How to Clean Up Disk Space in Windows 11
So, running out of disk space on Windows 11 is a pain, right? Especially when you’re trying to quicken things up or make room for new stuff. Luckily, Windows has some built-in tools that aren’t always obvious, and it’s kind of a pain to find them sometimes because everything’s a bit scattered. I finally managed to get a decent handle on cleaning things out, but it took a bit of messing around, so I figured I’d share how I did it — in case you’re stuck like I was.
Getting to Storage Settings
The first challenge was actually locating the right menu. You’d think clicking around in Settings would be straightforward, but nope — sometimes they’re tucked away. Best way I found was hitting the Windows key or clicking the magnifying glass icon, then typing “settings”. Then, you click on the Settings app that pops up. Once inside, the “System” menu is your friend. Scroll down (or click in the sidebar) and find “Storage”. Weirdly, it’s under “System”, so don’t get thrown off if you don’t see it right away.
If you’re in a hurry, right-click the Start menu (Windows + X) and pick “Settings”, then go to System > Storage. Or, even better — pressing Windows + R to open the Run dialog, then typing ms-settings:storage and hitting Enter. That jumps straight to the Storage menu. Windows really likes to hide these options, huh?
Deleting Temporary Files
This part is usually the easiest. In the Storage section, look for an option called “Temporary Files”. It might look different depending on your Windows update or language, but it’s roughly the same. Click that, and you’ll see a list of file types you can clean out — caches, old logs, leftover installer files, stuff like that. There will be checkboxes to select everything you want gone. I usually tick everything that’s safe to delete — like “Temporary Files”, “Downloads” (if you really don’t need those installers anymore), and “Recycle Bin”. After that, click the “Remove Files” button, and a confirmation will pop up. Sometimes, Windows doesn’t get everything on the first try, so I recommend a quick recheck.
Just a note: be careful, because some files might be tempting to delete but are actually useful — so double-check what you’re selecting. Once you confirm, it might take a couple of minutes to clear, especially if you have a lot of cached data.
Finding and Removing Large Files like Videos
If clearing temp files didn’t free up enough space, it’s time to look at big stuff — especially videos, backups, or large downloads. In the same Storage menu, there’s a link typically called “Show More Categories”. Clicking that reveals other categories like “Videos”, which can show all your stored videos. I found that browsing through that list helped me identify what was unnecessary — old recordings, movies I no longer watched, or backups I forgot I had. Just right-click on a file and choose “Delete”.
Be aware: once deleted, these files are gone unless you have backups or third-party recovery tools (like Recuva or something similar). Also, if you’re using OneDrive’s Files On-Demand, some files might look local but are only stored in the cloud. Turning off sync or toggling “Pause syncing” in the OneDrive icon in the system tray can help you see what’s truly stored locally.
Uninstall Unused Apps
Beyond files, you can also clear space by removing programs that are no longer needed. Go back to Settings, then navigate to “Apps” and click on “Installed Apps”. This will show a list of everything installed on your PC. Some of these might be huge, like games or large productivity apps. Just click the three-dot menu next to an app you don’t use anymore, hit “Uninstall”, and confirm. Sometimes it’s worth doing after a big clean-up, because uninstalling large programs can free up a lot of space quickly.
Some Final Tips and Cautions
Heads up: Windows updates often reintroduce junk files or regenerate cache data, so it might be worth repeating the cleanup every so often. Also, not everything is obvious — some caches or temp data are tucked inside app folders or browser settings. For browsers like Chrome, clearing browsing data from Settings > Privacy & Security > Clear Browsing Data helps free up some extra space.
A quick reminder: avoid deleting anything you’re unsure of — deleting actual system files or personal data can mess things up. Always double-check what you’re removing, especially if it’s something important. If space is a recurring problem and you’re okay with it, moving large files to an external drive or upgrading your storage might be the better long-term solution.
And if you’re really desperate, tools like CCleaner can help, but use caution — especially with registry cleaners. I’d say, stick to the basics unless you know what you’re doing.
Hope this helps — it took me way too long messing around with settings and menus to figure all this out. But at least now I’ve got a decent process down. Good luck clearing out your space!