AOMEI Partition Assistant
How to Fix There Is Not Enough Space When Moving Files?
Why does not enough space when moving files happen? This article will explain it with sharing practical methods to help you fix the issue.
By Irene / Updated on June 13, 2025
User case: There is not enough space when moving files
My C drive has around some space left of space on it while my D drive has over 900GB left. I wish to move files over to the D drive to make space on the C drive. However, I get an error message saying not enough space on the C drive when moving over to the D drive. This happens with other hard drives which also have enough space. The error reads "there is not enough space on Windows. You need an additional n to copy these files". This should not be happening though should it? Not sure why it is doing this or what the fix might be. Does anyone have any idea?
- Question from Reddit
If you’re trying to move files from a full C: drive to an external D: drive with lots of space, but Windows 11 says there’s not enough space, it’s usually because Windows needs some free space on C: to complete the move. When moving files between drives, Windows often copies the files first and then deletes the originals, which can require temporary space on C:. To fix this, free up some space on C: is the most direct method. If it doesn't work, you can also follow our guide to check disk errors and repair it to fix the issue.
How to fix not enough space when moving files in Windows computers?
To fix there is not enough space when moving files error, you can extend drive space first. If it fails, please follow the guide to check your disk errors and repair it.
Fix 1. Allocate free space from D drive
Some apps or system operations create temp data on C: even when the destination is D:, which has a lot of free space. If C: is low on space, this process fails. In fact, it is quite simple to fix the issue if you use AOMEI Partition Assistant. This powerful disk manager offers the Allocate Free Space feature that allows you to directly allocate free space from one drive to another without causing data loss.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Partition Assistant. Right-click partition D and select Allocate Free Space.
Step 2. Set how much space you want to allocate form partition D and choose C partition as a target partition.
Step 3. Preview the result after allocation. If that’s what you want, just click "Apply" on upper left to carry out the operation.
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If it looks not like what you want, or you want C drive to be larger, you can click Discard behind Apply and do the operations above once more.
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You can also complete the “increase c drive space from d drive” task using Extend Partition feature of this software.
Fix 2. Extend the C drive directly
AOMEI Partition Assistant, this disk management tool that works with Windows 11/10/8/7 and offers multiple ways to expand the C: drive. One of its quickest features is “1-Click Adjust Space,” which lets you resize partitions by simply dragging the edges of the partition bar. This makes it easy to quickly rearrange space across your disks with minimal effort.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
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. Check disk errors
If you still get a not enough disk space but there is plenty available, it's time to check your disk for errors. If you're familiar with command lines, checking your disk using Command Prompt is a good choice. This method allows you to run CHKDSK with specific parameters for deeper scans and automatic repairs. It’s especially useful if your system fails to boot properly or you suspect serious disk errors.
Here's how to do a disk check via CMD:
Step 1. Type cmd in the search box and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. In the command prompt window, type chkdsk g: /f /r /x and press Enter (replace g if your disk letter).
Step 3. If you're checking the system drive, you'll see a message saying the scan will run the next time your PC restarts. Type Y and press Enter.
Step 4. Restart your computer and let the scan complete.
Tips: Typing an incorrect command can cause unexpected issues, so make sure to review it carefully before running. If you're not confident, it's safer to try one of the alternative methods listed below.
Conclusion
If you encounter the not enough space when moving files, even though there’s plenty of space on another drive, it’s often due to temporary space requirements or hidden disk issues. By freeing up space on the C: drive, using AOMEI Partition Assistant to adjust or extend partitions, or checking for disk errors, you can resolve the problem easily and keep your system running smoothly.
