You can free up Windows storage by reviewing optional features, clearing files Windows identifies as safe to remove, and checking whether hibernation is worth keeping on your PC. The amount reclaimed depends on what is installed and how the computer is configured. Microsoft does not say that disabling optional features normally frees 65 GB, so treat that figure as an individual result—not an expected saving.
Start with Windows’ storage cleanup recommendations
Before removing system components, check the categories Windows can estimate and review. In Windows 11, open Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations. Windows can show potential savings for items such as temporary files, large or unused files, cloud-synced files, and unused apps. Select only the categories and items you want to remove.
Storage Sense can also automatically clear selected unnecessary files, including temporary files and items in the Recycle Bin. Review its settings so you know what Windows will remove and when. Microsoft’s instructions for these tools are in Free up drive space in Windows.
Be cautious with the Previous Windows installation(s) recommendation: deleting Windows.old removes the files needed to return to the previous Windows version. If you may need that rollback, do not remove it yet.
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Inspect optional features before removing them
Optional features are Windows components you can add or remove, but “optional” does not mean useless. Check the installed list and remove only features you recognize and do not use. The Settings route can vary by Windows version and update:
- Open Settings > System > Optional features. On some supported versions, the page is under Settings > Apps.
- Under Installed features, select a feature you have identified as unnecessary.
- Select Remove and follow any prompts. Recheck the installed-features list when the change completes.
Microsoft also documents PowerShell commands for inspecting and disabling a specific Windows feature. In an elevated PowerShell window, use Get-WindowsOptionalFeature to inspect feature state and Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature for the particular feature you intend to disable. Do not run a bulk removal command: the right components depend on how you use the PC.
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Features on Demand can be added again later, but installation uses Windows Update and requires an internet connection. If an optional feature is removed with DISM’s -Remove parameter, its files are removed while the feature manifest remains; Microsoft says files can be restored from a remote source such as Windows Update or a network share. Restoration is therefore not guaranteed to be available offline. See Microsoft’s instructions for managing optional features and DISM command reference.
Check language resources and large personal files
Language resources can take space, particularly if you have installed languages you no longer use. Microsoft says language content in the Windows update context may range from about 175 MB to more than 300 MB per language, and removing unused languages can reduce the space needed for a feature update. That is not a promise of the amount you will recover on your PC.
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Large personal files may offer a more substantial opportunity than optional features. Review videos, archives, downloads, and other large files before deleting anything. If you want to keep them but remove them from the system drive, move them to an external drive. OneDrive Files On-Demand can also leave a smaller placeholder on the PC while the full file remains in OneDrive; opening the full file then depends on having an internet connection. Microsoft explains these options in its storage-space guidance.
Consider hibernation only if you accept the trade-off
Disabling hibernation is different from removing an unused app or temporary file: it changes how the PC can save its session. Microsoft documents the command powercfg /hibernate off, which turns off hibernation and removes the hibernation file. You will lose the ability to use hibernation while it is disabled.
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The file’s size varies with the PC’s memory and configuration, so check the actual potential saving on your computer rather than assuming a fixed amount. Microsoft also documents hiberfile size and reduced-type options, but changing them is a power configuration decision, not a general cleanup step. Avoid changing paging-file settings as a casual way to reclaim space. See Microsoft’s hiberfile guidance and powercfg command-line options.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep enough free space for Windows updates
Do not aim to fill the drive after cleanup. Microsoft’s general guidance says feature updates typically need 6 GB–11 GB or more of free space, while quality updates typically need 2 GB–3 GB or more. These are not fixed requirements for every device: update path and installed content affect the space needed. Check Microsoft’s Windows update storage guidance when planning a cleanup.
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- Note the system drive’s available space before changing anything.
- Use Cleanup recommendations or Storage Sense first, recording which categories you remove.
- Remove only optional features, language resources, or files you have decided you do not need.
- If you disable hibernation, record that separately because it changes power behavior.
- After each change, check the drive’s available space again. This shows what that change actually reclaimed on your PC.
A 65 GB saving is possible only as an individual outcome that depends on what was occupying that particular drive; Microsoft’s documentation does not establish it as a normal result of disabling Windows features. A before-and-after measurement, along with a record of what changed, is necessary to substantiate that claim for a specific PC.
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