How to Free Up Space on C Drive in Windows 10/11?

Summary: Do you get repeated “Low Disk Space” alerts on your Windows 10 or 11 computer? A congested C drive can severely slow down your device’s performance. This guide offers easy solutions to free up space on your PC. It explains several methods, from eliminating temporary files and removing unused programs to using Disk Cleanup. In case data loss occurs due to cleanup, we will show you how to use data recovery software.

Are you constantly struggling with a “Low Disk Space” warning on your Windows 10 or 11 computer? A cluttered C drive can impact your computer’s performance and make it sluggish. It can also make it difficult to install the latest updates from Windows.

Fortunately, freeing up space on your C drive is quite easy. In this article, we’ll explore several methods to help reclaim valuable disk space and organize your C drive.

Table of Content:

• Understanding C Drive Space Usage
• Methods to Free Up Space on C Drive
• Stellar Data Recovery: Trusted Data Recovery for Any Scenario

Understanding C Drive Space Usage

It is essential to understand what C drive is and why it gets filled up. Here are some key factors contributing to C drive space usage:

1. System Files and Programs

These are the principal installations on the C drive. In Windows devices, the C drive is the system drive where the OS is installed. Windows 10 currently requires about 30 GB of space.

Besides Windows, there are installed programs. On almost any device, these include

• Microsoft Office suite with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote
• Media players, such as Windows Media Player and VLC
• Browsers such as Edge, Chrome, and Firefox
• Antivirus e.g., Windows Defender and Kaspersky
• PDF reader and editor, such as Adobe Acrobat
• Multiple apps, such as Spotify, Netflix, etc.
• Large-sized apps like Video games, editing software, etc.

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2. Software Updates 

Windows regularly receive updates from Microsoft. Some of these are massive. The 22H2 update of Windows 10 was 5.7 GB in size.

Over time, a new device will get at least 15 GB or more of updates.

Also Read: Error 0x800701b1 Troubleshooting on Windows 11/10

3. User Data and Files

By default, Windows saves every downloaded item in C drive. This includes browser downloads.

Besides, as a user, you save hundreds of files on the Desktop, which is actually a folder residing on the C drive.

It is easy to see how C drive gets filled up so fast.

In the next section, we go through various steps to declutter the C drive and free up space.

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Methods to Free Up Space on C Drive

Below are several methods for cleaning up the C drive. You can use one or all of these to cleanup the C drive.

1. Delete Temporary Files

Windows generates temporary files that can accumulate over time. By deleting these files, you can recover several GB of storage space. You can delete temporary files manually using the following steps:

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type %temp%, and hit Enter.

3. This will open the temporary files folder.

4. Delete the contents by clicking Ctrl + A (Select All) and pressing the Delete

While deleting temporary files is a quick and easy way to recover some space, it doesn’t address larger, more permanent sources of clutter. To free up even more room, it’s important to look at the programs you no longer use. We will explain this in the next section.

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2. Uninstall Unnecessary Programs

Most users end up with multiple programs that perform the same task. It is best to uninstall redundant programs.

1. Type Control Panel and open it.
2. Click on Programs > Uninstall a program.

3. A list of programs will appear.

4. Click those you want to remove and select Uninstall.

Once you’ve uninstalled unused programs, you may find your system running smoother. If that’s the case, you might want to free up more space. Many users overlook browser cache and history, which can accumulate over time and eat up storage. Clearing these will help clean up even more space.

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3. Clear Browser Cache and History

Browsers store cookies that automatically download when you browse the web. Regularly clearing this data can help free up space on your C drive. You have to clear each browser’s cache individually.

1. Open your browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Edge).
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to bring up the Clear browsing data menu.

3. Select the time range (e.g., All Time, Last 4 Weeks, etc. for maximum space recovery).
4. Select Cached images and files, Cookies, and Browsing history.
5. Click Clear Data to remove these files.
6. Close the browser and reopen it for changes to take effect.

Note: Clearing the browser cache gives you a clean slate for your internet use. But don’t forget about files you’ve already deleted. The Recycle Bin still holds these, and emptying it is a simple way to gain additional storage.

Also Read: The Computer Won’t Wake Up From Sleep on Windows 11: How to Fix the Issue?

4. Clear Recycle Bin 

When you delete files, they end up in the Recycle Bin. Recycle Bin is a part of the C drive, and emptying it is an easy way to increase space.

1. Locate the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop.
2. Double-click and open it.
3. Click the Empty the Recycle Bin button on top.

After emptying the Recycle Bin, you’ve handled a lot of unnecessary files. But what about system updates or temporary internet files? Windows’ built-in Disk Cleanup tool offers a more comprehensive way to remove files you might not have considered.

Also Read: How to Fix Blank White Screen of Death on Windows 11/10?

5. Run Disk Cleanup Tool

Windows has a built-in Disk Cleanup tool that allows you to remove unnecessary files. Here is how to use it:

1. Type Disk Cleanup in search bar.
2. Select your C drive and click OK.

3. Disk Cleanup will show how much space can be freed on C drive.
4. Check boxes for the type of file you want to delete, e.g., Temporary files, Recycle Bin, and Windows Update

5. Click OK, and choose Delete Files to confirm.

Note: Windows also has an automatic solution in Storage Sense. Enabling Storage Sense can help if you want to maintain a cleaner drive without constantly monitoring it.

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6. Use Storage Sense

Windows 10/11 has a wonderful built-in feature called Storage Sense. It automatically manages and clears out temporary and unused files. Here is how to enable it:

1. Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.

2. Navigate to System > Storage. At the top is a toggle for Storage Sense.

3. Click Configure Storage Sense. Storage Sense can run daily or weekly.

4. Choose the type of file you want to delete e.g. Temporary files, Recycle Bin contents, etc
5. Click on Clean Now and free up space.

Storage Sense will run automatically at the selected intervals. However, it won’t move or remove large files sitting on your drive. If you’re running out of space, you will need to transfer big media files to another drive.

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7. Move Large Files 

As mentioned, C drive is the default download location for all types of media, software, and documents.

Search and find if your desktop folders or Downloads have large files. Moving them to another partition or drive can free up a lot of space.

Sometimes, the issue is the size of the C drive itself. If you find that no matter how much you clean, you still need more space, extending the C drive is the best long-term solution.

Also Read: Windows 11 March 2023 Update Issues

8. Extend C Drive

Here is a typical scenario that many users are familiar with. Their computer came with a 250 GB HDD partitioned into a 50 GB system drive and a 200 GB partition for storage.

Now, they are running out of space on C drive and would prefer a larger size without the hassle of reinstalling Windows.

Windows allows you to do this through Disk Management. Here are the steps:

1. Open Disk Management by right-clicking the Start button.

2. Right-click on the partition you want to shrink (e.g., D drive), then select Shrink Volume.

3. Enter the amount of space to shrink, then click Shrink.

4. This will create unallocated space next to the shrunken partition.
5. Right-click on your C drive and choose Extend Volume.

6. Use the unallocated space to extend the C drive.

The methods we mentioned above are tried and tested and work well. However, important data might get erased through oversight. A small mistake, and you have accidentally deleted an important project folder.

Even in that case, there is no need to panic. All you require is excellent data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery.

Also Read: How to Search for Best Data Recovery Software for Windows?

Stellar Data Recovery: Trusted Data Recovery for Any Scenario

Stellar Data Recovery Software is a powerful yet easy-to-use tool designed to recover lost or deleted files from your PC.

Whether you’ve accidentally deleted important documents, lost photos from a corrupted drive, or experienced data loss after a system crash, our data recovery software has you covered.

Stellar Data Recovery Software provides support for over 1,000 file types. It works seamlessly across multiple storage devices, including HDDs, SSDs, USBs, and SD cards. Plus, our software is fully compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7.

You can try Stellar Data Recovery for free. There is no registration required to scan and preview files. If you want to recover and save files, you need to buy a license.

We hope the article above has been able to answer how to free up space on C Drive.

Now we shall answer some of your questions. Please feel free to comment or write to us with your queries.

Also Read: How to Fix the Pink Screen of Death on Windows 11?

FAQs

How large should the C drive be? 

C drive should have at least 20–30 GB of free space at all times. Therefore, the C drive has to be between 50 and 70 GB. Ideally, you should dedicate 100 GB.

This amount of space will provide enough room for your operating system, important files, and any programs or games you will install in future.

If the PC is running low on free space, you will not be able to install important Windows updates.

What is disk cloning? 

Disk cloning is the process of making an exact copy of a hard drive or a partition. The clone can be saved to a storage medium, like another hard drive, or to the cloud.

A clone is not the same as copy and pasting every file. Disk cloning also duplicates the filesystems, partition structure, and metadata.

What is Compact OS?

It is a Windows feature that compresses OS files to save disk space. To enable it, open CMD and type:

• compact /compactOS:always
• Press Enter.

This feature can help save several gigabytes of disk space but might make the computer slower.