How to Free Up Space on Hard Drive - 7 Methods for Windows

Looking for methods to free up space on your Windows hard drive? This guide covers practical tips, such as using EaseUS Partition Master to analyze and manage disk space efficiently.

As hard drive prices rise, users face higher upgrade costs. If your hard drive is full, would you choose to upgrade it or just free up the disk space? Recently, news about rising hard drive prices has been hotly discussed on forums.

Running low on disk space does more than limit your file storage. It slows your computer, causes system errors, and even blocks Windows updates. If your hard drive is running out of storage, don't worry. This comprehensive guide shows you how to free up space on hard drive with efficient methods.

Why Do You Need to Free Up Space on Hard Drive

Windows creates and manages data constantly, like temporary files and cached data. Over time, the drive fills up, and performance drops. Managing your disk space is important because low disk space affects computer performance significantly. When the hard drive is full, there may be several issues:

• Slower performance: Windows uses free space as virtual memory. Without enough space, programs open slowly or freeze.
• Update failures: Windows updates require free storage to download and install new files. If the hard drive is full, updates fail and may cause system instability.
• Limited file storage: You might not be able to save large photos, videos, or backups.
• Shorter drive lifespan: Drives running close to full capacity wear out faster.

How to Check Disk Space

To free up space, the first thing is to check the disk space. How do you know if your disk space is full? Here is how to check how much storage remains on your PC.

Step 1. Open File Explorer on your PC.

Step 2. Click "This PC."

Step 3. Check the bar under your drive. Blue means used space, gray means free space. Hover over it to see details.

How to Free Up Space on Hard Drive [ 7 Fixes]

Running out of storage space can quickly slow down your computer and interrupt your daily work. There are seven ways to free up space on hard drive. With these methods, you can clean up your disk and restore smooth performance on Windows.

Fix 1. Use Disk Space Manager Tool

Many users face storage issues that slow system performance or trigger low disk space alerts. EaseUS Partition Master provides smart solutions to these issues without requiring technical skills. It is an all-in-one disk management tool that makes freeing up space on your hard drive easier and safer.

👍See how EaseUS Partition Master helps in freeing up disk space.

• Check the health and speed of the disk.
• Merge partitions and maximize available disk space.
• Check and fix file system errors to free hidden occupied space.
• Resize, move, and extend partitions without data loss.
• Migrate OS and data to another disk.

Here are the steps to free up space on hard drive.

Step 1. Go to Partition Manager, hover your mouse on target drive with low disk space, and click "Adjust with 1-Click".

When your partition is out of space and shows read, EaseUS Partition Master will pop up low disk space warning and offer "Adjust with 1-click" option.

Step 2. Click "OK" to automatically extend partition. 

EaseUS Partition Master will extend the partition to solve the low space issue intelligently, and you only need to click "OK" to continue.  

You can also click "Manual Adjustment" to extend the partition size manually if the Smart Space Adjustment cannot satisfy your needs. Then, click "OK" to continue.

Step 3. Execute operations to extend low disk space partition.

Click the "Execute Task" button at the top corner and keep all changes by clicking "Apply".

Fix 2. Use Disk Cleanup

If you prefer a Windows tool to clean your computer, you can try Disk Cleanup. Disk Cleanup is a built-in Windows utility that helps free up space on your hard drive quickly. The tool scans the selected drive and categorizes removable data. It can also clean system files like previous Windows installations. Here is how to free up disk space with Disk Cleanup.

Step 1. In the Windows search bar, type "Disk Cleanup" and open it.

Step 2. Select the drive you want to clean, then click OK.

Step 3. In the list Files to delete, check the types of files.

Step 4. Click OK, then choose Delete Files to start cleaning.

Step 5. Click "Clean up system files" for deeper cleaning.

Fix 3. Empty the Recycle Bin

When you delete a file in Windows, it stays in the Recycle Bin until it's permanently removed. These files still occupy disk space. So, you can free up your disk space by emptying the Recycle Bin.

Step 1. Right-click the Recycle Bin icon.

Step 2. Choose "Empty Recycle Bin."

Step 3. Confirm your choice.

Fix 4. Uninstall Unused Apps and Games

Old software and large games are some of the biggest space hogs on a computer. Removing what you don't use can free up several gigabytes instantly. Here is how to free up space on hard drive by uninstalling apps.

Step 1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

Step 2. Click the three dots.

Step 3. Select Uninstall.

Fix 5. Delete Large or Duplicate Files

Large video files, ISO images, or backups often occupy space. Duplicate files take up extra space without purpose. Deleting large or duplicate files helps clean up a lot of space quickly. This method focuses on removing files you no longer need. Follow these steps to delete large files:

Step 1. Open your file manager.

Step 2. Sort files by size in each main folder (Downloads, Videos, Documents).

Step 3. Review the largest files.

Step 4. Delete the ones you want.

Fix 6. Clear Temporary Files and Caches

Temporary files store data for programs and processes. Clearing temporary files and caches removes data that applications and the system create for short-term use. These files often build up over time and can occupy several gigabytes. Here is how to clear temporary files.

Step 1. Press the "Windows + R" keys.

Step 2. Type "%temp%" and press Enter.

Step 3. Select the files and delete them.

Fix 7. Move Files to External/Cloud Storage

Do you work with large files like photos or videos? Consider moving them to an external drive or cloud storage.

• External Drives: SSDs or HDDs offer fast and secure file transfers.
• Cloud Services: OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox provide access from multiple devices.

To move files:

Step 1. Copy them to your external or cloud folder.

Step 2. Verify the upload or transfer.

Step 3. Delete them from local storage once confirmed.

Conclusion

Running out of disk space can make your Windows PC sluggish and unreliable. But you don't need a costly upgrade to fix it. By following these cleanup methods, you can quickly reclaim valuable storage.

For a faster and safer way, EaseUS Partition Master brings everything into one simple solution. It helps check the health of your disk. And its cleanup and partitioning tools ensure every byte is used efficiently.

FAQs

1. What is Disk Space?

Disk space is the total storage capacity on a device such as a hard drive. It holds the operating system, apps, and all files such as documents, photos, and videos.

2. How do I manage disk space efficiently?

To manage disk space efficiently, uninstall programs you do not use. Delete large or duplicate files and clear temporary files on a regular basis. Use the system's storage or cleanup tools. They help check which folders and file types use the most space.

3. What's the average lifespan of an SSD?

The average lifespan of a consumer SSD is about 5 to 10 years under normal use. Actual life depends on how much data you write to the drive and the quality of the SSD.

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