Are you receiving messages about low disk space on your Windows computer?
Turn On Storage Sense (Your Automatic Cleanup Assistant)
When you use a computer over time, it accumulates many temporary files, web cookies, and old downloads. Microsoft provides built-in tools to help clean up your disk, which you may or may not be aware of. One such feature is called Storage Sense, which automatically frees up space by deleting temporary files, old downloads and emptying the recycle bin.
As Storage Sense is enabled by default in windows computer, but i suggest you to check if it is enable or disabled .To Check that,
- Press Win+i to open the Settings or Right Click on Windows logo and Click Settings
- Go to System > Storage and turn on the “Storage Sense” toggle
Clean Up Temporary System Files
As you use computers frequently, it accumulates unnecessary temporary system files over time, such as leftover data from updates, cached files, error reports, and setup logs. These files can silently take up space on our drives without us realizing it, slowing down our system and reducing the storage available for the things we truly need.
The good news? Windows has provided built-in tools, like Disk Cleanup, that help you delete these files. When you clean up your device regularly, or even once a week, that can free up space, enhance performance, and allow the computer to run smoothly without deleting anything important.
Clean with Disk Cleanup (Still Available in 2025):
- Press Windows Key + R, Type cleanmgr, hit Enter
- Choose your drive (usually C:)
- Select file types to delete: System created Windows Error Reporting, thumbnails, DirectX shader cache, etc.
- Click “Clean up system files” for more options, including removing old Windows updates
- Click OK
- Clean temporary files or folders Using Command “%temp% or temp or Prefetch
- Press Windows Key + R,
- Type %temp% or temp, hit Enter
- Select using Ctrl+A
- Click Yes
Clean Up Temporary System Files
Customizing the default save locations for installed apps and downloaded files can help prevent your main drive (C:) from filling up too quickly, which in turn helps your PC run smoothly for a longer time.
When managing your storage devices, keep important files and apps on the C: drive, while storing other files, such as downloads and day-to-day work documents, on the D: drive. Windows allows you to customize the save locations for some programs and documents, which will be processed automatically the next time you save files or apps. If you are using Windows 11 operating system
- Go to Settings → Click on System
- Select Storage from the sidebar
- Scroll down and click “Advanced storage settings”
- Then select “Where new content is saved”
- Choose a different drive for: New apps,Documents,Music,Pictures,Videos
Alternatively, you can open File Explorer.
- To open File Explorer,
- press Windows + E.
- Select the folder to move (like Downloads, Pictures, or Music).
- Right-click and click on Properties.
- Select the Location tab and click on Move.
- Select a folder on the other drive (D:) or create one as per your need, and then click the “Apply” button.
- It will ask if you want to move all files to the new location.
- Click “Yes” to confirm. From now on, all files will go to a different folder on the other drive (D:).
Uninstall Unused Apps – Free Up Space Easily
As you use your computer frequently, it may collect apps and programs you may no longer use. These types of unused apps can take up a lot of space on your storage and slow down your system. Uninstalling them is the quickest way to free up space on your drive.
Here’s how to uninstall apps in Windows:
- Open Settings → Go to Apps
- Click on Installed Apps (or Apps & features in older versions)
- Find the Apps you do not use
- Click on three dot at right top of your app, then
- select Uninstall
Alternatively (shortcut)
- Press Windows + R
- Type “appwiz.cpl”
- Select the App
- Click uninstall
Move Files to External Storage
When your main internal storage drive (C:) or Local (D:) drive starts filling up, it is better to move large files to external storage, which frees up space without losing important data.
You can choose the following external storage:
- USB Flash Drives – Great for quick file transfers and portability.
- External HDD/SSD – Ideal for backing up large files and long-term storage, secure and portable as well.
- Cloud Storage – You can buy services like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, which give you dedicated space to store files online and access them from anywhere.
If you work with media documents, projects, or Photoshop, then the options above can quickly lighten your internal drive and enhance the system performance.
Compress Large Files
Like other methods for removing files and applications, compressing files to save space on your disk is very helpful. Windows users can take advantage of the built-in feature that will allow you to reduce the size of files and folders without having to delete anything. This feature ensures that nothing will be lost in the process.
This is how to Compress Files:
- Select the files to be compressed, and do a right-click.
- Click select “Properties”.
- Check “Compress contents to save disk space”.
- Click apply and then OK.
Reduce the Size of System Restore
System Restore is one of the most useful Windows features that creates a backup snapshot of your system and allows you to bring your system to a previous state if something goes wrong. When you create a System Restore point on your computer, it typically takes up to 10% of your storage space. For example, if your storage space is 512 GB, it could use up to 51.2 GB. Although System Restore can take up to 10% or more, you have full control over how much space it uses.
You can limit the amount of space System Restore uses, freeing up room on your drive while still maintaining enough backups for safety.
To reduce the size of System Restore
- Press Windows + S, type in search bar “Restore Point”, and click “Create a restore point”
- In the System Properties window, select your system drive (usually C:)
- Click Configure
- Under Disk Space Usage, move the slider to reduce the amount of space used
- Click Apply,
- Click OK
FAQs : & Windows Settings to Free Up Space
Why do I still have a full storage even after deleting some files?
Your storage might still be full due to stored data files, system files, data from applications, or some of the files being too big. You can also use Storage Sense to free up space automatically.
Can I expand my laptop’s storage?
Definitely! You can expand your storage using external SSDs, USB sticks, or even additional cloud storage.
Is it safe to delete Windows Update files?
Conclusion
If you want to manage storage on Windows 11, it doesn’t require expert skills—just knowing where to look. With tools like Storage Sense, deleting temporary files makes it easier than ever to keep your computer fast, enhance performance, and clutter-free.
Still confused or stuck? Leave your questions in the comments or call me at +1- 844-405-0212. I am here to help!
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