Forum Discussion
Storage Space for Windows Updates
Windows informs me that although the external USB drive has the capacity, I have insufficient space on my internal C: drive to initiate installing updates. 'Settings-System-Storage' shows 17.4 of 56.4GBs being used are for 'Installed Apps'. Opening 'Installed Apps' in 'Settings' identifies 55 apps and the storage space for most of them. These total under 2GB, which is a lot less than the 17.4 identified in 'Storage'. The apps for which storage space is not shown include Fotor Photo Editor and MS Edge (which I use) together with several MS 365 and OneNote apps (which I do not wish to use). Are these likely to be taking up the missing 15.4GB, or, are there other 'hidden' apps taking up the storage space that I would like to use for updates. If either of these are the case, how can I identify them and their storage capacity?
2 Replies
Hi,
On devices with very small internal storage (like your 56 GB drive), Windows Updates often fail even if you plug in an external USB drive.
Windows still needs several gigabytes of internal free space to prepare and stage the update.
The “Installed apps” section doesn’t show everything. Windows also includes:
- system components (Edge, OneNote, .NET, frameworks),
- app data and caches,
- hidden system packages,
- Windows Store support files.
These items are counted inside “Apps”, but their size isn’t listed individually, which explains why the numbers don’t add up.
Windows sometimes uses a feature called CompactOS, which compresses system files (.exe, .dll, .sys) to save space on small devices.
You can check if it’s enabled by running this command in a Command Prompt:
compact.exe /compactos:queryOn devices with limited storage, CompactOS can free 2 to 4 GB, sometimes a bit more.
It won’t break anything, but even with CompactOS enabled, a 56 GB system drive is still very tight for modern Windows 11 updates.
The most effective steps you can try are:
- Run Storage Sense or Disk Cleanup (including “Windows Update Cleanup”).
- Check Settings → System → Storage → Temporary files and remove what you can.
- Move personal files (Pictures, Videos, Documents) to external storage.
- Remove old Windows.old folders if they exist.
If the internal drive remains nearly full after cleanup, Windows Update may continue to fail.
In that case, upgrading the internal storage or doing a clean install is often the only long‑term solution.
If you want, you can share a screenshot of your Temporary files section — that’s usually where the biggest recoverable space is.
The apparent discrepancy of 15.4GB is not attributable solely to the applications listed under Installed Apps. Windows calculates application storage more broadly, encompassing large system components (such as Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Office, and OneNote), as well as hidden application data, caches, and supporting frameworks. These elements are included in the Installed Apps category even when their individual sizes are not displayed. To accurately identify and assess this hidden usage, it is advisable to utilize tools such as Apps & Features, Disk Cleanup, or Storage Sense, which provide a more comprehensive view of storage consumption beyond what is shown in the Settings interface.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/free-up-drive-space-in-windows-85529ccb-c365-490d-b548-831022bc9b32
