Running out of disk space can severely impact your system’s performance and cause a number of unexpected issues. For instance, the clogged up disk space may prevent updates from installing, significantly slow down your PC, and even trigger the rapid battery drain. Recent Windows 11 builds come with several features that may take up additional space, but fret not – I’ve got you covered with viable fixes. In this extensive guide, I’m going to talk about the 10 most effective ways to resolve the disk space problems in recent Windows 11 builds. Keep reading to…
Fix Disk Space Problems in Recent Windows 11 Builds
Windows 11 comes with several native ways to manage disk space. Hence, it’s not a big deal to keep track of the storage usage and eliminate the storage-hogging culprits. In some rare cases, the disk space problems are also caused by malware and viruses. Thankfully, the modern version of Windows provides secure ways to run a full scan, detect threats, and flush them out, without any fuss at all.
1. Run Storage Sense
Storage Sense is a native Windows 11 feature that lets you automatically clean up the temporary files, empty recycle bins, and remove unnecessary system files to free up disk space. Enabling this feature can go a long way in clearing clutter and optimizing your storage.
- To get it done, open Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense.
- Turn on Storage Sense and click Run Storage Sense now to initiate an immediate cleanup.
- Configure automatic cleanup options, such as deleting temporary files or old downloads periodically, to keep your disk space optimized.
2. Delete Temporary Files
Temporary files can accumulate over time due to software installations, Windows updates, and cached data, leading to low disk space. Manually deleting these files helps recover significant storage.
- On your PC, head over to Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files.
- Now, make sure to wait for the scan to finish and check unnecessary items like Temporary files, Delivery Optimization files, and System error memory dump files.
- After that, click Remove files and confirm to delete the selected items.
3. Uninstall Unused Apps
When was the last time you took a close look at the redundant apps and games? If it’s been a long time, make sure to eliminate every single useless app and game to retrieve as much precious storage as possible.
- To get it done, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Sort the list by size to find large apps.
- After that, select the app you want to remove > hit the triple-dot icon next to it > click Uninstall, and confirm.
4. Clear Windows Update Cache
It’s worth pointing out that the Windows Update Cache stores temporary update files that can become corrupted or take up unnecessary disk space. Clearing this cache can fix disk space issues and resolve update errors.
- To do so, press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- After that, find Windows Update > right-click, and select Stop.
- Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and delete all files in the folder.
- Restart the Windows Update service by following the same steps and selecting Start.
5. Disable Hibernation
Note that hibernation reserves a significant portion of your disk space (equal to your RAM size) to store system states. Disabling hibernation can let you free up this space, especially if you don’t use the feature.
- To get it done, press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin).
- Type the command:
powercfg.exe /hibernate offand press Enter. - This will disable hibernation and remove the large hiberfil.sys file from your C: drive.
6. Use Disk Cleanup
Disk Cleanup is a classic Windows tool that removes unnecessary files, including previous Windows installations, temporary internet files, and old system files. Running Disk Cleanup can recover a large amount of storage.
- Simply, press Win + S, type Disk Cleanup, and open the tool.
- Select your system drive (usually C:) and click OK.
- Check items like Previous Windows installations, Temporary files, and Recycle Bin, then click OK to delete them.
- For deeper cleanup, click Clean up system files and repeat the process.
7. Manage OneDrive Storage
OneDrive syncs your cloud files locally by default, which can consume disk space unnecessarily. Managing OneDrive settings or freeing up space on local storage can resolve this issue.
- Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select Settings.
- Go to the Settings tab and check Files On-Demand to save space by keeping files online-only.
- Identify large files in your OneDrive folder, right-click, and select Free up space to remove local copies.
8. Remove Large Files with Storage Settings
Windows 11 has a built-in storage analyzer that identifies large files and folders taking up unnecessary space. Removing or relocating these files can quickly free up disk space.
- Open Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Storage used on other drives.
- Click on your primary drive (C:) and view the largest file categories, such as Documents, Videos, and Apps & Features.
- Identify unnecessary large files and either delete or move them to an external drive.
9. Reduce System Restore Space
System Restore points can gobble up a ton of storage by default. Reducing the allocated space for System Restore management can help you manage the disk usage more efficiently.
- To begin with, press Win + S, type Create a restore point, and open System Properties.
- Select your system drive and click Configure.
- Then, you have to adjust the Max Usage slider to reduce the space allocated for restore points, or delete all existing restore points by clicking Delete.
10. Check for Malware or Viruses
Malware infections can create hidden files, duplicate data, and other malicious processes that consume disk space. Running a full system scan can help detect and remove malware to free up storage.
- On your PC, navigate to the Settings app > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection.
- Click Quick scan to run a basic scan, or select Scan options and choose Full scan for deeper protection.
- Remove any detected threats and restart your system to check if disk space issues are resolved.
Wrapping up…
There you go! I hope 10 these solutions helped you fix disk space issues on your Windows 11 PC. Whether it’s enabling Storage Sense, running Disk Cleanup, or adjusting OneDrive settings, these steps can make a noticeable difference in reclaiming space and improving your PC’s overall performance. If you found this guide useful, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
