Recently, a good many PC users have reported that their C drive gets clogged up automatically on Windows 11. A cluttered system drive creates a number of issues including sluggish performance, failed software updates, and even system crashing. Having gone into the root cause of the issue, I have discussed 15 real-life tested solutions to fix the Windows 11 C drive getting full automatically issue. Keep reading to…
How to Fix Windows 11 C Drive Getting Full Automatically
What clutters your C drive? When up against this issue, you need to take care of the following list of bad actors –
- Temporary files
- Windows updates
- System restore points
- Hibernation file
- Pagefile (virtual memory)
- OneDrive offline files
- Large app installations
- User cache buildup
- Windows error logs
- Hidden system files
From what I have gone through, you can keep your C Drive free from useless files, by taking control of these reputed culprits. You guessed it! In this extensive guide, I’m going to break down each one of these villains and shoot them out with viable solutions.
1. Delete Temporary Files
It’s worth pointing upfront that Windows saves temporary files for many important functions such as updates, system processes, and app operations. From time to time, you should clean up these stored files as they pile up over time and gobble up a ton of space unnecessarily, which triggers several persistent issues.
- To wipe out the temporary files on your PC, launch the Settings (Win + I) app and hit the System tab in the left sidebar.
- Choose Storage.
- Now, click Temporary files.
- Next, make sure to select all options except “Downloads.”
- After that, click Remove files and then reboot your PC.
2. Empty the Recycle Bin
On Windows, whenever you delete any files, they are first moved to the Recycle Bin so that you can review your deleted files and restore specific ones if ever the need arrives. From a user experience perspective, this is a well-thought-out feature designed to ward off accidental deletion. However, if you don’t have the habit of cleaning up the Recycle Bin, there is a high chance that it’s cluttering your C drive.
- Simply, right-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop > Choose Empty Recycle Bin and confirm.
3. Change the Download Location for Apps and Files
By default, Windows is set to install new apps and save downloaded files to the C drive. Therefore, changing these locations can help you prevent this drive from being filled up.
- To change the download location, navigate to Settings > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved.
- Now, you can change the default installation and download locations to another drive.
4. Disable Hibernation Mode
Do you know that hibernation on Windows saves the system state to disk, making a large hiberfil.sys file that can gobble up several gigabytes. If you don’t use hibernation on your PC, it would be better to disable it in order to recover a lot of space – in a jiffy!
- On your device, fire up the Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Input powercfg -h off and press Enter.
5. Uninstall Unused Applications
While I love testing exciting games and apps to quench my thirst or finding the ones that can live up to the taste, I make sure to delete the useless ones to ensure they do not occupy precious storage without any valid reason.
- Open Settings app on your PC > Apps > Installed apps > Find the app in question and hit the triple-dot icon next to it > Uninstall and confirm.
- Repeat these same steps to wipe out other redundant apps as well.
- Then, restart your PC.
6. Use Storage Sense to Auto-Clean Disk
Windows 11 comes with a “Storage Sense” feature that lets you clean up disk space automatically by removing the temporary files, old updates, and other useless data on a schedule. Make sure to take full advantage of this built-in storage cleaner to keep the redundant items at a fair distance.
- Open Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense and activate it.
- Now, click Configure Storage Sense and then set the cleanup frequency.
- After that, turn on the auto-deletion for temp files and Recycle Bin.
7. Remove Large Unnecessary Files
You should keep an eye on the large files such as videos, ISOs, and backup files as they build up in system folders, Downloads, or Documents – clogging up valuable storage on your PC by keeping you in the dark.
- Head over to Settings > System > Storage > Show more categories > Large & unused files.
- Now, delete all unwanted files.
8. Clear Windows Update Cache
It’s also important to bring to light the fact that Windows updates leave behind old update files that are no longer essential but continue to occupy space on your PC. Clearing the update cache can allow you to free up plenty of precious storage.
- On your PC, launch Run (Win + R).
- In the Run text field, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Now, find the Windows Update > right-click, and select Stop.
- Then, navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.
- Next, delete all contents that are inside the folder and restart the Windows Update service.
9. Move Files to Another Drive
Be warned that storing personal files such as documents, music, and videos on the C drive can clog it up quickly. Thus, move them to another drive in order to retrieve the needed space
- Open File Explorer and dive into the Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos folders.
- After that, make sure to move large files to another drive or an external storage device.
10. Adjust Virtual Memory Settings
Windows makes use of a portion of disk space as virtual memory (pagefile.sys) to manage RAM overflow. Note that this file can be unnecessarily large, especially if left to the system’s default settings.
- On your Windows 11 device, go to the Control Panel > System and Security > System.
- Click Advanced system settings > Advanced tab > Settings under Performance.
- Now, choose the Advanced tab > Change under Virtual Memory.
- Uncheck Automatically manage, select C drive, and choose Custom size (min 2048 MB, max 4096 MB).
11. Find Hidden Large Files
Never fail to keep a tab on the miscellaneous system and application files as they remain hidden by default but still continue to capture a ton of space. Activating the hidden files view can be very helpful in locating and deleting the files that are out of sight.
- Open File Explorer and click on the View menu.
- Choose Show and click Hidden items.
- Go to C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Temp and delete large files.
12. Delete Old Restore Points
System Restore makes backups automatically so that you can recover the system in case of failure. Though it’s an essential security feature, having too many restore points can consume excessive disk space. Be sure to flush out the old restore points to recover storage.
- Open the Control Panel and go straight into the System and Security section > System.
- Click System Protection and choose Configure.
- Now, hit Delete to get rid of the old restore points.
13. Disable Reserved Storage
Windows 11 makes sure to save around 7GB of storage for system updates and maintenance. While this automatic saving of the pivotal data is important, it may not be necessary for you. Especially if your Windows device is running low on disk space.
- To turn off the reserved storage, fire up the Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Run: DISM /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled
14. Scan for Malware or Hidden Files
Be aware of the fact that malware and malicious applications generate hidden files that capture a hell lot of space on the C drive. Running a full scan can be the need of the hour in detecting and removing such threats.
- Open Windows Security from the Settings app > Privacy & security > Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Full scan to detect malware.
15. Run Disk Cleanup with System Files
Windows 11 is equipped with a super handy “Disk Cleanup” tool to let you remove unnecessary system files such as old Windows installations (Windows.old) and previous update backups with utmost ease. Be sure to make full use of this built-in cleanup tool to keep the clutter at a fair distance.
- Open Run (Win + R).
- Type cleanmgr in the text field > press Enter.
- Next up, choose C drive and click OK.
- Click Clean up system files > select everything and hit OK to confirm.
Wrapping up…
I hope your beloved C Drive will no longer be infested with too many redundant files. Now that you have unlocked all the protagonists that play a decisive role in keeping this drive clutter-free, make full use of them as and when the situation warrants you to do so. Did I miss out on any critical points? Let me know about them as well.
