how to free up storage on Windows 11

Learn how to free up storage on Windows 11, remove junk files, and recover valuable disk space

A Windows 11 laptop showing storage cleanup options, including deleting junk files, cleaning large files, managing storage, and freeing up disk space for better PC performance.

If your Windows 11 PC is showing a "low disk space" warning, struggling to install updates, or just feels sluggish, the fastest fix is usually freeing up storage — not buying new hardware. The good news: Windows 11 has everything you need built in, no third-party app required.

Below are 12 easy and safe methods to free up storage on Windows 11, starting with the quickest wins and moving toward deeper cleanup options. Work through them in order and check your free space after each step — you can stop as soon as you've recovered enough.

Quick way to check how much space you have

Before cleaning anything, open File Explorer, select This PC, and look under "Devices and drives" to see how much space is free on your C: drive. For a more detailed breakdown, go to Settings > System > Storage, where Windows groups usage by apps, system files, temporary files, documents, and more. This tells you whether the problem is junk files, oversized apps, or media — and where to focus first.

1. Run "Cleanup recommendations"

Windows 11 includes a built-in feature that scans your drive and suggests safe items to remove — temporary files, files in the Downloads folder you haven't opened in a while, and unused apps.

• Go to Settings > System > Storage.
• Open Cleanup recommendations.
• Review each category (Temporary files, Large or unused files, Unused apps, Cloud-backed content) and select what to delete.

This is usually the single fastest way to reclaim noticeable space with minimal risk.

2. Turn on Storage Sense

Storage Sense automatically deletes temporary files and empties the Recycle Bin on a schedule, so you don't have to remember to clean up manually.

• Go to Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense.
• Turn the toggle on.
• Set "Run Storage Sense" to Every week or During low free disk space.
• Configure how long files stay in the Recycle Bin and Downloads folder before being removed automatically.

3. Delete temporary files manually

Apps and Windows itself constantly create temporary files that are safe to delete.

• Under Settings > System > Storage, select Temporary files.
• Check the boxes for items like "Temporary Internet Files," "Delivery Optimization Files," and "Thumbnails."
• Click Remove files.

You can also press Win + R, type %temp%, and delete the contents of that folder directly.

4. Run Disk Cleanup for deeper system files

Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) is an older tool, but it reaches some system files that the Settings app doesn't always show.

• Search for Disk Cleanup in the Start menu and open it.
• Select your system drive (usually C:) and click OK.
• Click Clean up system files to scan again with administrator access.
• Check boxes such as Windows Update Cleanup, Temporary files, and Recycle Bin.
• Click OK, then confirm the deletion.

5. Empty the Recycle Bin

Deleted files sit in the Recycle Bin until you empty it, still taking up space. Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and select Empty Recycle Bin, or let Storage Sense handle it automatically (see Method 2).

6. Uninstall apps you no longer use

Large or unused applications are one of the biggest hidden space users.

• Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
• Sort the list by Size to see the biggest offenders first.
• Select any app you no longer need and click Uninstall.

Pay special attention to trial software, old games, and browser toolbars you may have forgotten about.

7. Move large personal files to another drive or the cloud

Videos, photo libraries, and old project files often take up more space than people realize. Move them to an external drive, a secondary internal drive, or a cloud service, then delete the local copies once you've confirmed the transfer worked.

8. Use OneDrive Files On-Demand

If you use OneDrive, Files On-Demand lets you see all your cloud files in File Explorer without storing them permanently on your local disk.

• Open OneDrive settings and enable Files On-Demand.
• Right-click files or folders you rarely open and choose Free up space — they stay visible but download only when you open them.

9. Remove the Windows.old folder (after a Windows update)

After a major Windows update or upgrade, Windows keeps a backup of your previous installation in a folder called Windows.old, which can take up 10–20 GB or more. If you're confident you won't need to roll back, you can remove it through Disk Cleanup > Clean up system files by checking Previous Windows installation(s). Only do this once you're sure your current system is stable, since it removes your ability to revert.

10. Manage hibernation and hiberfil.sys

If you don't use Hibernate mode, you can disable it to remove the hidden hiberfil.sys file, which is often several gigabytes.

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
• Type powercfg /hibernate off and press Enter.

Note: this disables Fast Startup as well, since it relies on hibernation. If you rely on Fast Startup for quick boot times, weigh that trade-off before disabling it.

11. Reduce System Restore space usage

System Restore points can consume a large amount of disk space over time. You can limit how much space is reserved:

• Search for Create a restore point and open it.
• Select your drive and click Configure.
• Lower the Max Usage slider to a smaller percentage, or delete older restore points.

Keep at least one restore point active for safety — don't disable System Restore entirely unless you have another backup strategy in place.

12. Use NTFS compression for rarely used folders

For folders you rarely open but want to keep locally, NTFS compression can shrink their size on disk without deleting anything.

• Right-click the folder, select Properties.
• Click Advanced, then check Compress contents to save disk space.
• Click OK and confirm.

This works best on documents and archives rather than already-compressed media like videos or photos, where the space savings are minimal.

How much space can you actually recover?

The amount varies a lot depending on how long it's been since your last cleanup, how many apps you have installed, and whether a recent Windows update left a Windows.old folder behind. Rather than promising a fixed number, the best approach is to check your free space before starting and again after each method — this guide is designed so you can stop as soon as you've recovered what you need.

Keeping your drive healthy going forward

As a general rule, try to keep your system drive below about 80–85% full. Windows performance and update installations both tend to suffer when a drive gets too close to capacity. Turning on Storage Sense (Method 2) is the easiest way to keep this in check automatically without repeating the manual steps every few months.

If clearing space doesn't solve slow performance on its own, it may be worth going through a broader tuning pass — see our guide on how to speed up Windows 11 for additional steps beyond storage. And if you're running into other issues alongside low disk space — like update errors or system instability — our Windows 11 troubleshooting guide covers the most common problems and fixes.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to delete everything Disk Cleanup suggests?

Most items are safe, but be careful with "Previous Windows installation(s)" and "Windows Update Cleanup," since removing them means you can no longer roll back to an earlier state. Only remove these once you're confident your system is running well.

Will freeing up storage make my PC faster?

It can help, especially if your drive was nearly full, since Windows and apps need free space to manage temporary files, virtual memory, and updates efficiently. However, if your PC is still slow after freeing space, the cause may be elsewhere — see the speed-up guide linked above for further steps.

Do I need third-party cleaning software?

No. Windows 11's built-in tools (Cleanup recommendations, Storage Sense, and Disk Cleanup) cover the vast majority of cleanup needs safely. Microsoft specifically advises against registry cleaners, as they can remove entries the system actually needs.

• Free up drive space in Windows — Microsoft Support
• Manage drive space with Storage Sense — Microsoft Support

What if I've tried everything and I'm still low on space?

At that point, consider whether your drive itself is simply too small for your usage — moving large media libraries to an external drive or upgrading to a larger SSD may be the more practical long-term solution.