How to Locate Large Files on Windows 10

Do you want to delete large files from your disk to free up space? We will provide you with different ways to locate large files on windows 10 and remove them completely.

Tina

By Tina / Updated on May 12, 2023

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How can I locate large files on Windows 10?

 

" I have been trying to use search and advanced search locating large files on the hard drive. But when I search using size is greater then > any number, nothing is found. I am searching the C drive and checking include non-indexed, hidden and system files. Results are the same 'no items match your search'. I just believe how difficult it is to find large file with the Windows 10 OS, hours wasted. I just want to find what is occupying the disk space."

--Microsoft Community

When there is not enough space on C drive, the computer will run slowly. Therefore, for a better performance, Windows users will choose to clean up unnecessary large files such as outdated large files, Cache files and temp files from the C drive.

But how to locate large files occupying hard disk space in the computer? In this article, we will share 3 ways to locate large files on Windows 10 and delete them permanently.

Two ways to locate and delete large files

In order to clean up your computer for more usable space, locating and deleting large files in your computer cannot be ignored. But for many Windows users, it's tricky to locate large files on Windows 10. Therefore, we provide the following two methods to do it.

Method 1. Locate large files with Command Prompt

In addition to basic functions such as extending/shrinking partitions and formating partitions, the well-known Windows built-in tool Command Prompt can also help users find large files hidden in Windows 10 PC. Here are the steps of how to locate large files on Windows 10 in C drive.

Step 1. Click "Windows" and then type "cmd" in the pop-up small window, then right-click "Run as administrator" to open Command Prompt.

Step 2. The path on the command prompt is C:\Windows\system32, so you need to turn to the C : drive. Type "cd C:\" and press "Enter".

cmd path

Step 3. Input the command forfiles /S /M * /C "cmd /c if @fsize GEQ echo @path > largefiles.txt" and replace the "size (bytes)" with the actual size you are looking for. If you are looking for files larger than 1 GB, enter forfiles /S /M * /C "cmd /c if @fsize GEQ 1073741824 echo @path > LargeFilesList.txt".

Note: In bytes B, we need to convert unit of size to help you find these large files easily, e.g. 1 KB = 1024 B, 1 MB = 1,048,576 B, 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 B.)

input commands

Step 5. Press "Enter" to run the entered command, which will create a file named "LargeFilesList", which contains all the large files on the C drive. Press "Win + E" to open File Explorer, then click "This PC" and C: drive in turn, find the LargeFilesList.txt file and open it.

Step 6. In the LargeFilesList.txt file, you can select the target large files and delete them one by one.

Method 2. Locate large files with File Explorer

In the Windows system, you can also use File Explorer, an easier way to locate large files on Windows 10 PC.

Step 1. Press "Win + E" at the same time and select "This PC" in the pop-up window. Type "*" in the search bar of File Explorer to list all the files on your PC.

open file explorer

Step 2. Click the Search tab and click the size drop-down menu, then select the file size from the options to find the target large file according to your needs.

select size

Step 3. Besides, if you want to find hidden files, click the View tab and check "Hidden items" to display all hidden files and folders.

check hidden items

Step 4. When you have selected the target large files, right-click each and click "Delete" to delete them one by one.

An accurate way to locate and delete large files on Windows 10

How to locate large files on windows 10 accurately? From the above, you can learn to use Command Prompt and File Explorer to locate large files in Windows 10. But obviously, both of them are complicated, and you need to find and delete large files one by one, so you can try AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, a simpler and more reliable large file cleaning expert. Unlike other tools, it can:

★ Be compatible with Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP.
★ Provide users with a clear and graphical interface.
★ Handle disk managing and cleaning problems with detailed guidance.

The "Delete Large Files" function can find all large files over 16MB in the computer, and users can click the folder icon to accurately locate the specific location of the large files after scanning. When you are ready to delete large files, some important files will be automatically marked in red to prevent you from accidentally deleting system-related files.

If you still want to find and delete residual files on your computer, the "PC Cleaner" function can help you dig out all files smaller than 16MB and delete them completely after you determine the target files.

Free DownloadWin 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

Step 1. Download and open AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, click "Free up", then choose the "Delete Large Files".

click delete large files

Step 2. All partitions will be displayed, tick the target partition and click "Start Scan". (The C drive will be selected by default.)

start scan

Step 3. You can see all the large files from the target drive, if you want to see the location of the large files, you can click the folder pattern on the right. Besides, some significant large files which should be paid attention will be marked to red. Tick the target large files and click "Delete".

delete

Step 4. You can see the size of those selected large files in the new window. Click "Delete Now", then all of them will be deleted.

delete now

Summary

In this tutorial, we have shared three effective ways to locate large files on Windows 10. By comparing, I believe you also have got the best option. In addition, you can go to AOMEI Partition Assistant Server if you are a Windows Server user.

Tina
Tina · Staff Editor
Tina is an English editor of AOMEI Technology. She has a positive attitude and full of energy. On her work, she always keeps thinking to figure out the solutions for users' problems, and writes the answers so that can help someone. In her daily life, she likes to sing, watch TV and sleep. She always being grateful and happy to all the things happened and all the people encountered.