There is not enough space on Windows to copy files? A lot of reasons can be used to explain it. You can also get six effective methods to free up space so that you can copy files easily.
“I am trying to back up about 250GB into 1T Flash Drive. But I am not moving it to my Windows disk. And I am certain I have enough space on the drive. I also tried changing the flash drive type to NTFS and exfat. How can I solve this, and why does it occur? But that didn't help.”
Ever tried copying files only to see the frustrating error: “There is not enough space on Windows to copy files”? Even when your drive seems spacious? You’re not alone. Many users face this confusing issue where Windows claims storage is full – but the numbers don’t add up.
✍ Common reasons for not enough space on Windows:
◆ Hidden files consuming space: Did you know that Windows hides certain files by default? These hidden system files can quietly eat up massive amounts of space without you realizing it.
◆ Recycle Bin not emptied: Deleting files doesn't always free up space immediately. Why? Because those files move to the Recycle Bin until you empty it manually. They still occupy your drive until then.
◆ Temporary files accumulating: Temporary files generated by Windows updates, web browsers, and applications accumulate fast. They often go unnoticed but can swallow gigabytes of your disk.
◆ Incorrect disk usage reporting: Sometimes, Windows simply miscalculates. Glitches or bugs in file indexing can lead the system to incorrectly report free space.
◆ System restore points taking space: System restore points are life-savers but they consume storage silently in the background, often several gigabytes per snapshot.
◆ Page file and hibernation file issues: If your computer uses hibernation mode or virtual memory (page file), large system files are created, using up valuable disk real estate.
◆ Shadow copies occupying disk: Shadow copies help with file recovery, but they use up hidden disk space that regular file explorers won’t show.
Running out of space when trying to copy files can be frustrating, especially when you know your drive should have enough capacity. Here are several effective solutions to resolve the problem and free up space on your Windows PC:
When you delete files, they’re moved to the Recycle Bin, not permanently erased. Over time, this bin can accumulate gigabytes of data. Regularly cleaning the Recycle Bin can release the space.
Step 1. Locate the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.
Step 2. Right-click the icon and select the Empty Recycle Bin option.
Step 3. Click Yes to continue the process when prompted with "Are you sure you want to permanently delete all of these items?" This will permanently erase all files stored in the Recycle Bin.
Temporary files help boost system performance and store session data, but over time, they tend to pile up and occupy significant disk space. If not cleared regularly, these files can slow down your computer or lead to storage issues.
Step 1. Press Windows + R to open the Run command.
Step 2. Type temp and click OK to view all temporary files.
Step 3. Alternatively, type %temp% and click OK to view all local temporary files.
Step 4. Select the temp files that you want to delete and press the Delete key.
To clean temporary files thoroughly, a professional PC cleaner is a good helper. Here we recommend AOMEI Partition Assistant for Cleanup. It offers useful cleanup features to help you free up valuable disk space by removing unnecessary temporary files. You can safely scan and delete junk files, including system cache, temporary files, and leftover installation data.
Here’s how to use AOMEI Partition Assistant for Cleanup to remove temporary files:
Free Up Disk Space To Keep Your PC Running Smoothly and Efficiently
Step 1. Install and launchAOMEI Partition Assistant for Cleanup. Click the"Clean Junk Files"tab.
Step 2. Click the"Scan Now"button to start the process of scanning junk files.
Step 3. After the scan process is finished. All system junk files (including recycle bin files, temporary files, log files, invalid shortcuts, and so on) and registry junk files (including DLL registry, system registry, and program registry) will be displayed.
You can also click the button behind to view the junk files details.
Step 4. And, you can click the button behind to locate the file.
By default, the program will select some junk files to clean up, for example, temporary files, log files, and so on.You can also manually check to select more or uncheck to deselect fewer listed junk files. Or, click "Select All" to select all junk files to clean up if you need to clean up all.
Step 5. After selecting junk files that are not needed anymore, you can click the"Clean Now"button to start the cleanup.
The process of the cleanup might take time, and the selected files will be cleaned up. After the process is finished, you will get a cleanup completed window displaying how many files you have cleaned and not yet cleaned.
Hibernate allows your computer to start quickly by saving its current state to the hard drive. However, it can take up a large amount of disk space, often matching your system’s RAM size. While it’s usually enabled by default and doesn’t cause harm, disabling Hibernate can help you recover that reserved space if necessary.
Step 1. Click the Start button and type "cmd".
Step 2. Right-click the item that appears and select "Run as administrator".
Step 3. In the opened DOS command prompt window type "powercfg.exe /hibernate off" and press Enter.
Windows automatically creates system backups, which can gradually consume a considerable amount of disk space. To free up storage, you can delete all backup files except for the most recent restore point. This ensures that, if needed, you can still recover your system to its latest stable state.
Step 1. In “This PC”, right-click the C drive and select “Properties”.
Step 2. In the new window, click “Clean up system files”.
Step 3. In the new window, select “More Options”, then click “Clean up” under “System Restore and Shadow Copies”.
An easy way to reclaim space on your primary drive is by uninstalling programs you no longer need. It’s common to install software for temporary use and then forget about it, allowing these unused applications to quietly take up valuable storage. To free up space, review your installed programs and remove those you no longer use.
Step 1. Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings.
Step 2. Go to Apps > Apps & features.
Step 3. Click on an app you want to uninstall. An Uninstall button will appear.
Step 4. Click Uninstall. You might see a confirmation prompt; click Uninstall again.
If you're running out of space on your computer, moving large files to external storage can help free up valuable disk space. AOMEI Partition Assistant makes this process simple and efficient. This powerful tool not only manages partitions but also provides an easy way to migrate files to external drives like USB flash drives, external hard disks, or SSDs.
With AOMEI Partition Assistant:
✍ You can quickly copy or move large files, including videos, photos, and documents, to external storage.
✍ Its intuitive interface helps locate large files consuming space on your internal drive.
✍ The “Clone Disk” or “App Mover” feature lets you move entire partitions or specific files directly to an external device without complicated steps.
By using AOMEI Partition Assistant, you ensure a smooth transfer process, avoid manual errors, and efficiently free up space on your main drive.
Step 1. Install and open AOMEI Partition Assistant. Click “Free up” on the top panel, then select “App Mover”.
Step 2. Here, click “App Mover” to move applications. Or, you can also move folders to a different drive if you need.
Step 3. Then, select the drive where the applications you want to move are located and click "Next".
Step 4. Choose apps and select the destination drive, then click "Move".
Step 5. Finally, click "OK" to begin the process.
If you encounter the “not enough space on Windows to copy files” error despite having sufficient drive capacity, hidden files, unemptied Recycle Bin, temporary files, system restore points, or large system files like hibernation and page files could be to blame. To fix it, empty your Recycle Bin, delete temporary files, disable hibernation, remove old restore points, uninstall unused programs, or move large files to external storage using AOMEI Partition Assistant for effective space management and smooth file transfers.
