To see what’s taking up space on a Windows 11 PC, open Settings > System > Storage. This built-in view groups storage use into categories such as installed apps, temporary files, and system and reserved storage. To find specific large personal files, use File Explorer and sort a folder by size.
See storage use by category in Settings
- Select Start > Settings.
- Choose System > Storage.
- Review the categories and their displayed usage. Select Show more categories if you need additional detail, including about system-reserved storage.
Settings gives you a category-level view; it does not identify every individual file that occupies space. For that, inspect personal folders in File Explorer.
Review suggested cleanup targets
On the Storage page, select Cleanup recommendations. Windows lists potential targets such as Temporary files, Large or unused files, Files synced to the cloud, and Unused apps, along with displayed estimates of space you could free. Review the contents of each category and select cleanup only for items you intend to remove. Microsoft’s instructions for freeing drive space explain the available cleanup choices.
Pay particular attention to Previous Windows installation(s), if it appears. Deleting these files removes Windows.old and the option to return to the previous Windows version. Microsoft says this deletion cannot be undone.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems#1 Best Overall
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Find large personal files in File Explorer
- Open File Explorer and navigate to a folder such as Videos, Music, Pictures, or Downloads.
- Select View > Details.
- Select the Size column heading to sort by file size. Select it again if needed to reverse the order.
- Review the largest files and decide whether to keep, move, or delete each one. Only remove files you recognize and no longer need.
If you want to keep large files but free space on the PC, you can move personal files such as photos, videos, music, and documents to an external storage drive. Buying one is optional; it is useful only if you have files you want to retain elsewhere.
Check how much space is free
Open File Explorer > This PC. Under Devices and drives, check the available space shown for the drive. This answers how much capacity remains; for a breakdown of what is using it, return to Settings > System > Storage.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
What Storage Sense cleans—and what it does not
Storage Sense can automate selected cleanup behavior. Microsoft says its default settings run when the device is low on disk space and clean unnecessary temporary files. By default, it does not manage the Downloads folder or cloud content; configure those settings if you want it to handle them. Storage Sense applies to the system drive. To inspect another drive, use Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Storage used on other drives. See Microsoft’s Storage Sense guidance for configuration details.
There is also a OneDrive-specific default: Microsoft says that, starting with Windows 11 version 22H2, OneDrive cloud files not opened for more than 30 days may be made online-only. This does not permanently delete them. With a network connection and available space, you can make them locally available again; files marked Always keep on this device are exempt from that behavior.
Rank #3
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
If the Temp folder quickly fills again
If a Low Disk Space error returns after cleanup because the Temp folder rapidly refills with Microsoft Store app package files, Microsoft recommends troubleshooting the Store and Windows Update. Follow the relevant steps in Microsoft’s drive-space guidance rather than repeatedly deleting files without addressing the cause.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
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