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Shaheer Khan reported recovering nearly 36GB on his own Windows 11 PC by cleaning out system leftovers and moving files, not by repartitioning. That is one person’s result, summarized by WindowsForum on October 5, 2026. It doesn’t say how much each step saved, and it isn’t a typical outcome. This guide gives the sequence to follow and the trade-offs to understand before you delete anything.
Why partitioning doesn’t create space
A partition divides one physical drive into logical volumes. Resizing or adding partitions moves free space between them, but it doesn’t add capacity. If the drive is full, the fix is to delete what you don’t need or move what you want to keep somewhere else. Partitioning isn’t always harmful, but it won’t solve a full drive on its own.
Step 1: Measure what is using your space
Open Settings > System > Storage. Windows breaks usage into categories such as installed apps, temporary files, and system and reserved storage (Microsoft: Storage settings). Your largest category decides where to start. It might be apps, downloads, temporary files, or old Windows installation files. Labels vary slightly between Windows releases.
Step 2: Review the cleanup recommendations
Storage settings also offers cleanup recommendations that list suggested items with estimated space savings. Review each item before you confirm it. Anything you remove here is gone, so don’t accept the list blindly (Microsoft: Free up drive space in Windows).
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Step 3: Decide whether you still want Windows rollback
After a major upgrade, Windows keeps the previous installation in a folder called Windows.old so you can go back. Deleting it frees space, but it also removes your way back. Microsoft Support says: “If you delete your previous version of Windows, this can’t be undone, and you won’t be able to go back to your previous version of Windows.” (Microsoft Support)
- Delete it if the upgrade has been stable and your files and apps all work.
- Keep it if the upgrade is recent and you haven’t yet checked that everything works.
Step 4: Understand the hibernation trade-off
Hibernation uses a file on your system drive to store memory contents. Microsoft documents default sizes of 40% of physical memory for the full file and 20% for the reduced file. The reduced file supports Fast Startup but not full Hibernate (Microsoft: System power states). So the space you could reclaim depends on how much RAM you have and which mode you use. A PC with a lot of RAM has a bigger file.
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If you use Hibernate, don’t turn it off for a space saving. If you never use it, shrinking or removing the file is an option. Check your current power settings first, because the exact commands and effects depend on how you use your PC.
Step 5: Move files you want to keep
Moving existing files gives you immediate recovery. Cut and paste large folders, such as videos, old downloads and archives, to another drive. Microsoft lists external storage as an option for files you don’t use often. Those files are available whenever the drive is connected (Microsoft). If you have no spare internal drive, an external SSD is a reasonable destination. No particular capacity is required, so choose one that fits what you plan to move.
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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.
Step 6: Change where new files are saved
Changing the default save location only affects new content. It doesn’t relocate anything already on the drive. So treat the two as separate jobs: move what exists now (step 5), then redirect future saves, such as new downloads, documents and apps, so the system drive stops refilling. Look under Storage settings for the advanced option to change where new content is saved. Menu labels differ between Windows releases.
Step 7: Check your space again
Return to Settings > System > Storage and compare it with your first reading. Two reference points help you decide how much headroom to keep:
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Windows 11’s minimum requirement is 64 GB of available storage, and Microsoft says updates and features may need more over time (Windows 11 requirements). It is a minimum, not a comfortable capacity.
- Microsoft says feature updates typically need 6–11 GB or more, and quality updates 2–3 GB or more. Needs vary with your device and installed content (Microsoft: Free up space for Windows updates).
Keep at least enough free space to cover the next feature update. Microsoft doesn’t publish a universal percentage of free space for SSDs, so don’t rely on a fixed rule.
Cleaning up versus moving: which to use
| Route | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Clean up on the current drive | Temporary files, update leftovers, Windows.old you no longer need | Deleted items can’t be recovered; Windows.old removal ends rollback |
| Move files elsewhere | Personal files you want to keep but rarely open | An external drive must be connected to reach them |
| Change default save locations | Preventing the system drive from refilling | Doesn’t move existing files |
You can use all three. Clean up first, move what remains, then redirect future saves.
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