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Windows 10’s Settings > System > Storage page shows what is taking up space and provides built-in ways to remove selected temporary files, review large files and apps, and automate some cleanup with Storage Sense. Start by checking your free space, then review each cleanup option before removing anything personal or needed for recovery.
Important: Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Freeing disk space can help the PC run and update, but it does not restore Windows support or security updates. Microsoft’s guidance is to consider Windows 11 on eligible PCs or another supported option. Microsoft: Windows 10 support has ended.
Check how much space is available
- Open File Explorer.
- Select This PC.
- Under Devices and drives, check the free space on the Windows drive, usually C:.
Note the number before cleanup so you can compare afterward. If low space keeps returning, a screenshot can also help you track the change. There is no reliable amount every PC will recover: results depend on update history, temporary data, deleted files, and what is stored on the drive. Microsoft’s Windows drive-space guidance covers this check and built-in cleanup options.
Open Storage settings and read the breakdown
- Select Start > Settings > System > Storage.
- Select the Windows drive if Windows shows a drive list, then wait for the categories to finish calculating.
- Open a category to inspect its contents or available management options.
Windows 10 builds do not all show identical labels. You may see Storage Sense, Configure Storage Sense or run it now, Temporary files, or Free up space now. Microsoft’s current support pages cover more than one Windows version, so follow the closest matching label on your PC. Manage drive space with Storage Sense.
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- Apps & games: Review installed programs and games. Use Windows’ normal uninstall controls for items you no longer need; a large size alone does not mean an app is safe to remove, and reported sizes can be imperfect.
- Temporary files: May include temporary data, Recycle Bin contents, update cleanup files, Delivery Optimization files, thumbnails, setup remnants, or a previous Windows installation. Check the description before selecting an item.
- Documents, pictures, videos, and music: These categories commonly contain personal files. Treat them as files to review, back up, or move—not as disposable system clutter.
- Other: Windows may be unable to classify some usage. Investigate before manually deleting folders, especially under
C:Users<username>AppData,C:ProgramData, orC:Windows. Do not randomly remove files fromWinSxSorInstaller. - System & reserved: Can include Windows files, reserved storage, hibernation and pagefile data, or recovery-related files. It is not ordinary cleanup clutter.
Remove temporary files selectively
- In Settings > System > Storage, select Temporary files.
- Wait for Windows to calculate the available categories.
- Read each item’s description and size. Select only categories you understand and are willing to remove.
- Select Remove files.
Some disposable items are recreated as needed—for example, Windows can rebuild thumbnails—but other selections have consequences. Emptying the Recycle Bin removes its contents, and removing a previous Windows installation can eliminate your normal rollback option. Microsoft recommends reviewing the suggested files before removal. Free up drive space in Windows.
Review the Recycle Bin before emptying it
For a one-time cleanup, you can empty the Recycle Bin after confirming it contains nothing you still need. Once emptied, those files are no longer available through the Bin. Storage Sense can also remove items after a retention period you choose.
Remove apps through Windows, not by deleting folders
Use the apps section or Windows’ regular app-uninstall interface to remove programs you no longer use. Avoid removing drivers unless you know they are obsolete, and do not uninstall security software without a replacement plan. A game or app may keep saves, libraries, or launcher data elsewhere, so check its own settings if you intend to preserve them. Microsoft includes Unused apps among the Cleanup recommendations to review. Microsoft Cleanup recommendations guidance.
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Inspect large and unused files before deleting
If available, open Start > Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations. Review categories such as large or unused files, cloud-synced files, unused apps, and temporary files. On some Windows 10 builds, comparable controls appear through Temporary files or Storage Sense instead. Open or verify personal files before deleting them; videos, downloads, installers, virtual-machine images, and game libraries can be large without being expendable.
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Configure Storage Sense for automatic cleanup
- Go to Start > Settings > System > Storage.
- Turn Storage Sense on.
- Select Storage Sense or Configure Storage Sense or run it now, depending on your build.
- Choose when it runs and review the controls for temporary files, Recycle Bin retention, Downloads, and locally available cloud files.
- Use Run Storage Sense now or the equivalent option if your build offers it and you want an immediate run.
Storage Sense works on the system drive by default, usually C:, and its settings apply to the individual user account. Microsoft says it can run when the device is online and the user is signed in; it cannot run while that user is signed out and requires the device to be online for more than 10 minutes. Microsoft’s Storage Sense behavior and settings.
Set Recycle Bin and Downloads rules deliberately
Storage Sense can remove Recycle Bin items based on the retention period you select. It does not clean the Downloads folder by default, but you can configure it to remove files that have not been opened for a chosen period. Because Downloads often holds files people intend to keep, leave that option disabled unless you understand the rule and have a separate backup.
Understand cloud-file offloading
Storage Sense can make inactive, locally available OneDrive files online-only. That frees local space without permanently deleting the cloud files, but opening them again generally requires an internet connection. Files marked Always keep on this device are exempt. Online-only status is not a backup: keep a separate copy of irreplaceable files. OneDrive and Storage Sense in Windows 10.
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Storage Sense operates on the system drive. To review other volumes, use Start > Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Storage used on other drives, if that control appears in your build. Manage drive space with Storage Sense.
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Remove a previous Windows installation only if rollback is no longer needed
If Previous Windows installation(s) appears, it generally refers to Windows.old, created after an upgrade. Removing it can reclaim space, but it removes the normal ability to roll back to the previous Windows version; Microsoft says that deletion cannot be undone through that rollback mechanism. Do this only after you are confident the current installation works properly. Microsoft guidance on previous installations.
On Windows 10, Microsoft documents this route: Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense > Change how we free up space automatically > Free up space now > Delete previous version of Windows > Clean now. The option may be absent if there is no previous installation or the rollback period has expired. Delete the Windows.old folder using Storage Sense.
Try Disk Cleanup if Storage settings are not enough
- Type Disk Cleanup in the taskbar search box and open it.
- Select the drive to clean, usually
C:, then select OK. - Review the categories and select only those you want to remove.
- For additional system-file categories, select Clean up system files, select the drive again if prompted, and review the list.
- Select OK > Delete Files to confirm.
Do not assume every checkbox is right for your situation. Review categories such as downloaded program files, temporary internet files, and thumbnails before confirming. Microsoft’s drive-space guide.
Drive compression is a last resort, not extra capacity
Windows offers drive compression under File Explorer > This PC > right-click the OS drive > Properties > General > Compress this drive to save disk space > Apply > OK. Compression does not delete files or increase the drive’s physical capacity. Its performance effect depends on hardware and workload, so consider it only after safer cleanup and file-moving options.
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Move personal files instead of deleting them
If photos, videos, music, documents, installers, or game libraries account for much of the usage, move files you want to keep to another volume or external drive. Copy them first, open several copied files to verify them, and maintain a second backup for irreplaceable data before deleting originals. Microsoft recommends moving or deleting personal files when they use substantial space. Free up drive space in Windows.
Where available, Windows can also change which drive is used for new documents, music, pictures, videos, apps, or other content. Find these controls under Settings > System > Storage and the storage settings for new content; labels vary by build. This prevents some future growth but does not clean existing files. Microsoft low-disk-space guidance.
OneDrive Files On-Demand can keep cloud files online-only rather than storing their full contents locally. It suits cloud libraries when you have reliable access to the internet and enough cloud storage, but is a poor fit for frequent offline use or data you do not want hosted in the cloud. Sync is not an independent backup. OneDrive and Storage Sense in Windows 10.
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If the Temp folder fills rapidly with .appx files
Microsoft documents a problem where temporary .appx files associated with Microsoft Store activity rapidly fill the Temp folder after using Cleanup recommendations. Try this recovery sequence:
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- Open Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then run Windows Store Apps if it is listed. If the troubleshooter is missing, use Windows’ Get Help app or Microsoft’s current support workflow.
- Press Windows key + R, type
wsreset.exe, and select OK. - Wait for the blank Command Prompt window to close and Microsoft Store to reopen.
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter from the troubleshooting area if available, then restart the PC.
- Check whether the Temp folder continues expanding.
Microsoft’s drive-space guide describes this Store-related Temp-folder issue.
If the category totals do not explain the used space
Large usage can be hidden in locally stored cloud files, application caches, restore points, hibernation or pagefile data, update remnants, Recycle Bin contents, other user profiles, virtual machines, or app and game libraries. Sort personal folders by size, inspect each user profile, review cloud-sync status and installed apps, and use Disk Cleanup. Do not delete unknown system folders to force the total down.
If Storage settings hangs while calculating
On a very full or slow drive, wait several minutes, then restart Windows and try again. Close syncing, update, and installer applications temporarily; use Disk Cleanup as an alternative. If usage remains abnormal, investigate the largest folders rather than repeatedly refreshing the Storage page.
When cleanup is not the lasting fix
Low storage can interfere with update installation and contribute to slower operation, but the free-space requirement varies by device, update, and workload; there is no universal number of gigabytes to keep free. Microsoft guidance on space for Windows updates and Windows performance tips.
If the drive repeatedly fills after you have removed genuinely disposable data and moved files you want to keep, the computer may simply need more capacity. A larger SSD is a more durable capacity solution than repeated deletion, but check the PC’s drive compatibility and plan for a backup and migration or Windows reinstall. If Windows 10 remains on the device, also make a separate plan for a supported operating system; cleanup cannot change its October 14, 2025 end-of-support status.
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