Advertisement

Article

A quick way to free up disk space

Elena Santos

Elena Santos

  • Updated:

Free up disk spaceThere are many ways to free up disk space in Windows, most of which involve installing a third-party application that will scan your system and display all those elements that are suitable of being safely removed. But Windows also has its own cleaning app, a simple tool that you can use to erase redundant data and unused files, thus regaining some valuable megabytes back.

To run the Windows embedded cleaning application, right click on your hard drive’s icon and select Properties. Then click on Disk Cleanup and wait until the system calculates the space you’ll be able to free up after running the wizard.

Once the analysis is done, you’ll be presented with a list of elements that can be safely erased from your computer, along with the space you’ll regain after deleting them. This list includes items such as temporary Internet files, log files and the contents of the Recycle bin, among others. Simply select what you want to delete and click on OK.

This Disk Cleanup tool also offers information about each item, just to make sure you know what you’re erasing. Also, on the More Options tab you’ll find other Windows native apps that can help you make some space on your hard drive:

  • the Windows Components Wizard, to remove optional Windows elements
  • the Add or Remove Programs tool, to delete apps you no longer use
  • the System Restore tool, which basically erases everything up to the most recent restore point (hey, you said you wanted to free up disk space, didn’t you?)
Elena Santos

Elena Santos

Latest from Elena Santos

Editorial Guidelines