How to free up space on a PC

8 hours ago 11

Using a PC is each amusive and games until you tally retired of storage. We’ve each been there, and the occupation becomes much predominant if you’ve been utilizing your PC for years. Over time, the hard disk starts filling up with everything, including PDFs, video files, random screenshots, and duplicate photos transferred from an SD paper oregon your phone.

Once your PC’s retention fills up, it slows down due to the fact that the resources required to process tasks go limited. I volition sermon immoderate proven methods to reclaim invaluable space and amended your computer’s performance.

If you’re not a PC user, find much ways to escaped up abstraction connected these devices: iPhone | Android | Mac

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Empty recycle bin

When you delete thing connected your PC, it remains successful the Recycle Bin and inactive takes up abstraction connected your hard disk. The Recycle Bin usually holds deleted files for 30 days, but if you request to escaped up abstraction close away, emptying it is simply a bully archetypal step. Note that "Recycle Bin" is the word utilized on Windows. To escaped up disk abstraction from the Recycle Bin:

Search for Recycle Bin connected your desktop and right-click it.
Select Empty Recycle Bin.
Confirm the deletion.

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Step to bare recycle bin connected PC. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

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Delete unnecessary apps

After clearing the Recycle Bin, the adjacent measurement is to delete unnecessary apps. Unused applications instrumentality up invaluable retention abstraction and tin dilatory down your system. Removing them volition escaped up abstraction and amended show connected your Windows PC.

Go to Settings
Click Apps
Select Installed apps.
Sort apps by size to find ample ones.
Click an app and select Uninstall.

Image of Installed apps connected a PC. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

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Delete the files you don’t need

Take immoderate clip to spell done your files and delete thing you nary longer need. Old documents, ample video files, duplicate photos, and outdated downloads tin instrumentality up a astonishing magnitude of space. If you are unsure astir deleting definite files, determination them to an outer thrust oregon cloud storage earlier permanently removing them from your Windows PC.

Open Settings
Click System.
Select Storage.

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Steps to delete the files you don’t request connected a PC. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Click Temporary files.

Steps to delete the files you don’t request connected a PC. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Check the boxes for items similar impermanent files, downloads and recycle bin.

(Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Click Remove files.
You tin besides use Disk Cleanup: Type "Disk Cleanup" successful the Start menu, prime a thrust and take files to delete.

Enable Storage Sense connected Windows

If you’re utilizing Windows, Storage Sense is simply a built-in diagnostic that tin automatically escaped up abstraction by removing impermanent files and aged items from the Recycle Bin. How to alteration retention consciousness connected Windows:

Open Settings and spell to System > Storage.
Click on Storage Sense and toggle it On.
Under the Configure cleanup schedules section, choose however often it should tally (every day, week oregon month). Once enabled, Storage Sense volition automatically cleanable up abstraction based connected your preferences.

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Transfer files to outer storage

Choose the close outer drive: Opt for an external hard drive oregon solid-state thrust (SSD) that suits your needs. SSDs connection faster speeds and amended durability, portion HDDs supply larger capacities astatine little costs.
Transfer files: Connect your outer drive, transcript your files to it and verify that each files are successfully transferred.
Delete archetypal files: After verifying the transfer, delete the archetypal files from your PC to escaped up space. On Windows, usage File Explorer to delete files and bare the Recycle Bin. On Mac, usage Finder to determination files to Trash and past bare it.

Consider unreality storage

Cloud retention services like Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive connection convenient, flexible options for storing ample files without consuming your laptop’s constricted space. These services let you to securely store your photos, videos and documents successful the cloud, freeing up invaluable retention connected your device. One important vantage of unreality retention is accessing files from immoderate instrumentality with an net connection, whether connected your phone, tablet oregon different computer.

Most unreality services supply a definite magnitude of escaped retention (typically betwixt 2GB and 15GB) earlier upgrading to a paid plan. For instance, Google Drive offers 15GB of escaped retention shared crossed Google services, while Dropbox provides 2GB for escaped with options to upgrade for much space. OneDrive provides 5GB for free, but Microsoft users tin get further retention done Office 365 subscriptions, granting entree to the Microsoft Office suite.

Additionally, unreality retention services travel with features similar automatic syncing and backup, making it easier to signifier and safeguard your files. This tin beryllium peculiarly adjuvant for ample photograph and video libraries, which tin beryllium acceptable to upload automatically from your telephone oregon computer. With features similar record versioning and collaboration tools, unreality platforms connection much than conscionable retention — they heighten productivity and let seamless record sharing with friends, household oregon colleagues.

Finally, galore unreality retention providers connection encryption and different information measures to support your files for added bid of mind. However, it would beryllium champion ever to instrumentality other precautions, specified arsenic enabling two-factor authentication and utilizing strong, unsocial passwords, to guarantee your information is safe. Kurt’s favourite unreality services tin beryllium seen here.

Protect your data: Essential information steps aft managing storage

After you've freed up abstraction connected your PC-whether by deleting aged files, moving information to an outer thrust oregon leveraging unreality storage, it's conscionable arsenic important to marque definite your invaluable accusation stays secure. The pursuing steps volition assistance you support your files and idiosyncratic information from cyber threats and accidental loss.

1. Use beardown passwords: Create unique, analyzable passwords for each your accounts and devices. Consider utilizing a password manager to make and store unafraid passwords. Get much details astir my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2025 here.

2. Enable encryption: Encrypt your outer hard drives and unreality retention accounts to adhd an other furniture of extortion to your data.

3. Implement two-factor authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA connected each accounts that connection this feature, particularly for unreality retention services.

4. Install and support beardown antivirus software: Use a beardown antivirus programme and support it updated to support against malware and different information threats. The champion mode to safeguard yourself from malicious links that instal malware, perchance accessing your backstage information, is to person antivirus bundle installed connected each your devices. This extortion tin besides alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your idiosyncratic accusation and integer assets safe. Get my picks for the champion 2025 antivirus extortion winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

5. Regularly update your operating strategy and applications: Keep your devices and software up to date to guarantee you person the latest information patches.

6. Be cautious with nationalist Wi-Fi: Avoid accessing delicate accusation erstwhile connected to public networks, oregon usage a VPN for added security. Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service tin heighten your privateness by encrypting your net traffic, making it harder for hackers and 3rd parties to intercept your data, particularly connected nationalist Wi-Fi. A VPN masks your IP address, helping to obscure your determination and online activity. While VPNs don’t straight forestall phishing emails, they trim the vulnerability of your browsing habits to trackers that whitethorn usage this information maliciously. With a VPN, you tin securely entree your email accounts from anywhere, adjacent successful areas with restrictive net policies. For champion VPN software, spot my adept reappraisal of the champion VPNs for browsing the web privately connected your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices

7. Backup your information regularly: Create multiple backups of your important files, including astatine slightest 1 offline copy.

8. Use unafraid record transportation methods: When sharing files, usage encrypted transportation methods or password-protected links.

By pursuing these steps, you tin importantly heighten the information of your information and support yourself from imaginable cyber threats.

Kurt’s cardinal takeaway

Your PC’s retention tin capable up fast, but you tin ever escaped up immoderate space. I personally similar storing images and videos that instrumentality up excessively overmuch abstraction connected an outer drive. This way, I tin entree them whenever I request to portion keeping my PC retention free. If an outer thrust feels similar excessively overmuch of a hassle, you tin ever opt for unreality storage. Windows supports a scope of unreality retention options, including its ain services similar OneDrive.

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Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech writer who has a heavy emotion of technology, cogwheel and gadgets that marque beingness amended with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business opening mornings connected "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s escaped CyberGuy Newsletter, stock your voice, a communicative thought oregon remark astatine CyberGuy.com.

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