How to free up disk space on Windows

1. See what is using the space

Open Settings › System › Storage. Windows shows your largest categories, such as apps, temporary files and documents. Select Show more categories for the full list.

2. Use Cleanup recommendations and Storage Sense

On Windows 11, Settings › System › Storage › Cleanup recommendations lists temporary files, large or unused files, files synced to the cloud and unused apps. Storage Sense, on the same page, can clear temporary files and empty the Recycle Bin on a schedule.

3. Clean up system files

Disk Cleanup is still included. Search for Disk Cleanup, choose your system drive, then Clean up system files. Windows Update Cleanup and Previous Windows installation(s) are often the largest items after a big update.

Removing a previous Windows installation means you can no longer roll back to it. Windows removes it on its own after a short period anyway.

4. Clear your own temporary files and caches

Disk Cleaner clears your Temp folders, browser caches for Chrome, Edge and Brave, shader caches, crash dumps and error reports, and shows every category before anything goes.

5. Find large files and duplicates

In File Explorer, search a folder for size:gigantic to find files over 4 GB, or size:huge for 1 to 4 GB. Large & Old Files lists everything over 50 MB in a folder with how long since each was changed, and Duplicate Finder finds exact copies.

6. Uninstall programs you no longer use

Settings › Apps › Installed apps, sort by size, and uninstall what you do not need. Clean Rabbit's App Uninstaller lists the same programs and runs each one's own uninstaller.