I Need to Free Up 5GB of C Drive – 4 Easy Fixes That Work

I Need to Free Up 5GB of C: Drive...

Is your C: drive constantly running out of space, leaving you with annoying "low disk space" warnings? It's a common problem for many Windows users. A full C: drive can slow down your computer, prevent new installations, and even cause system instability. Don't worry! This guide will help you quickly identify what's taking up space on your drive and show you how to free it up effortlessly.

How to Free Up Space on C: Drive?

Dealing with a full C: drive can be frustrating, but there are several effective methods to reclaim storage space. In this section, we’ll explore four reliable ways to free up space on C: drive. Read on to optimize your disk space now.

Method 1. Delete Junk Files from C: Drive

Over time, your computer accumulates a lot of temporary files, log files, and other junk that can significantly eat into your C: drive space. These files are often left behind by programs, web browsers, or Windows updates. While individually small, they can add up to several gigabytes. Deleting these unnecessary files is one of the effective ways to free up space on C: drive.

Using a reliable tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant makes the process much easier and more thorough than manual deletion. It can quickly scan your C: drive and list various types of junk files. With just one click, you can safely remove them to increase available space on C: drive.

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Here's how to free up space on C: drive using AOMEI Partition Assistant:

Step 1: After installing AOMEI Partition Assistant on your PC, launch it and go to Free up > PC Cleaner.

Step 2:  In the pop-up window, click Start Scan to scan for junk files.

Step 3: After the scan process is completed, System Junk Files and Registry Junk Files will be listed. By default, all System Junk Files are ticked. Depending on your needs, tick the options you want to clean, and then click Clean All to start the cleaning process.

Step 4: The cleaning process will start, and the selected files will be cleaned up.

Method 2. Disable Hibernation

Hibernation is a power-saving feature that allows you to quickly resume your work exactly where you left off. While convenient, the hiberfil.sys file can be quite large. If you rarely use hibernation or prefer a regular shutdown, disabling this feature can be a significant way to free up space.

Follow these steps to disable Hibernation to free up space on C: drive:

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter:

powercfg -h off

Step 3: Exit the Command Prompt window.

Method 3. Uninstall Unused Programs on C: Drive

The C: drive is the default installation location for most programs. You may have installed applications on it but rarely use some of them. These unused programs can take up significant space, especially if they are large applications or games. If you need to free up 5GB or more of your C: drive, consider uninstalling programs you no longer need.

Step 1: Open the Start menu and then go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.

Step 2: Select the programs you want to uninstall and click the "Uninstall" button.

Step 3: Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall them.

Method 4. Move Installed Programs to Another Drive

What if the programs installed on your C: drive are essential and can’t be uninstalled? If removing them isn’t an option, moving them to another drive (like the D: drive) can be an ideal solution. This allows you to keep your applications while reclaiming valuable space on the C: drive.

AOMEI Partition Assistant offers a fantastic “App Mover” feature that makes this process easy and safe. After successfully moving an application to another location, you’ll still see a shortcut in the original installation directory. This shortcut doesn’t take up disk space.

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Here's how to move installed programs from your C: drive to D: drive:

Step 1: Click the Free up > App Mover.

Step 2: Choose Move Apps or Move Folders as you like. In this step, we choose App Mover.

Step 3: Select the partition you want to move applications from and click Next.

Step 4: In the pop-up window, select the applications you want to move and choose a target location for them. Then click Move.

Step 5: Click OK to start the process. Then your applications will be safely moved to the target location.

Conclusion

Running out of space on your C: drive can be a real headache. However, as we’ve seen, there are several effective solutions to free up 5GB of your C: drive, or even more. By regularly performing these maintenance tasks, you can keep your C: drive healthy and ensure your computer runs smoothly.

FAQs

Q: How often should I free up space on my C: drive?

A: It's a good practice to check your C: drive space monthly. If you frequently download large files or install many programs, you might need to do it more often.

Q: How do I free up space on my C: drive without losing data?

A: It’s best to move apps or folders to another drive with sufficient storage. This method ensures you keep all your essential data intact.

Q: My C: drive is still full after trying these methods. What else can I do?

A: If your C: drive remains critically full, consider extending the C: drive using unallocated space on your disk. Alternatively, upgrading to a larger SSD can provide more storage and improve overall performance.