Disk space optimization in Windows

The simplest way to optimize disk space in Windows 11 and Windows 10 is from Settings > System > Storage: delete temporary files, turn on Storage Sense, which cleans up automatically, and uninstall the programs you no longer use. All of these are free, take a few minutes and don’t touch the documents you need.

We wrote the first version of this article in 2011, for Windows 7, with the steps from the Disk Cleanup utility. Windows 7 hasn’t received security updates since January 2023, so below you’ll find the steps for current versions of Windows. Disk Cleanup still exists, but Settings now does the same things, more simply.

Why does free disk space matter?

An almost full disk slows the computer down and can block Windows updates, including security updates, which need space to download and install. Temporary files, old copies of updates and forgotten programs pile up over time and often take up many gigabytes.

How do you free up space from Settings?

1. Open Start > Settings > System > Storage. Windows shows you what’s taking up space on drive C:.
2. Go to Temporary files. Check the categories you want to delete, for example temporary files, Windows Update cleanup, delivery optimization files and thumbnails, then click Remove files.
3. Watch out for two categories: Downloads, which contains everything you’ve downloaded, and Recycle Bin. Check them only if you’ve checked that you don’t need the files in them.
4. In Windows 11, also check Cleanup recommendations: Windows shows you large files, unused programs and files that are already saved in the cloud.

How do you clean up automatically with Storage Sense?

Storage Sense automatically deletes temporary files and empties the Recycle Bin periodically. You turn it on from the same page, Storage. In its settings, you choose how often it runs and after how long the Recycle Bin and the Downloads folder are emptied. For the Downloads folder, leave the option off if you keep important files there.

If you use OneDrive, Storage Sense can keep files you haven’t opened in a long time in the cloud only. They stay visible in File Explorer and download automatically when you open them. You can do the same thing manually: right-click a folder in OneDrive, then choose Free up space.

What other methods work?

• Uninstall unused programs from Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Sort the list by size, so you see the big ones first.
• Use Disk Cleanup, if you prefer it. Type “Disk Cleanup” in Start, choose drive C:, click Clean up system files, check the categories you want and confirm with Delete Files.
• Move large files (archives, movies, old photos) to an external drive or to the company’s cloud storage.

What shouldn’t you delete?

Don’t manually delete folders in C:\Windows, such as WinSxS, and don’t use “cleanup” or “optimization” programs from unknown websites: they can break Windows or install unwanted programs. There’s also no need to defragment manually: Windows optimizes disks on its own, SSDs included, on an automatic schedule.

If the disk fills up often, or the computer stays slow even after a cleanup, the cause may be hardware: an old hard disk or an SSD that’s too small. Replacing it often does more than any cleanup.

How is this done in a company?

In a company, disk space, updates and the health of computers are tracked centrally, so problems are solved before they stop employees from working. RezolvIT can help you through IT maintenance and computer repair, and a free IT audit shows you what state your company’s computers are in right now.