How to free up storage space on Windows 11

Windows 11 includes several built-in tools to help you reclaim storage when your device runs low on space.
You can use features like Cleanup Recommendations, Temporary files, and Storage Sense for quick results, and advanced methods such as disabling hibernation, rebuilding the Windows.db database, or resetting Windows Recall on Copilot+ PCs to recover even more space.

UPDATED 12/1/2025: When your Windows 11 laptop or desktop computer is running low on space, freeing up space is essential to make room for more important files and improve system performance. A drive pushed near its limit slows everything down, increases the chances of system errors, and can even block feature updates. You should never exceed 70 percent of the total capacity to avoid performance issues.

Windows 11 includes several built-in tools to help you recover space quickly. You can clear temporary files, use Cleanup recommendations to identify unnecessary data, and enable Storage Sense to automate routine cleanups. Beyond the basics, you can reclaim additional gigabytes by disabling hibernation, removing unused apps, checking for malware that may be generating unwanted files, and reviewing folders consuming excessive storage.

In this guide, I will teach you multiple easy ways to free up space on Windows 11.

1. Cleanup Recommendations
2. Temporary files
3. Storage Sense
4. Disable hibernation
5. Scan for malware
6. Uninstall apps
7. Disable Windows Recall
8. Rebuild Windows.db file
9. Run OneDrive File On-Demand
10. Shrink install with Compact OS
11. Transfer files to an external drive
FAQs about freeing up space on Windows 11

Free up disk space on Windows 11

These are the best methods for freeing up disk space on your laptop, desktop computer, or Copilot+ PC.

1. Cleanup Recommendations

“Cleanup Recommendations” is a feature that automates finding content you can delete to free up hard drive space on your computer, including junk, large files, and unused apps.

To use Cleanup Recommendations to free up space on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Settings on Windows 11.
Click on System.
Click the Storage tab.
Click the Cleanup recommendations option under the “Storage management” section.
Click on Temporary files.
Check the files to delete to free up space on Windows 11.

Quick tip: You can also click “See advanced options” to access the “Temporary files” settings to clean up more files.
Click the Clean up button.
Click on Large or unused files.
Select the suggested files to free up storage space on Windows 11.
Click the Clean up button.
Click on Files sync to the cloud.
Select the files available locally since they are already in the cloud.
Click the Cleanup button.
Click on Unused apps.
Select the apps you would like to remove to make more space on the device.
Click the Clean up button.

After you complete the steps, the Cleanup Recommendations feature will delete the files, freeing up space to store other important files. Also, depending on the amount of data, Windows 11 should improve noticeably.

2. Temporary files

The “Temporary files” settings let you delete files that are not critical to running the operating system. For instance, leftover files after installing a new version, upgrade logs, error reports, temporary Windows installation files, and more.

To delete temporary files to free up space on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on System.
Click the Storage page on the right side.
Click the Temporary files setting under the “Local Disk” section.
Select the temporary files to remove from Windows 11.
Click the Remove files button.

Once you complete the steps, junk files will be removed from your computer, freeing up space for more important files.

3. Storage Sense

“Storage Sense” is another feature that can help you free up space automatically whenever the drive is low on space. It does this by deleting temporary system and app files, emptying the Recycle Bin and Downloads folder, and converting files already synced to OneDrive to online-only content.

To free up space with Storage Sense on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on System.
Click the Storage tab.
Click the Storage Sense setting.
Check the “Keep Windows running smoothly” option.
Turn on the “Automatic User content cleanup” toggle switch.
Under the “Configure cleanup schedules” section, use the “Run Storage Sense” setting and select the “During low free disk space” option.
Use the “Delete files in my recycle bin” setting to choose the files to delete from the Recycle Bin. (Then the 1-day option clears the most files.)
Use the “Delete files in my Downloads folder” option to clean up the Downloads folder. (You want to make a copy of any important file before selecting this option.)
Under the “Locally available cloud content” section, use the OneDrive setting and select when synced files should become online-only to free up space.
Click the “Run Storage Sense now” button.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 will free up space, making more room to store other files. Also, since you are enabling the feature, Storage Sense will run automatically when there is little available drive space.

4. Disable hibernation

Although the “Hibernate” feature conserves energy, it also requires a large amount of space to work, since the content in memory must be saved to the hard drive to preserve session state and shut down the computer. However, you can disable the feature to free up space on your computer.

To disable hibernation to free up disk space on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Start.
(Optional) Search for Command Prompt or PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to disable Hibernate and press Enter:
```
powercfg /hibernate off
```
Type the following command to confirm that hibernation has been disabled and press Enter:
```
powercfg /availablesleepstates
```

After you complete the steps, the system will disable the feature, thus freeing up additional disk space on the computer.

5. Scan for malware

A virus or other type of malware can corrupt system files and use storage space to the point that the drive has no space for additional files. You can use Microsoft Defender Antivirus or other third-party tools to scan for and remove malware, freeing up space.

To scan and remove a virus or another type of malware affecting the storage space, follow these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Windows Security and click the top result to open the app.
Click on Virus & threat protection.
Click on Scan options under the “Current threats” section.
Select the Full scan option.
Click the Scan now button.

Once you complete the steps, Microsoft Defender Antivirus will scan, detect, and remove virtually any malware that may be causing the device to run out of space.

6. Uninstall apps

On Windows 11, programs can take from a few bytes to many gigabytes. One way to quickly free up space is to remove applications that waste space or you rarely use.

To uninstall unnecessary apps to free up drive space on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on Apps.
Click the Installed apps tab.
Select the app to remove under the “Apps list” section.
Click the app menu (three dots) button and choose the “Uninstall” button.
Click the Uninstall button again to confirm.
Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).

After you complete the steps, the app and any associated files will be removed from Windows 11.

If, after using these methods, the computer still has low drive space, you may want to try resetting the system or performing a clean install of Windows 11.

7. Disable Windows Recall

If you have a Copilot+ PC and use Recall, this feature can use up to 150GB of space, depending on the drive capacity. If your AI computer runs low on storage, you can use the reset option to delete snapshots and permanently disable the feature.

To reset and disable the Recall feature to free up space on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on Privacy & security.
Click the Recall & snapshots page.
Click on Advanced settings.
Click the Reset Recall button.
Click the Reset button.

After completing these steps, Windows 11 will delete all collected snapshots, filters for apps and websites, and restore all settings, permanently disabling the feature, freeing up additional space on your computer.

8. Rebuild Windows.db file

On Windows 11, “Windows.db” is the core database for Windows Search. The problem is that sometimes, the file can grow very large for many reasons. If your computer is experiencing this issue, rebuilding the database can free up space and resolve search issues on your device.

To recreate the “Windows.db” file to reclaim storage space, follow these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on Privacy & security.
Click the Search page.
Click on “Advanced indexing options” under the “Related settings” section.
Click the Advanced button.
Click the Rebuild button to delete the “Windows.db” file under the “Troubleshooting” section.
Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the operating system will delete and recreate the “Windows.db” database.

This option will work best when there’s a problem with the database, and it’s already using up a lot of the local storage.

9. Enable OneDrive File On-Demand

OneDrive Files On-Demand allows you to access files in your cloud account without downloading them or using up storage space on your computer. If you store a lot of files on your device, making OneDrive files online-only can help to free up space.

To run the OneDrive Files On-Demand feature to free up space, follow these steps:

Click the OneDrive icon in the System Tray.
Click the Help & Settings (gear) button and choose the Settings option.
Click on Sync and backup.
Click the Advanced settings option on the right side.
Click the “Free up disk space” button under the “Files On-Demand” section.
Click the Continue button.

After you complete the steps, the feature will set all OneDrive files as online-only, freeing up space on the device. It’s important to note that you will continue to have access to the files, but the device will need an internet connection when you try to open a file to download the contents again.

10. Shrink install with Compact OS

The “Compact OS” command has been designed to compress or decompress files and directories on your system. It can significantly reduce the disk space used by the operating system and apps, especially on devices with limited storage.

You should use this option only if it’s critical to reclaim every possible byte on the hard drive. Otherwise, consider that this feature may have a slight impact on system performance, especially during file operations.

To use the Compact OS command to free up space on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to compress the current setup and apps and press Enter:
```
compact /compactOS:always
```

Once you complete the steps, the command will run to reclaim additional space on the hard drive.

If you want to undo the changes, you can use the same instructions, but in step 3, run the compact /compactOS:never command. If you are unsure if the feature is enabled, you can run the compact /compactos:query command.

11. Transfer files to an external drive

If your device is running low on storage, deleting unnecessary files may not be enough, and an external USB drive may be necessary.

To export your files to a USB hard drive to free up space on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Connect the USB hard drive to the computer.
Open File Explorer.
Copy and paste the following path to the address bar and press Enter:
```
%HOMEPATH%
```
Open each folder (Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Music, and Videos) to confirm where your large files are stored.
Select the files or folders taking up the most space and click the Copy button from the command bar.
Open the USB hard drive.
Create a new folder (“Ctrl + Shift + N” keyboard shortcut) and confirm the name “PC_Files.”
Open the newly created folder.
Click the Paste button from the command bar.

After you complete the steps, the files and folders will be copied to the external drive, freeing up space on the drive holding the setup.

FAQs about freeing up space on Windows 11

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about freeing up space on Windows 11.

Why is my Windows 11 PC running out of space?

Most devices fill up due to temporary files, past Windows update leftovers, large personal files, unused apps, and background features like Recall or Windows Search indexing. Malware can also generate unwanted files that consume storage.

How much free space does Windows 11 need to run smoothly?

You should keep at least 30 percent of your drive free. Once you pass roughly 70 percent usage, performance drops, updates may fail to install, and Windows can become sluggish.

What is the fastest way to free up space on Windows 11?

The quickest methods include deleting temporary files, running Cleanup Recommendations, and enabling Storage Sense. These built-in tools remove junk files, freeing several gigabytes in a few clicks.

Does deleting temporary files affect my apps or documents?

No. Temporary files are safe to remove. The operating system only deletes data that is no longer required for system operation, updates, or app functionality.

Why does disabling hibernation free up space?

Hibernate creates a large system file (hiberfil.sys) to store your session. On many systems, this file uses several gigabytes of space. Turning off hibernation deletes the file and immediately frees that space.

Can malware cause low-storage problems?

Yes. Certain malware creates large log files, duplicates data, or downloads unwanted content in the background. Running a full scan with Microsoft Defender is an important troubleshooting step.

Will uninstalling apps really make a difference?

Absolutely. Apps like games, editing software, and virtualization tools often take up several gigabytes of space. Uninstalling unused programs can quickly free significant space.

Does Windows Recall use storage space?

Yes. On Copilot+ PCs, Recall can use tens or even hundreds of gigabytes, depending on your storage capacity. Resetting and disabling the feature immediately frees up this space.

What is the Windows.db file and why does rebuilding it help?

Windows.db is the search index database. When it becomes corrupted or grows too large, it can hog storage and cause search issues. Rebuilding it deletes the old database and creates a clean, smaller one.

What does OneDrive Files On-Demand do?

Files On-Demand lets you keep your files stored in OneDrive without downloading them to the device. Setting files to “online-only” frees local storage while still giving you access when needed.

Is Compact OS safe to use on Windows 11?

Compact OS compresses system and app files to reduce disk usage. It is safe but may slightly impact performance on slower hardware. Only use it if you must reclaim every possible gigabyte.

What if I still don’t have enough space after trying everything else?

If storage remains low, consider transferring large personal files to a USB drive, upgrading your internal storage, resetting Windows, or performing a clean installation.

Update December 1, 2025: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.