How to Free Up Disk Space on Windows 11 and 10

Running out of space on your C: drive? Use Storage Sense, clean up temporary files, remove old Windows installations and find large files and apps.

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Published 5 min read
Checked against 2 sources
Illustration: How to Free Up Disk Space on Windows 11 and 10

The short answer

Go to Start › Settings › System › Storage. Turn on Storage Sense to clean up automatically, and open Temporary files to remove items like the Recycle Bin, Downloads you don't need and Previous Windows installation(s). Then check Installed apps and large files, and move photos and videos to OneDrive or an external drive.

When your C: drive fills up, Windows slows down and updates can fail. Microsoft notes that low disk space can affect performance and make it difficult to receive upgrades. Here’s how to clear space safely.

Step 1: See what’s using space

  1. Select Start › Settings › System › Storage.
  2. Windows shows categories like Apps & features, Temporary files, Documents, Pictures and Other. Select a category for details.

Microsoft notes that when the capacity bar turns red, you’re in a low-disk state.

Step 2: Clean up temporary files

  1. In Storage, select Temporary files.
  2. Review the list: it can include the Recycle Bin, Downloads, Windows Update Cleanup, Delivery Optimization Files and more.
  3. Tick what you want to remove and select Remove files.

Be careful with Downloads: it deletes everything in your Downloads folder.

Step 3: Turn on Storage Sense

Storage Sense frees space automatically.

  1. In Settings › System › Storage, turn Storage Sense on.
  2. Select Storage Sense to choose how often it runs, and when to empty the Recycle Bin or clean up Downloads.

Storage Sense only runs on your system drive (usually C:).

Step 4: Remove previous Windows installations

After a major update, Windows keeps the old version for a while.

  1. Go to Settings › System › Storage › Temporary files.
  2. Tick Previous Windows installation(s) and select Remove files.

If you don’t see it, there’s nothing to remove; Windows deletes these automatically after ten days.

Step 5: Uninstall apps you don’t use

  1. Go to Settings › Apps › Installed apps.
  2. Sort by Size.
  3. Select the ⋯ next to an app you don’t need and choose Uninstall.

Step 6: Move large files

  • Photos and videos: move them to an external drive or OneDrive.
  • OneDrive Files On-Demand: files can be kept online-only and downloaded when you open them. Right-click a OneDrive folder and choose Free up space.

Step 7: Check other drives

To see space on other drives, go to Settings › System › Storage › Advanced storage settings › Storage used on other drives.

Before deleting large files, back up your Windows PC. If your PC is still sluggish after cleaning up, see how to speed up a slow Windows 11 PC.

The bottom line

Start in Settings › System › Storage: clean temporary files, turn on Storage Sense, remove old Windows installations and uninstall apps you don’t use. Then move big media files off the C: drive. Still slow afterwards? See why your Windows PC is running slow.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to delete “Previous Windows installation(s)”?

Yes, if you're happy with your current version of Windows. These files let you go back to the previous version. Windows removes them automatically after ten days anyway.

Will Storage Sense delete my files?

By default it cleans up temporary files and old items in the Recycle Bin. It only removes files from your Downloads folder or makes OneDrive files online-only if you choose those options.

How much free space should I keep?

There's no fixed rule, but keeping 10–15% of your drive free helps Windows run smoothly and leaves room for updates.

Why you can trust this guide
  • Based on official sources. The steps here are checked against the 2 official sources listed below, such as the help pages of the companies involved.
  • Checked and dated. Last checked on November 10, 2026. We update guides when software or advice changes.
  • Independent. No company paid for or reviewed this guide. We don't sell products, and ads never influence our advice.
  • Open to corrections. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Read how we research.

Sources

  1. Microsoft Support — Manage drive space with Storage Sense
  2. Microsoft Support — Tips to improve PC performance in Windows

This guide is general information. Menus and features can change with software updates, and steps may differ on your device or version. Back up important data before making big changes. Read our disclaimer.

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