Hi everyone,I have an legacy PC that was recently upgraded to Windows 11, and now I am running low on storage space. The computer has a 256GB SSD, and there is only about 20GB of free space left. I am worried that this may affect performance or cause problems with updates.I am not very tech-savvy, so I would really appreciate simple and safe advice. What are the best ways to free up storage space on Windows 11 PC without deleting anything important? I would like to know what I should check first, which files are usually safe to remove, and whether Windows 11 has any built-in tools that can help.Thanks in advance for any help.

Start with the built-in options first: Settings → System → Storage, then Cleanup recommendations / Storage Sense. I’d also check Downloads, Recycle Bin, large personal media folders, and Apps sorted by size before touching anything under C:\Windows or Program Files. A visual disk-space map can help you see which folders are actually large, so you don’t delete blindly. Back up anything uncertain before moving or deleting it.

Running out of storage is the digital equivalent of trying to shove a sleeping bag back into its original sack—frustrating and seemingly impossible. If your PC is starting to "breathe through a straw," here are the most effective things to clear out, ranked from easiest to most impactful.Best things to delete for freeing up storage on Windows pc1. The "Junk Drawer": The Downloads FolderThis is almost always the biggest culprit. We download installers ($EXE$ or $MSI$ files), PDFs, and zipped folders, use them once, and forget them.TheFix: Sort your Downloads folder by File Size. You’ll likely find massive installers for programs you’ve already installed. Delete them—you can always download them again later if needed.2. Large Applications and GamesModern games can easily take up 50GB to 150GB each. If you haven't played Call of Duty or The Sims in six months, they are holding your hard drive hostage.The Fix: Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps. Sort by Size. Be ruthless. If you use Steam, use its built-in manager to move games to an external drive or uninstall them.3. Temporary System FilesWindows keeps a lot of "just in case" files that it rarely actually needs, including old Windows Update files (which can be massive).

Let's talking about how to free up storage on Windows 11 PC. Hibernation saves everything in your memory to a hidden file on your C: drive called hiberfil. sys. This file is roughly equal to the amount of RAM you have.How much space this frees: If you have 16GB of RAM, you free about 12GB to 16GB.What you lose: The "Hibernate" option in your power menu (Sleep and Shut Down still work). Your computer may also take slightly longer to start up .Here's how to disable it for free up storage on Windows 11 PC:1. Right-click the Start button and select "Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)"2. Type this command and press Enter:textpowercfg -h off3. That's it — the file is deleted immediately4. To turn hibernation back on later, run the same steps with powercfg -h on.

If your computer has a second drive (D: drive) or you have an external USB drive, you can move your personal folders like Documents, Pictures, Downloads, and Desktop to that drive. In this way, you are able to free up storage on Windows 11 PC.How to move a folder:Open File ExplorerRight-click on Documents (or any personal folder)Select Properties → Location tabClick MoveChoose a folder on your D: drive or external driveClick Select Folder → OK → Yes to move all files How much space this frees: Whatever those folders currently use — could be tens of GB.Any file you don't recognize in C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Windows — leave system folders alone.Important Tips of free up Storage on Windows 11 PC:Create Folders First: Make sure the destination folder exists before moving.Backup Data: Always back up important files before moving large folders, just in case.System Folders: Moving system-managed folders like Desktop or AppData is more complicated and generally not recommended unless you know what you're doing.

How do I free up storage space on my Windows 11 PC?

11 Replies

Pattismooo
Iron Contributor
Apr 27, 2026
Running out of storage is the digital equivalent of trying to shove a sleeping bag back into its original sack—frustrating and seemingly impossible. If your PC is starting to "breathe through a straw," here are the most effective things to clear out, ranked from easiest to most impactful.
Best things to delete for freeing up storage on Windows pc
1. The "Junk Drawer": The Downloads Folder
This is almost always the biggest culprit. We download installers ($EXE$ or $MSI$ files), PDFs, and zipped folders, use them once, and forget them.The
Fix: Sort your Downloads folder by File Size. You’ll likely find massive installers for programs you’ve already installed. Delete them—you can always download them again later if needed.
2. Large Applications and Games
Modern games can easily take up 50GB to 150GB each. If you haven't played Call of Duty or The Sims in six months, they are holding your hard drive hostage.
The Fix: Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps. Sort by Size. Be ruthless. If you use Steam, use its built-in manager to move games to an external drive or uninstall them.
3. Temporary System Files
Windows keeps a lot of "just in case" files that it rarely actually needs, including old Windows Update files (which can be massive).

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How do I free up storage space on my Windows 11 PC?