windows users. When your hard drive gets full, your computer can slow down, and you might not be able to save new photos, videos, or documents. It's frustrating!

Fortunately, there are simple ways to tackle this problem. This post will show you how to free up disk space on a Windows operating system, helping you improve computer performance and make room for the things you need. 

How to Free Up Disk Space on Windows?

In this section, we'll cover four easy fixes to free up disk space in Windows 11/10. Let's dive into the practical steps you can take right now to reclaim valuable storage space. 

Method 1: Uninstall Unused Programs

Over time, we install software that we think we'll use, but sometimes those programs just sit there, taking up valuable disk space. Removing these unused applications is one of the most effective ways to free up disk space, especially on your C: drive, where the operating system and most programs are installed.

Here’s how to free up disk space by uninstalling programs:

Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings.

Step 2: Go to Apps > Apps & features.

Step 3: Select the software you want to uninstall and click the Uninstall button.

Step 4: Wait patiently until it’s complete.

Method 2: Use Storage Sense

Windows has a built-in feature called Storage Sense. This tool can automatically free up disk space by getting rid of items you don't need, such as temporary files, Recycle Bin files, or the Downloads folder. It's a great way to regularly clean up disks.

Here’s how to enable and configure Storage Sense to free up disk space in Windows 10/11:

Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings.

Step 2: Go to System > Storage.

Step 3: Make sure Storage Sense is turned on.

Step 4: Click to open the settings and configure how often it runs and what types of files to delete.

Step 5: Click Run Storage Sense now to perform a disk cleanup.

Method 3: Delete Unnecessary Large Files

Sometimes, a few extremely large files can cause low disk space. These could be old video files, ISO images from software downloads, backup files you forgot about, or large project files.

Manually searching through folders to find these space hogs can be incredibly time-consuming and frustrating. This is where a dedicated tool comes in handy. AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard offers a convenient "Delete Large Files" feature specifically designed to help you locate and remove these storage consumers efficiently. 

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Here’s how to free up disk space by removing large files:

Step 1: Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, and then click Free up > Delete Large Files.

Step 2: In the pop-up window, select the partitions or folders that you want to find large files, and click Start Scan to scan for large files.

Step 3: Once the can starts, you can check the scan process. You can also cancel the process by clicking the Cancel button.

Step 4: When the scan is complete, all large files found will be listed. Tick the files you want to delete, and then click the Delete button.

Step 5: This step will list all the files you have ticked to delete, click Delete Now after confirming that it is correct.

Step 6: Then you will get a complete message to check the deletion result that these files have been deleted successfully.

Method 4: Remove Duplicate Files

Another common reason for wasted disk space is having multiple copies of the same file scattered across your hard drive. This happens easily with photos, downloaded documents, videos, and music files. You might save a file to your desktop, then copy it to your Documents folder, and later save another copy in a project folder. These duplicates quickly add up, silently consuming gigabytes of space.

Manually finding and deleting duplicate files is an almost impossible task on a large drive. Fortunately, AOMEI Partition Assistant also provides a "Duplicate Files Finder" tool to simplify this process and help you effectively free up disk space.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

100% Secure

Here’s how to free up disk space by removing duplicate files:

Step 1: Click Free up > Duplicate Files Finder.

Step 2: By default, all hard drives and partitions on your computer will be displayed. You can manually adjust the scan range and file types. Then Click Scan.

Step 3: Once the scan is complete, all duplicate files that meet the conditions you set will be displayed. You can click the Preview button to view the duplicate file details.

Step 4: You can set up a delete method and personal preferences in Settings. 

Then manually delete unnecessary ones. Normally, it is recommended to keep at least one duplicate file. 

Summary

Running out of disk space on your Windows PC? Don’t worry! This guide walks you through how to free up disk space (usually on the C: drive) in Windows. And if none of them solve your issue, consider upgrading to a larger SSD for a long-term performance boost.

FAQs

Q1: How much space can I expect to free up?

The amount of space you can free up varies greatly depending on how full your drive is, how many unused programs you have, and how many large or duplicate files are present. 

Q2: How often should I free up disk space?

There's no strict schedule, but performing a cleanup every few months is a good practice. Enabling Storage Sense can automate much of the regular cleanup for you.

Q3: Can I free up space without deleting my files or apps?

Yes! You can use AOMEI Partition Assistant to clean up junk files or move programs to another drive with sufficient storage.