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Hard drive gets filled and will run out of space if we do not clean up the hard drive from time to time. If your hard drive is filled then you cannot add any more files to it and your computer will not perform optimally. There are different methods using which you can clean up the hard drive and recover some space on your computer.
If your hard drive gets filled then you have to upgrade to a larger hard drive or you have to add a new hard drive. To avoid upgrading to a new hard drive you have to remove junk files, temporary files, and duplicate files.
We have listed 9 Ways To Free Up Hard Disk Space On Windows 10, 11 below. Here are the Best Ways to Free up Hard Disk Space on Windows PC:
Empty the Recycle Bin
Files located in the recycle bin will take space on your hard drive. Whenever we delete any files or folders they directly go into the recycle bin by default. When we delete any files or folder, we think that we have recovered space but the files located in the Recycle Bin take space. To recover space right click on the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and then click on Empty Recycle Bin.
Now click on the yes button to remove the deleted files.
Use Disk Cleanup
Windows Operating System comes with the Disk Cleanup program. It is by default installed on your computer and it is a part of your operating system. This simple program will help you to clear up the junk files, temporary files, memory dump files, system error files, and old Windows installation files.
From the Windows search bar for the Disk Cleanup and then click on its icon to run the program.
After running the files, you have to select the drive. By default, C drive is selected. Once the scan is completed you will see the files you can delete.
It will also show the recycle bin space so that you can empty the Recycle Bin from the Disk Cleanup utility.
Remove temporary and downloaded files
Temporary files can be deleted from the Disk Cleanup utility. However, if you do not want to run the Disk Cleanup program you can remove Temporary and downloaded files from the windows settings.
To clean the temporary and downloaded files go to Settings and then click on System. Now click on Storage from the left hand side panel. Now click on the Temporary files section to see all the files you can delete.
Turn on Storage Sense
Storage Sense is an automatic function in Windows that helps you to delete temporary files, recycle bin files, and other junk files automatically. You can also choose to move the files to your cloud storage on one drive.
Save files to a different location
If you are using multiple hard drives or you have multiple partitions then you can transfer the files to another location.
If the space in one location gets filled up then you can transfer the files to other locations that have free space. You can also use an external drive for transferring the files.
Disable Hibernate
The Hibernate option will take a snapshot of your computer before shutting down so that when your computer is started it will start faster. It provides a faster method for starting your computer.
However, this process takes up space on your computer, therefore we suggest you disable it and shut down your computer normally.
Uninstall Apps
Applications installed on your computer take lots of space on your hard drive. You can look for all the applications installed on your computer from the settings and then remove all unwanted applications. This will help you to recover space on your hard drive.
Store files on the cloud
Cloud storage provides an alternate method for storing your data. Instead of storing the data on the hard drive, you can save all your data on your cloud storage. This will help you to save space on your hard drive.
Delete duplicates using Duplicate Files Fixer
Duplicate files also cover a lot of space on the hard drive so if you delete them, your system will work faster. Duplicate Files Fixer is a simple program that will help you to scan and remove duplicate files from your computer.
Duplicate Files Fixer is capable of scanning your whole computer and then detecting duplicate files from it.
Let’s discuss how to use the Duplicate Files Fixer to delete duplicate files
Let’s look at the steps below to use Duplicate Files Fixer:
Step 1: First download and install Duplicate Files Fixer from this link here:
Step 2: Once installed, launch the program and select the location you want to scan.
Note: For adding the scanning location you can also drag and drop the location.
Note: This program also excludes folders so that they are not detected by the program.
Step 3: Click on Start Scan button to start the duplicate files scanning.
Once the scan is finished you will see all the duplicates found.
Step 4: You can preview the duplicates and then select the duplicate you want to remove.
You can also use the auto mark function for auto marking the duplicates.
Step 5: Now click on the Delete Marked button for deleting the duplicates.
Step 6: Click on the yes button for deleting the duplicates.
That’s it; duplicate files will be deleted from your computer.
Verdict:
If the space on your computer is filled up then you won’t be able to save more data on it also, and you won’t be able to install more applications on it. There are different ways using which you can free up hard drive space on Windows 10. You can also delete duplicate files using Duplicate Files Fixer. Deleting the duplicate files will save space on your computer.
