Where Is My Disk Space Going? Step-by-Step Guide

Cici updated on Mar 29, 2023 | Home >Computer Instruction

It is frustrating when your drive shows insufficient storage, and you have no clue where is your disk space going. Many users have reported encountering this situation. The following is a typical case:

I am attempting to save a new file on my computer, but it is failing due to insufficient storage space. Upon checking, the storage space shows insufficient space, and I have no idea where my disk space is going.

Well, your hard drive may get unexpectedly full for multiple reasons. If you are experiencing this issue, follow this guide to comprehend the causes and get solutions to free up your disk space.

Where Is My Disk Space Going? 

If you are running out of storage on your hard drive, we help you to identify the reason behind it. This section offers an overview of what is carrying the room in your computer's hard drive. Here are the reasons why it's happening.

  • Temporary Files: Temporary files can take up a lot of space. Also, it can hang your computer system for longer as it can cause extra load on the operating system.
  • Photos and Videos: Photos and videos are also a primary reason to capture massive space on the hard drive. We recommend moving your photos and videos to cloud storage. To do so, you should know what is OneDrive: it works as an inbuilt cloud storage solution.
  • Apps: If you use large gaming or editing applications, they take up giant space in the storage drive.
  • Files in Recycle Bin: Your deleted files are not be permanently removed from your computer until you empty the recycle bin.

You can identify the occupied space of your drive by understanding these reasons. Please keep reading to check the disk and take action to free it if it's full.

Further Reading: Check Total Disk Space in Windows 11

How to See Where Is My Disk Space Going? 

After checking out where is my disk space going, follow the given solutions to inspect and free up space for essential data.

Method 1. Check Your Disk Space via EaseUS Partition Master

Method 2. Check Your Disk Space via Windows Settings

Method 1. Check Your Disk Space via EaseUS Partition Master

EaseUS Partition Master has a wide range of disk management features. It is an ideal tool for cleaning a disk and improving its performance. It offers an easy interface, great functionality, and multiple help resources to facilitate non-tech-savvies. This tool delivers seamless disk management and enables users to utilize their storage capacity more effectively.

Its Space Analyzer can scan and get a better overview of the entire hard drive or a select specific partition. Now, you can follow the steps below to learn how to do it:

Free Download 

Windows 11/10/8/7100% Secure

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master and turn to Discovery. Find and Download Space Analyzer below Frequently Used Tools.

download space analyzer

Step 2. In the Space Analyzer pop-up window, select the target disk to be analyzed and click Analyze in the upper right corner.

click analyze

Step 3. Wait a while, and you will see the detailed data. You can click on Foler/File to view different data types and click on the small folder icon to see more information inside the file.

view the detailed data

We added EaseUS Partition Master to the list as it is an all-in-one disk management program for Windows. The latest version of this software is manageable and gets the work done in a few clicks. Some of its practical features:

If you want to use these amazing features of EaseUS Partition Master, you can find them at the below link.

Free Download 

Windows 11/10/8/7100% Secure

Method 2. Check Your Disk Space via Windows Settings

If you have divided your hard disk into multiple partitions, this method applies to check the disk space in minutes. You can quickly determine and act on the overloaded partition with unnecessary data. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Open the "File Explorer" app on your computer, and click "This PC" from the left side panel.

Step 2: You will see all the drives with occupied and available storage space. If a partition is red, you need to free it up. 

For example, once you know your C drive is full. In this situation, you need to comprehend more details about where is my storage space going.

Explore the Windows setting to get additional information about the disk space:

Step 1: Press the "Windows" button and click the "Settings" icon.

Step 2: Select "System" from the lift side panel, then click "Storage."

storage option

Step 3: You will see a detailed overview of your primary hard drive, including the remaining and currently used storage space. 

detailed overview

Step 4: Click any displayed category to get additional options to manage that storage category. For example, click the "Temporary files" category, then select and remove files. See the screenshot.

select remove files

For more information about disk space, you can read the following articles to find the answer:

Conclusion

We hope you have found the answer to your question, "where is my disk space going" and how to free up the space using the solutions mentioned in the article. We also added some examples to help you identify what is draining your drive space the most. If your drive contains high storage space, wipe it or transfer it to another drive. During the transfer process, you can also clone Windows to another drive. It will relieve the overload from your drive and ensure the smooth running of your computer. 

In addition, we recommend you use EaseUS Partition Master for efficient disk management. This tool also assists in regularly monitoring your disk usage to ensure the smooth operation of your computer in the long run.

Free Download 

Windows 11/10/8/7100% Secure

FAQ of Where Is My Disk Space Going?

Please refer to our FAQ section if you have any additional inquiries regarding the topic discussed in this article.

1. How to check the total hard disk space in Windows 11?

Press the "Windows" key, and click the "Settings" icon. Select "System" from the left side panel and click the storage option. A comprehensive summary of your primary hard drive will be displayed, which includes the amount of storage space remaining and currently in use. Select any category and manually check hard disk folders containing unnecessary data.

2. What is taking up space on my hard drive of Mac?

There can be several factors taking the disk space on your Mac. To identify the usage of your Mac's hard drive, you can use the built-in utility called "Storage Management." This tool will provide an overview of the storage space used by different categories. You can choose the file type and take action to remove unwanted files.

3. Why my C drive is getting filled automatically?

If your drive is filling up automatically, it could be due to unnecessary data, such as temporary files, cookies and cache, thumbnails, and applications installed. The presence of viruses and malware can be another cause of this problem. We recommend you scan the drive using an antivirus tool. You can also run the "Disk Cleanup" to remove unnecessary and temporary files. Type "Disk Cleanup" in the search bar and select the files you want to remove from the C drive.

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Updated by Cici

Cici has accepted the systematic training on computers at EaseUS. Now she has a detailed understanding of common computer issues, as well as computer backups and disk formatting management solutions.

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