What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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To free space on C:, handle existing personal files, future save locations, OneDrive storage, and installed apps as separate tasks. Move files with File Explorer, set a different destination for supported new content in Windows Storage settings, and use an app’s own supported move or reinstall option for programs. Changing a default save location does not move files already on C:.
First, check what is using space on C:
Open Settings > System > Storage to review storage use by category and identify large files before changing locations. Microsoft’s Free up drive space in Windows guide covers reviewing storage and moving personal files. Moving large files can help, but the space reclaimed depends on what is actually stored on your device.
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Move existing Downloads and Documents files
To relocate files already on C:, open File Explorer, select the files or folders you want to move, and use Cut and Paste to place them in a destination folder on another drive. Microsoft’s guidance covers moving selected personal files in File Explorer; it does not establish a universal folder-redirection procedure for Downloads or Documents. A file move changes where those files are stored, but does not necessarily change where a browser or other app saves future downloads.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Connect the destination drive, or confirm that a secondary internal drive is available.
- In File Explorer, create or open a suitable destination folder.
- Select the files to relocate, choose Cut, open the destination folder, then choose Paste.
- Open a sample of the moved files from the destination to confirm they are accessible before removing any remaining duplicate copies.
An external drive can suit large personal files that you do not use often. Those files will not be available while the drive is disconnected. For content you need regularly, a secondary internal drive is more convenient when one is available. Microsoft recommends external storage as an option for personal files that are retained but used infrequently.
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Change where Windows saves supported new content
Windows can use another drive as the default destination for certain types of new content. This affects future supported saves; it does not move the existing Downloads, Documents, or app files already stored on C:.
- On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved.
- Choose an available drive for each listed content type you want to store elsewhere.
- On Windows 10, the corresponding setting is Change where new content is saved in Storage settings.
- If the drive you expect is not listed, connect it and check the setting again.
These controls apply to the content types Windows offers in that screen. They do not guarantee that every program or website will honor a system-wide location: some apps have their own download or save settings. Microsoft notes that choosing another drive for new files can help prevent repeated low-space problems on the original drive.
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Reduce OneDrive’s local storage or move its folder
OneDrive provides two different approaches, depending on whether you want to keep the synced folder where it is or change its location.
Keep the OneDrive folder, but make selected files online-only
With OneDrive Files On-Demand, files can remain visible in File Explorer without taking up their full local storage. Right-click a synced file or folder and choose Free up space to remove its local copy while keeping it in OneDrive. Choose Always keep on this device for files you want available locally. Online-only files require an internet connection to download and open. See Microsoft’s Files On-Demand for Windows guidance.
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Change the OneDrive folder’s location
If the goal is to put the OneDrive root folder on another drive, Microsoft’s process involves unlinking OneDrive, moving the folder, and linking the account again at the new location. Follow the steps in Microsoft’s guide to changing the OneDrive folder location. Do not confuse this with making individual files online-only: changing the root location relocates the synced folder itself.
Before moving a file out of the OneDrive folder, check its sync status and where you intend it to be backed up. Microsoft explains that moving a synced file outside OneDrive downloads it to the new location and removes it from OneDrive; it will no longer be in that synced folder.
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- The available storage capacity may vary.
Move installed apps only when Windows or the app supports it
Changing the default drive for new apps does not relocate programs that are already installed on C:. To check whether an installed app can be moved, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps on Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features on Windows 10, select the app, and look for a Move option. If Windows does not offer one, check the app’s own storage or management settings, or uninstall and reinstall it using the vendor’s supported process and a destination it allows.
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Move availability varies by app and Windows configuration. Do not drag an app’s folder from Program Files to another drive: installed programs can depend on files, registrations, and paths beyond that folder. Microsoft’s app management guidance explains how to find installed apps, but does not establish that every app can be relocated.
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Choose the method that matches the storage goal
| Goal | Use | What changes | Availability trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move existing personal files off C: | Move selected files in File Explorer | The selected files are stored at the destination | An external-drive destination is unavailable when disconnected |
| Save supported new content elsewhere | Windows Storage setting for where new content is saved | Future supported content uses the chosen drive; existing files stay put | The selected drive must be available when content is saved |
| Reduce local OneDrive use without changing its folder location | Files On-Demand and Free up space | Selected synced files can remain online-only | Online-only files need an internet connection to download |
| Put the OneDrive root on another drive | Unlink, move, and relink OneDrive | The synced folder’s location changes | The new drive must be available for local synced content |
| Relocate an installed app | Use a Windows Move control if offered, or the app’s supported reinstall process | Only apps whose controls support the action can be moved this way | Support and options vary by app |
Windows 10 and Windows 11 support status
Microsoft’s file-moving instructions cover Windows 10 and Windows 11, with different labels for the future-save setting. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so the Windows 10 path describes where the setting is for that edition, not a statement that the edition remains supported. See Microsoft’s Windows 10 support end date.
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