There has been a significant increase in the data storage needs, and the media data keeps getting bigger, so if are using a Windows 10 PC with limited storage or solid-state drive (SSD), then you should follow these following tips to free up hard drive space on your computer. Take a look.
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- Delete Unnecessary Files
To find and delete unnecessary files on your PC, just follow these steps:
Step 1: Launch the Settings app using the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut.
Step 2: Click on System > Storage.
Step 3: Under the Storage section, choose the drive you would like to analyze.
Step 4: On Storage usage, Windows 10 categorizes the content depending on default folders (like Documents, Pictures or Music), apps and games, and system files. You can view each item to get more information with a simple click.
Step 5: Now, click on the view button to launch the folder location, and then delete unnecessary files.
Step 6: Return to Storage usage and choose Temporary files. Here, Windows 10 will list various kind of temporary files you can delete, including Temporary files, Downloads folder, Recycle bin, and more. Choose the content you wish to delete and then click on Remove files.
Step 7: Return to Storage usage, and now click on Other. In this section, Windows 10 will list all the folder that couldn’t be categorized. You will need to see which folders are consuming storage space most, and then click on them to access the location.
Step 8: Choose its content, right-click and then click on Delete.
- Delete File History Versions
File History serves as a type of backup utility built right into Windows 10 and 8, however this feature can waste valuable space on your PC’s hard drive. So, it’s best to remove older version of files and folders here. Here’s how:
Step 1: Launch the Power User menu with the keyboard shortcut Windows key + X, and then choose Control Panel.
Step 2: Click on File History.
Step 3: Click on Advanced settings on the left pane.
Step 4: Under Versions, click on the Save copies of files and Keep save versions drop-down menu to choose the option that works best for you.
Step 5: Click on the Clean up versions link to bring up File History Cleanup pop-up.
Step 6: From here, choose the file versions you wish to delete from the drop-down menu.
Step 7: Click on Clean up.
Step 8: Once done, click on Save changes to apply new changes.
- Uninstall unnecessary apps
To uninstall both desktop and Windows Store apps, follow these steps:
Step 1: Launch the Settings app using the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut.
Step 2: Click on System > Apps & features.
Step 3: Choose the apps you don’t need and are consuming your space most. Just choose one and then click on Uninstall.
Step 4: Click on the second Uninstall button to confirm.
Step 5: You are all done uninstalling a Windows 10 Store app, but note that if it’s a legacy desktop app, you will have to follow the instructions on your computer’s screen to uninstall.
Step 6: Repeat the same steps to uninstall any other app.
- Delete Duplicate Photos
To find and delete duplicate photos, you will need to download free third-party software named Awesome Duplicate Photo Finder.
Step 1: Point your web-browser to the Awesome Duplicate Photo Finder download page to your computer. Click on Download portable version link to download the app to your computer.
Step 2: Extract the file you just downloaded.
Step 3: As this is a portable version without installer, you simply double-click on AwesomePhotoFinder.exe file you extracted to open the app.
Step 4: On the app’s main screen, click on the plus sign to add a folder location you wish to scan for duplicate images.
Step 5: Click on Start Search to trigger the scan.
Step 6: Once done, you should see the duplicate photos and similarity score. Just click on Delete button on the photos you want to remove.
Step 7: Click Yes to bring that photo to the Recycle bin.
Step 8: Repeat the same process until no more photos show up in the app.
These are 4 tips to free up hard drive space on your Windows 10 PC. Just check them out, and do let us know how they work for you in the comments section below.