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Windows - Low Disk Space

Windows - Low Disk Space

Problem

A user’s computer is running out of available storage. This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to check for low disk space on your PC and free up space.

Solution

Freeing Up Space

If your disk is nearly full, you can use Storage Sense to automatically free up space by removing unnecessary files, including those in the Recycle Bin. Here’s how to enable and configure it:

  1. Open Settings, then go to System > Storage.

  2. Under Storage management, turn on Storage Sense.

  3. Click the Settings icon next to it to configure.

  4. Under Cleanup of temporary files, ensure that the option to clean up system and app files is checked.

  5. Configure the cleanup schedule to run automatically or manually. You can set it to clean files in the Recycle Bin, Downloads, and Temporary files.

  6. To run Storage Sense immediately, scroll down and select Run Storage Sense now.

Deleting Temporary Files Manually

If you prefer to manually clear temporary files:

  1. In Settings > System > Storage, select Temporary files.

  2. If you don’t see it, click Show more categories.

  3. Windows will scan and list files you can delete. Select the items and click Remove files.

Cleaning Up the Recycle Bin

To permanently delete files in your Recycle Bin:

  1. Open the Recycle Bin from the desktop or by searching in the taskbar.

  2. Review the contents before emptying. Once you delete them, files cannot be recovered.

Using Disk Cleanup Tool

If Storage Sense is unavailable, you can use Disk Cleanup:

  1. Click the Search icon, type disk cleanup, and select Disk Cleanup from the results.

  2. Select the checkboxes next to file types you wish to delete (e.g., Temporary Files, Downloaded Program Files, Thumbnails).

  3. Click Clean up system files for deeper cleanup.

  4. If you recently upgraded to Windows 11, you may have the option to delete the Windows.old folder, which holds previous Windows files. If deleted, you won’t be able to revert to the older version.

Uninstalling Unused Apps

If your system is still slow, consider removing apps you no longer use:

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

  2. Sort the list by size or search for specific apps.

  3. Click the three-dot menu next to an app and select Uninstall.

  4. Restart your PC to check if performance improves.

Remove Old User Profiles

Old user accounts can take up significant disk space, especially if the computer was previously used by someone else. To remove them:

  1. Log in to the laptop using the admin account (via LAPS).

  2. Open Run then type SystemPropertiesAdvanced and press Enter.

  3. Go to User Profiles > Settings.

  4. Select any profiles that are no longer needed.

    • Profiles labeled Account Unknown are safe to delete—they’re orphaned accounts.

  5. Log out of the admin account when finished.