Windows warns you when the drive is nearly full, and a full drive makes everything slower, from updates to saving files. These steps find the biggest space hogs first, so you free the most space with the least effort.
Steps
See what is using the space. Open Settings, select System, then Storage. Wait a moment while Windows measures each category. The biggest numbers, usually Apps, Temporary files, and Documents, tell you where to start.
Delete temporary files. On the Storage page, select Temporary files. Tick Temporary files, Recycle Bin, and any other category you are happy to remove, then select Remove files. Do not tick Downloads unless you have checked what is in that folder first.
Turn on Storage Sense. On the Storage page, turn on Storage Sense, then select it to set it up. It automatically deletes temporary files and Recycle Bin items older than a period you choose, such as 30 days.
Uninstall large apps you no longer use. Open Settings, select Apps, then Installed apps. Sort by size, then uninstall programs you recognize and no longer need. Games are often the biggest single items.
Empty the Recycle Bin. Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and select Empty Recycle Bin. Deleted files only free space once the bin is emptied.
Move big files to an external drive or cloud storage. Move large videos, photo collections, and installers to an external drive, or upload them to your cloud storage, then delete the local copies once you have confirmed the copies open correctly.
Remove the hibernation file if you never use Hibernate. Right-click Start, select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin), type powercfg /hibernate off, and press Enter. This deletes the hiberfil.sys file and typically frees several gigabytes. Run powercfg /hibernate on to turn it back on later.
Check again. Go back to Settings, then System, then Storage, and confirm the free space has grown. Aim to keep at least 10 percent of the drive free so Windows and updates have room to work.
Do not delete files from the Windows folder, the Program Files folders, or System32 by hand. Deleting the wrong file there can stop Windows from starting.
What if the drive is still almost full?
Look for duplicate downloads and old installer files in the Downloads folder, and check for large video files in Documents and on the desktop. If the drive itself is small, moving photos and videos to an external drive is usually the biggest single win.
About this guide
This guide uses the built-in Windows 11 and Windows 10 storage tools. Menu names are the same in both versions for these steps, except where noted.
Common questions
How much free space should I keep? At least 10 percent of the drive, and more is better. Windows updates need working room, and a drive that is nearly full slows the whole computer down.
Is it safe to delete temporary files? Yes, using the Temporary files page in Settings. Windows only offers categories it can safely remove. Do not delete system folders by hand.
What is the hibernation file? It is a file Windows uses to save everything in memory when the computer hibernates, so it can resume exactly where it left off. Turning hibernation off removes that file and frees space, but Hibernate disappears from the power menu until you turn it back on.
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