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 "low disk space" warning, a Windows update that will not install or a PC that feels slow can all point to a nearly full drive. This guide shows how to find out what is using your space, recover it with Windows' own tools, and avoid deleting things you may need. Each method lists its risk, so you can stop as soon as you have enough room.

Quick answer: Open Settings > System > Storage to see what uses the space, then run Cleanup recommendations and review each suggestion before you delete it. Remove temporary files, then large files and apps you no longer use. Leave system folders alone, and treat Windows.old, hibernation and System Restore as advanced options with trade-offs. Microsoft's own advice is to work in order and check your free space after each step.

Last reviewed: October 2026. Menu names can differ slightly between Windows 11 versions.

How to check your available space

Select File Explorer on the taskbar, then This PC. The free space of each drive appears under Devices and drives. Write down the number for your C: drive so you can compare it later. For a breakdown by type of content, open Settings > System > Storage.

Step 1: Identify what takes up the most space

In Settings > System > Storage, Windows groups usage into categories such as apps and features, temporary files, system and reserved space, and documents. Select a category (or Show more categories, if you see it) to open the details. This tells you where to spend your effort:

If this category is large	Go to
Temporary files	Step 3
Apps and features	Step 4, uninstall unused apps
Documents, pictures, videos, downloads	Step 4, find large files
System and reserved	Step 5, advanced options (change little by hand)

Storage on other drives is under Advanced storage settings > Storage used on other drives.

Risk at a glance

Action	Risk	What you could lose
Temporary files (Settings)	Low	Temporary files that Windows and apps recreate
Cleanup recommendations	Low to medium	Whatever you tick: large files, unused apps, local copies of cloud files
Storage Sense	Low by default	Medium if you set it to delete old Downloads: files you have not opened are removed
Empty Recycle Bin	Low to medium	Anything still in it is gone for good
Uninstall apps	Medium	The app and its local data
Move files or use OneDrive Files On-Demand	Low	Nothing, if the copy succeeded; files need your device or internet to open
Disk Cleanup: system files	Medium	Update files and older installations; may limit rolling back
Remove Windows.old	Medium to high	The option to go back to your previous Windows version
Turn off hibernation	Medium	Hibernate and Fast Startup
Limit System Restore space	Medium	Older restore points
NTFS compression	Low to medium	No files, but opening them can use a little more processing power

Step 2: Use Windows' cleanup recommendations

Cleanup recommendations

This tool scans your drive and suggests items to remove, and shows how much space each will free.

Open Start > Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations.
Review each category: Temporary files, Large or unused files, Files synced to the cloud and Unused apps.
Tick only what you recognize, then select Clean up for that section.

Risk: Windows suggests, but you decide. Do not tick large files or unused apps without checking that you no longer need them. Microsoft notes that if it has been fewer than 10 days since a Windows upgrade, your previous Windows version appears here. Deleting it also removes the Windows.old folder and cannot be undone.

Storage Sense

Storage Sense removes temporary files and old Recycle Bin items automatically. Microsoft says it is off by default, but Windows may turn it on if the PC runs low on space and then notify you.

Open Settings > System > Storage and set Storage Sense to On.
Select Storage Sense to choose how often it runs and when Recycle Bin and Downloads items are removed.

Risk: With default settings it runs when space is low and does not touch Downloads or cloud content. If you set it to delete files in Downloads that you have not opened for a period, it will remove them. Storage Sense works on the system drive (C:) only.

Step 3: Clear temporary files safely

Temporary files in Settings (safest)

Open Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files.
Read each item. Items such as temporary files, thumbnails and delivery optimization files are normally safe to remove.
If a Downloads entry appears in the list, leave it unticked unless you have already checked that folder.
Select Remove files.

Empty the Recycle Bin

Deleted files keep using space until you empty the Recycle Bin. Open it first and check that nothing in it is still needed, then right-click it and choose Empty Recycle Bin.

Disk Cleanup for system files

Disk Cleanup is older but still available, and it can reach system items that need administrator access.

Search for Disk Cleanup in the Start menu and choose your system drive (usually C:).
Select Clean up system files and wait for the scan.
Read the description of each item before ticking it, then select OK and Delete files.

Risk: Items such as Windows Update Cleanup and Previous Windows installation(s) remove files you might need to go back after an update, so remove them only when your PC is running well.

The %temp% folder

You can also press Win + R, type %temp% and delete the contents. Windows will skip files that are in use, so close your apps first and click Skip when asked. The Settings method above is simpler and safer.

Step 4: Find large files and unneeded apps

Find the largest files

Microsoft's guidance is to look in the folders that usually hold the biggest files: Videos, Music, Pictures and Downloads.

Open File Explorer and select a folder under This PC.
Select View > Details, right-click an empty area and choose Sort by > Size. The largest files appear first.
Delete what you no longer need, or move what you want to keep to an external drive or the cloud.

Remember to empty the Recycle Bin afterwards, as Microsoft notes. Copy files first and confirm the copy works before you delete the original. If your backups need attention, see our guide on File History not working after KB5124008. For a quick file-name search tool, see our list of free Windows 11 software.

Uninstall apps you no longer use

Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Sort the list by Size.
Select the three dots next to an app you no longer use and choose Uninstall.

Risk: The app and its local data are removed. Check that the app does not hold files that exist nowhere else, such as saved games or local databases. For more detail, see how to uninstall programs on Windows 11.

Use OneDrive Files On-Demand

If you use OneDrive, Files On-Demand keeps small placeholder files on your PC instead of the full files, which stay in your cloud account. In OneDrive settings, turn on Files On-Demand. You can then right-click files or folders you rarely open and choose Free up space. They stay visible but download when you open them, so you need an internet connection to open them. Starting with Windows 11, version 22H2, Microsoft notes that Storage Sense can make unused OneDrive files online-only after 30 days by default. It does not delete them.

Save new files on a different drive

To avoid repeating the problem, open Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved and pick a drive with more free space for each content type.

Step 5: What not to delete manually, and advanced options

Do not delete these by hand

The Windows folder (including System32 and WinSxS), and the Program Files folders. Deleting parts of them can break Windows or your apps. Use Settings, Disk Cleanup or Uninstall instead.
System files such as pagefile.sys, hiberfil.sys and the System Volume Information folder. Windows manages them. Change them through settings (see below), not by deleting the file.
AppData and app folders you do not recognize. They can hold settings and saved data.
Your Downloads, Documents and Pictures until you have looked at what is inside.
Registry entries. You do not need registry cleaners to free space, and removing the wrong entries can cause problems.

Advanced options and their trade-offs

Use these only if you still need room after the steps above.

Remove Windows.old

After a major update, Windows keeps your previous installation so you can go back. In Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files, tick Previous Windows installation(s) and select Remove files. Risk: Microsoft warns this cannot be undone and you will not be able to return to the previous version. Wait until you are sure the new version is stable.

Turn off hibernation

Hibernation uses a hidden file called hiberfil.sys. If you never use Hibernate, you can turn it off: open Command Prompt as administrator, run powercfg /hibernate off and press Enter. Risk: You lose Hibernate and Fast Startup, which depends on it. Laptop users who rely on hibernation should leave it on.

Limit System Restore space

Search for Create a restore point, select your drive, choose Configure and lower Max Usage. Risk: You keep fewer restore points. Keep System Restore on unless you have another backup.

Compress rarely used folders

Right-click a folder, choose Properties > Advanced and tick Compress contents to save disk space. It suits documents and archives better than photos and videos, which are already compressed. Risk: No files are deleted, but opening compressed files can use a little more processing power. Do not compress system folders.

Step 6: Confirm how much space you recovered

Restart the PC, because some items are removed only after a restart.
Open File Explorer > This PC and compare the free space on C: with the number you wrote down.
Open Settings > System > Storage and check that the category you cleaned has shrunk.
If a Windows update needed more room, try the update again.

Example (illustrative): Start with 12 GB free. Removing temporary files frees 3 GB, bringing it to 15 GB. Uninstalling two unused apps frees 4 GB, bringing it to 19 GB. Moving a 20 GB video folder to an external drive brings it to 39 GB. Your numbers will differ.

Still seeing "Low disk space" after cleanup?

Microsoft says that after using Cleanup recommendations, the Temp folder can quickly fill with app (.appx) files used by Microsoft Store. To fix it:

Open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and run Windows Store Apps.
Press Win + R, type wsreset.exe and select OK. A blank window appears and closes after about ten seconds, then the Store opens.
In the same troubleshooters list, run Windows Update.
Restart the PC.

If you suspect malware is consuming space, Microsoft suggests running a scan with Windows Security. If low space still stops Windows updates, Microsoft notes that resetting or reinstalling Windows might help, but that is a last resort, so back up first.

A slow PC is not always about storage. See our guides on speeding up Windows 11 and fixing common Windows 11 problems. If an update or installer fails, see software installation failed.

Conclusion

Recovering space safely comes down to a short routine: find the biggest category, use Cleanup recommendations and temporary files first, then large files and unused apps, and leave system folders alone. Keep comfortable free space, because Windows may need extra room for feature updates. Turning on Storage Sense helps with this, as long as you check its Downloads setting.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to delete everything Cleanup recommendations suggests?

Not automatically. Review each item. Large or unused files and unused apps are your own content, and a previous Windows installation cannot be restored once removed.

Will freeing up storage make my PC faster?

It can help. Microsoft says a PC that is running out of space may show slower performance or trouble installing updates. If the PC is still slow after you free space, the cause is probably elsewhere.

Do I need third-party cleaning software?

Usually not. Cleanup recommendations, Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup cover most needs. Avoid registry cleaners, which do not free meaningful space and can remove entries Windows or your apps rely on.

Is it safe to delete the %temp% folder contents?

Usually, because they are temporary files, but Windows will skip any file in use. Removing temporary files through Settings is simpler and safer.

Why do I still get a low disk space warning after cleaning?

Microsoft says the Temp folder can quickly fill with Microsoft Store app files after cleanup. Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter, clear the Store cache with wsreset.exe, run the Windows Update troubleshooter and restart.

What if I am still low on space?

Your drive may simply be too small for your files. Moving large media libraries to an external drive or the cloud, or upgrading to a larger drive, may be the practical long-term fix.

Official documentation

Related guides from MundoNews24h

How to Speed Up Windows 11: steps beyond storage for a faster PC.
How to Fix Common Windows 11 Problems: a step-by-step diagnostic guide.
How to Uninstall Programs on Windows 11: removing software you no longer use.
Windows 11 File History Not Working After KB5124008: check your backups before you delete.
Best Free Software for Windows 11: free tools, with their costs and limits.
Software Installation Failed: when an installer or update will not finish.