5 Minute HelpDesk – Ways to Free Up Hard Disk Space in Windows 10

Troubled by your computer’s performance issues and out-of-space notifications? It can be due to the clutter stored on your desktop or laptop’s hard drive. Most apps, documents or heavy files may require more disk space. This is especially true if you are working from home in this COVID-19 situation. The more the data stored in your system, the more it will slow down.

So, how can I free up hard disk space in Windows 10?

This is a frequent question for our 24/7 IT helpdesk in Perth. Here are a few tips to free up your hard disk space on Windows-

Uninstall apps and programs that you don’t need any more

Except for certain apps that you use actively, consider removing other desktop apps and Windows Store apps that you no longer need. To find those apps that are taking up space, and uninstall them,

• Open the Settings menu.
• Choose Apps > Apps & features and choose Sort by size. You can see what apps are taking up too much space.
• To remove an app from the menu, choose the app and then click “Uninstall”.

You can also search for “Uninstall programs” in the Start Menu. Remove unused applications that take up space and get control of your system’s storage space.

Consider cloud storage

Online cloud storage provides more flexibility in storing and backing up data. The demand for cloud computing has increased recently, as more and businesses are moving remote. Any significant data can be encrypted and backed up in multiple data centres and accessed from any location. There are several cloud-based platforms you can benefit from. To know the platform that is suited best for your business, speak to our cloud computing team.

Keep your desktop clutter-free and remove temporary files

Most of us store our files on the desktop by default, which is not a good practice. The files storedon your desktop require operating memory to display files all the time, which can slow down your system. Clean up your desktop by deleting all unnecessary files moving the rest files to categories such as Documents, Image, Video or Music folders.

Also, you need to remove temporary files regularly to free up space and improve system speed. Cookies, internet history and caches stored on your computer can be cleared by discarding temp files.

• Search “%temp%” in Windows Start
• Shift + Del the whole content in the temp folder

Manage downloads

We download diverse types of documents – images, PDFs, Word doc, excel or more in different formats. Then we forget or don’t care to remove unnecessary files from the Downloads folder.  Go to the Downloads folder and check whether those data are important. Transfer relevant documents to appropriate permanent folders and delete the remaining.

Clear Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin is a usually forgotten space where a lot of unwanted and deleted files sit. Regularly check and empty the Recycle Bin to free up space.

Disk Cleanup

Type in Disk Cleanup in the Start menu. You can clean up unwanted temporary files or system files with Disk Cleanup. However, if you are not sure how to use this tool or whether to delete a file, get professional help. There are other options like disabling Hibernation or System Restore which can free up space. Speak to your IT support provider if deleting these are good options for you, before you proceed to do so.

For any IT helpdesk related issues, contact us or email us at helpdesk@computingaustralia.group  to get 24/7 support.

Jargon Buster

Temporary Files – are junk files that are of temporary use and will become unnecessary once the task is completed. Such files hold data temporarily during the creation and processing of a file.
Cloud Computing – refers to delivery of computer system resources such as networking, software, servers, storage, databases and more online.
Hibernation – is an option to get back to where you left off after not using your PC for some time. It uses less power than ‘sleep’ mode; and saves RAM contents to a hard disk.