How to free up space using storage analyzer on Windows 10

On Windows 10, when the hard drive starts running out of space, you can always use the Storage settings to see what’s taking up space and remove files and apps you don’t need.

Starting with preview build 19603, Windows 10 is adding a storage analyzer tool known as User cleanup recommendations, which analyzes the entire system automatically to identify unused files and apps you can remove to free up space. The option will display the amount of data that Windows 10 may be able to reclaim by deleting certain large or unused files, uninstalling apps that you not use, and clearing copies of files already uploaded to OneDrive making the task of freeing space a lot easier.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to remove unused files and app using the storage analyzer tool built into Windows 10 to free up space on your device.

How to identify and remove unused files and apps to free up space on Windows 10

To free up space deleting recommended files on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on System.

3. Under the “User cleanup recommendations” section, click the See cleanup recommendations option.

   Quick note: In this section, you can also see the approximate amount of space that you can reclaim using the Windows 10 recommendations.

   

4. Under the “Temporary files” section, select the temporary files you want to delete.

   

5. Click the Clean up button.

6. Under the “Large or unused files” section, select the files you don’t need.

7. Click the Clean up button.

8. Under the “Files synced to the cloud” section, select the files already uploaded to OneDrive that you want to remove from your device to free up space.

9. Click the Clean up button.

10. Under the “Unused apps” section, check the apps that you no longer use.

    

11. Click the Clean up button.

Once you complete the steps, the storage analyzer tool will remove the files and apps to reclaim space for more useful files.

If you don’t see this option, it’s because you’re not yet running the version of Windows 10 that includes this feature. See cleanup recommendations is available starting with Windows 10 Insider Preview build 19603 and later.