How To Clean Up Space On My Computer

What is taking up space on my hard drive?

If you haven't got space on your computer for that new app or game, or the ataxia on your hard drive is but driving you lot crazy, you're not alone.

With the introduction of SSDs (solid-state drives) offering loads less space than traditional mechanical hard drives, in conjunction with games and applications requiring more and more disk space, your hard drive tin can easily go full.

In this article, we'll go through the top eight ways to clean upwards your Windows hard drive: finding out what is taking up so much space on your hard drive, reducing the clutter and creating space for those all of import new applications or files. So, without further ado, let's get started…

Using Mac instead? Find out how to clear deejay space on Mac >

Spring straight to:

New Update: Windows Storage Sense (Windows 10 but)

1. Windows Disk Cleanup
2. Uninstall Programs
3. Remove Duplicate Files
4. Temporary Files
5. Accept out the Trash
6. Store data on External Storage or in the Cloud
7. Defragment your Difficult Bulldoze
8. Sufficient RAM

New Update: Windows Storage Sense

Since the initial publication of this article, Microsoft accept been decorated working on the outcome of saving space on people'south computers. The amalgamation of their hard-piece of work comes in the grade of "Storage Sense" - An all-in-1, intuitive feature which cleans a computer of unwanted files easier and more than efficiently than ever before!

If you are using Windows 10, yous can use this feature in identify of the "Windows Disk Cleanup" and "Take out the Trash" sections of this article. This is considering these steps are now covered by Storage Sense (Disk Cleanup and Recycle Bin are still available as well if you prefer to use those, or if you are running another version of Windows like Windows vii). Let's see how to utilize this new characteristic...

• Apply Storage Sense on demand
• Prepare Storage Sense to run automatically

How to use Storage Sense on need

If you don't need to clean upward your computer files very often, or if you desire command over exactly what files are deleted, I would recommend using Storage Sense on demand, rather than allowing information technology to run automatically. Here'south how:

1. Click your Windows icon and open "Settings".
2. Click "System".
3. Select "Storage" from the list on the left.
4. Under "Storage Sense", click "Free upwardly space now".
   
5. Your calculator will be scanned for temporary files which may want to delete.
6. In one case the scan is complete, tick the files you want to delete.
7. Click "Remove Files" to permanently delete the files from your figurer.

How to configure Storage Sense to run automatically

If you often need to make clean upwardly your figurer for temporary files and similar the sound of automating the process, I would recommend using Storage Sense to automatically and periodically clean up your files. Here'southward how:

1. Click your Windows icon and open "Settings".
2. Click "System".
3. Select "Storage" from the list on the left.
4. Under "Storage Sense", click "Change how we free upward infinite automatically".
   
5. Choose your preferences (set when you would like Storage Sense to run, what to delete, and how long).
6. Once you're happy with your selections, toggle Storage Sense on.
7. Click "Clean At present" if you want to showtime your start scan now.

The tool is slap-up, correct? It'south a massive improvement over the split, hard-to-observe features from before. However, it withal does not bargain with indistinguishable files, uninstalling unused programs and more... Leap to: finding and deleting duplicates at present >

i. Windows Disk Cleanup

Windows comes with a scattering of great tools to help keep your computer's storage prissy and tidy. The problem is, non everybody knows where to find these functions, or what to look for.

Disk Cleanup is the first of these tools. It allows you to delete data such as temporary files, which can amount to GB's (gigabytes) of information over time.

To access the Deejay Cleanup function:

1. Become to your Computer window (Offset -> Estimator)
2. Right-Click your hard-bulldoze and select 'Properties'
3. Under the 'General' tab, click 'Disk Cleanup'
4. Windows will browse your drive and let you know how much space you can save past running Disk Cleanup
5. Select the files that you wish to delete form the drive, and hit OK

Another function to mention here is 'Clean up system files'. Using this part, you tin remove older Windows restore points from your drive, leaving only the nigh recent one. If you lot wish to employ this function, delight ensure that your calculator is running every bit expected, as once the restore points are removed, yous will non exist able to fall back to them.

To use 'Clean up organization files':

1. Click Clean up system files
2. Become to the 'More Options tab' in the Disk Cleanup window
3. Click 'Clean upwardly…' under the 'Arrangement Restore and Shadow Copies' heading

ii. Uninstall Programs

For many estimator users, almost of the disk infinite used is by applications and games. If you notice that you lot no longer utilize sure programs, you can uninstall and remove them from your hard drive.

Again, Windows provides the power to easily get rid of any unwanted programs that we may take on our computer. To uninstall/remove programs, follow the steps below:

1. Kickoff -> Command Console -> Uninstall a programme
2. Sort the list of programs by file size by clicking the 'Size header'. Now you can see which programs have upwardly the almost infinite on your estimator.
3. Click any program that y'all wish to remove, and click 'Uninstall'

iii. Remove Duplicate Files

Information technology is likely that you've accumulated duplicate files over fourth dimension, which are unnecessary for the running of your figurer. Unfortunately, Windows does non provide an piece of cake way to find and remove these duplicate files, so a tertiary party software is needed.

There are a number of applications for the removal of duplicate files, but we'll look at Duplicate Sweeper here. Duplicate Sweeper has a clear and easy interface, and finds and removes duplicates easily.

Duplicate Sweeper uses an avant-garde search algorithm to scan your computer for files with the same content - even if the files have different names. Duplicate Sweeper will place duplicate documents, photos and music on your calculator, and remove them for you, freeing up lots of space for the files you really want.

You can permit Duplicate Sweeper automatically select duplicate files for removal, using your preferences, or select private files yourself. The app will send your duplicate files to Recycle Bin or Trash, so if you change your heed you tin can restore the deleted files to their original location.

Try Duplicate Sweeper free ▼

Receive an e-mail with a link so yous can download the free trial on your reckoner:

Annotation: Nosotros respect your privacy. We won't share your Email address with anyone else, or send you spam.

For more data about Indistinguishable Sweeper, or to download the free trial:

Duplicate Sweeper homepage

4. Temporary Files

"Wait, we just removed temporary files using Windows Disk Cleanup", I hear yous say. Yes, we deleted temporary files containing webpages, stored on your difficult bulldoze for quick viewing. Unfortunately, the Disk Cleanup method did non include files saved by external apps such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. There may notwithstanding be gigabytes worth of cookies, net history and caches stored on your computer.

You can delete this data straight from your browser, or by using a third-party awarding.

For example, using Google Chrome, y'all can open the settings menu (the iii dots side by side to the accost bar) -> More tools -> Clear Browsing data… From here you can select which data you wish to remove, then click 'Clear browsing information'.

5. Have out the Trash

Some of these files which we accept removed using the above steps may end upwards being moved to the Recycle Bin. This is a nice safety measure, because if you lot make a error and have removed a file which y'all now desire dorsum, you can easily restore the file from the Recycle Bin.

Even so, the files in the Recycle Bin are still taking up space on your computer. If you're sure that you lot would similar to remove the files in your Recycle Bin, you tin select files and right-click to delete them, or merely click 'Empty the Recycle Bin' to permanently delete all of the files.

6. Shop data on External Storage or in the Cloud

All previous methods in this listing draw how to delete or remove files from your computer which yous may not need. Nonetheless, what of the files which yous wish to keep, such every bit precious photos, video and music? These media types tin accrue to some serious storage space, simply if you no longer accept space for them on your PC difficult drive, you still have options!

A mutual method for keeping information safety is to transfer it to external storage. There are ii platforms for storing your data elsewhere from your main computer: physical storage and deject storage.

Physical storage comes in many unlike shapes and sizes, but tin can almost usually be seen every bit USB Drives or external hard drives. Transferring data from your PC hard bulldoze to an external hard drive allows yous to delete the original files on your PC, while still keeping them safe in storage. Needless to say, this can clear a huge chunk of storage space on your PC.

Cloud Storage allows you to store your files on remote servers, and access them via the internet. At that place are many different cloud service providers: Apple iCloud and Microsoft OneDrive are only 2 examples. Well-nigh providers offer a certain amount of storage infinite free, and then give the option to pay monthly for more storage space if you should demand it.

Consider also that cloud storage is not immune to duplicate files. Since many cloud services charge for more than space, it is crucial to remove duplicate files to save valuable infinite and save yourself coin. Cheque out our guide on how to manage Google Drive files and remove duplicates.

7. Defragment your Difficult Bulldoze

When adding a new file to your computer, a particular portion of your difficult drive is allocated to store the file. However, after constantly saving and deleting files, a disk will become 'fragmented'. This means that there are gaps in your difficult bulldoze where subsequent files would not fit, and then they are left vacant.

As well equally affecting your usable free space on your difficult drive, fragmentation besides has a negative impact on your computer's ability to store your data in sequence, hence slowing down it's speed.

Luckily, Windows has us covered, providing a 'Disk Defragmentation' tool. Using this tool, we can analyze which of our drives would benefit from defragmentation, before we commit to defragging. This is very useful, as if you take a big drive full of data, it may take a substantial amount of time to defrag.

To make apply of this tool, hit your Windows icon, or Showtime carte, and so start typing "Defragment". From the search listing, click Deejay Defragmenter. Once you meet the tool's window, y'all can elect each bulldoze and analyze them to make up one's mind what percent of them is fragmented. Higher percentages mean higher fragmentation.

To defragment your disk, simply hit "Defragment Disk".

Note:

• It is non advised to defragment your hard bulldoze too oftentimes, as the constant writing and erasing of information tin reduce the lifespan of your difficult bulldoze.
• It may as well exist worth pointing out that there has been some debate every bit to whether defragmentation of SSDs (solid-country drives) is benign or detrimental to the bulldoze. If you are unsure, you lot can read up on the discussion at PC World.

8. Sufficient RAM

RAM (Random Access Memory) is the hardware in your computer which determines how you shop data. RAM stores information or instructions which you lot use oft, providing fast read or write processes to improve the general speed of your figurer feel.

Sounds corking, right? Right. However, if y'all don't have sufficient RAM, your estimator volition starting time to store the overflow of information which should be stored in RAM, in your hard drive instead. And then, when your computer wants to read or write this data, it is a much slower procedure between hard drive-computer than RAM-computer.

For these reasons, make sure that you have enough RAM for the processes that you lot generally practice on your computer. Information technology may be worth pointing out that the average user, who's agenda may be text editing and web browsing, will not crave equally much RAM as a user who frequently runs multiple programs at one time including photo or video editing and rendering software.

Y'all can observe out how much RAM y'all currently take installed in your computer by going to Computer > Properties.

Publisher: Wide Angle Software

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