People who are comfortable with computers know that messing around with the Windows 10 registry – the place where crucial configuration files are stored – is a last resort.
What’s more, many free options can contain malware and pop-up advertising, and might even force you to upgrade to a premium version for a huge sum of money. Many of these programs actually do what they claim, but they’ll delete files indiscriminately, and some even end up deleting crucial system files that keep your computer and its programs running smoothly. Don’t use free 'PC cleaning tools', no matter how much they're claimed to be able to achieve. Things you should never do to free up disk spaceĭesperate times, desperate measures? Perhaps, but there are some lines you shouldn't cross, and doing so could end up causing more problems in the future.ġ. For instance, things inside the Windows folder should be treated as essential, as should files relating to software you use regularly. A word of caution, though: there are certain files you don’t want to delete under any circumstances. If you need more help, TreeSize Free from JAM Software (see below) lets you see specifically which files and folders on your computer are taking up the most space. Hit Enter afterwards and your PC will run a search for large files in every folder. Click the Size dropdown and choose Huge or Gigantic to view the main offenders. You should now see a Search Tools menu bar appear. Open an Explorer window and click the Search box at the top right. You you can search for large files, even if you don't know where they are. You can set this to happen automatically using Storage Sense. It’s largely useless, and can safely be deletedĪnd, of course, don’t forget to empty the recycle bin on occasion. This file can be huge, and is a by-product of upgrading a computer to Windows 10 from a previous version. Also look out for a file called ‘Windows.old’. You can then sort files by size by clicking on the Size column. If you know there are certain folders that might contain large files, such as the documents or downloads folder, navigate to them using File Explorer, click View and then Details.
How to find large files that are taking up space Beware, though, these files will be deleted permanently there will be no second chances. You can then take action and delete the files that are causing you problems. Under the option ‘free up space now’, you’ll find out how much space problematic and hidden files are taking up. Open the Start menu, type Storage into the search box and click on Storage settings.
If you don’t have Storage Sense yet, you may need to update your computer to the latest version. If you've tried all of the above but still don't have enough space, it's time to look at some more advanced solutions.Ī great place to start freeing up space is by using the Storage Sense tool that’s pre-installed on the more recent versions of Windows 10. What to do if Windows needs more space to update Having more problems than just storage? See our guide on how to speed up a slow computer. Back up files you don’t use frequently – including documents and photos – to a cloud service or USB drive, then delete them from your computer, safe in the knowledge that they're now stored elsewhere.Go through the programs installed on your computer (search ‘add or remove programs in the start menu’) to see if there’s any old software you don’t need. Use Windows storage settings and Storage Sense to set up rules on how your PC will deal with files you don’t need.Empty the recycle bin, desktop and your downloads folder of stuff you don’t need.The first thing you should check is whether there are any quick fixes that can get you some free space right away. Interruptions: pop-up messages may appear from programs that can no longer function properly.File and application slowdown: files and apps could be taking longer to open because there is so little space to store the temporary files they need to run smoothly.General slowdown: your PC may appear to be running slowly for no obvious reason, as it struggles to find room to manage your day-to-day tasks.Errors and restarts: computer updates can fail, or cause your computer to restart constantly as it tries again.Unable to download files: new software or important updates may not have enough space to download or install.Here are some common issues that could be caused by a lack of space.
Problems caused by a full hard driveĭon’t wait until your hard drive is completely full before cleaning it out you’ll start to run into problems well before it’s bursting at the seams. A full hard drive isn't just an inconvenience it can have a serious impact on the speed and even security of your computer.įortunately there are some easy ways to delete unnecessary files from your hard drive, and make sure you don't run into this problem again.