Free Up Disk Space
Running out of space slows your computer down and blocks updates. Here's how to see what's filling your drive and clear it safely, starting with the easy wins.
See what's using your space
Open Settings › System › Storage. Windows shows a bar for each category: apps, temporary files, documents, and so on. Click any category to see more.
Open Apple menu › System Settings › General › Storage. The bar at the top shows each category. Click the ⓘ next to a category to see and delete what's in it. (On macOS Monterey or older: Apple menu › About This Mac › Storage.)
How much free space is enough? A good rule of thumb is to keep at least 15% of your drive free, and 20 GB or more so system updates have room to install.
FIXClear space, easiest first
Do these in order and stop once you have enough room.
Deleted files still use space until the trash is emptied, and the Downloads folder quietly collects installers and copies of everything you've ever opened.
- Right-click the Recycle Bin on the desktop and choose Empty Recycle Bin.
- Control-click the Trash in the Dock and choose Empty Trash.
- Open your Downloads folder, sort by size, and delete what you don't need. Old installers (
.exe,.msi,.dmg,.pkg) are safe to remove once the app is installed.
- Go to Settings › System › Storage › Temporary files.
- Tick what you want to remove. Windows Update Cleanup, Delivery Optimization Files and Temporary files are safe and often large.
- Click Remove files.
Also check Storage › Cleanup recommendations for big unused files and apps Windows has spotted.
In System Settings › General › Storage, look at the Recommendations section and turn on what suits you:
- Store in iCloud: keeps files in iCloud and downloads them only when you open them.
- Optimize Storage: removes movies and TV shows you've already watched.
- Empty Trash Automatically: deletes items that have been in the Trash for 30 days.
Go to Settings › Apps › Installed apps, set Sort by to Size (large to small), then click ··· › Uninstall on anything you don't need. Games are usually the biggest.
In Storage, click the ⓘ next to Applications. Sort by size, select what you don't use and click Delete. Apps from outside the App Store may come with their own uninstaller; use it if they do.
Not sure what something is? Search its name online before removing it. Anything from your computer's maker that says “driver”, “audio” or “touchpad” should stay.
Often a few huge files (old videos, phone backups, disk images) take more space than everything else combined.
Free tools like WizTree scan your drive in seconds and show a map of what's biggest. In File Explorer you can also search your user folder for size:gigantic to list files over 4 GB.
In Storage, click the ⓘ next to Documents and open the Large Files tab. Also check iOS Files for old iPhone and iPad backups you no longer need.
Windows or System), leave it alone.After a major Windows upgrade, a full copy of your previous version is kept in a Windows.old folder, often 10 GB or more. Windows deletes it automatically after about 10 days, but you can remove it now.
In Settings › System › Storage › Temporary files, tick Previous Windows installation(s) and click Remove files.
Photos and videos are the usual long-term space hogs. Move them somewhere else but keep them safe:
- External drive: copy the folders over, check they open from the drive, then delete the originals.
- OneDrive: right-click a synced folder and choose Free up space. Files stay visible but download only when opened.
- iCloud Photos: in the Photos app settings, choose Optimize Mac Storage to keep smaller versions on the Mac.
Turn on Storage Sense in Settings › System › Storage. It regularly deletes temporary files and empties the Recycle Bin. Click it to choose how often it runs.
Turn on Empty Trash Automatically in the Storage recommendations so the Trash never grows forever.
- Your drive may simply be too small for how you use it. An external drive or more cloud storage is the easy fix; a bigger internal drive is the permanent one.
- If System Data is huge, restart the Mac and check again; much of it is temporary and clears itself.
HABITSKeep it from filling up again
Clear Downloads monthly
Set a reminder. It's the folder that grows fastest without you noticing.
Leave automatic cleanup on
Storage Sense or Empty Trash Automatically do the boring part for you.
Store big media elsewhere
Keep video projects and photo libraries on an external drive or in the cloud.
Check once in a while
A quick look at the Storage page every few months catches problems before they slow you down.
FAQCommon questions
Why is my C: drive full when I haven't added anything?
Windows updates, temporary files, app caches, system restore points and the hibernation file all grow over time on their own. Steps 2 and 5 clear most of it.
What is “System Data” on a Mac, and can I delete it?
It's a catch-all for files that don't fit the other categories: caches, logs, temporary files and local Time Machine snapshots. Don't delete system folders by hand. Restarting, updating macOS and freeing space elsewhere lets macOS clean much of it up automatically.
Is it safe to delete Windows.old?
Yes, as long as your current Windows works fine. You just lose the option to roll back to the previous version. Use Settings (step 5) rather than deleting the folder by hand.
Should I use a cleaner app like CCleaner?
You don't need one. The built-in tools in Windows and macOS remove the same junk safely. Avoid “registry cleaners” in particular; they rarely help and can break things.
Can I delete the WinSxS, System32 or Library folders?
No. These are core parts of the operating system. Deleting from them can stop your computer from starting.
Does a full drive make my computer slower?
Yes. When a drive is nearly full, the system has less room for temporary working files and updates, which can make everything sluggish. See the slow computer guide for more.