How to Optimize Your Storage Space on Windows 10
No matter which device or gadget we use, we always crave for huge chunks of storage space to stuff in all our personal data. And yes, the same holds true for Windows 10 as well. As soon as we see that “You’re running low on storage space” alert popping on the desktop, we start panicking.
There are a handful of ways of storing our data on external locations be it cloud storage or USB sticks, portable hard drive and more. But apart from this, Windows also offers us some in-built solutions to optimize storage space on Windows 10 without using any external storage medium. You must’ve heard from a million tech experts that it is advisable to keep the storage space as light as possible to keep your system in a healthy state.
If your Windows 10’s hard drive is occupied and there’s absolutely no additional space to store data then it can have adverse effects on your system’s performance. It may result in app crash/failure, slow startup, unresponsive services and more. So, basically, as soon as your PC is running low on space, it plays a direct impact on its performance.
So, in this post, we will be highlighting some of the best possible ways to optimize storage space on Windows 10 to recover a considerable amount of space on your disk drive while boosting your PC’s performance.
Let’s dive in!
Disk Cleanup
The Disk Cleanup tool has always been one of the most reliable solutions to free up disk space on Windows since eternities. With the help of Disk Cleanup, you can immediately get rid of temporary files, junk files stored on your system and improve the overall performance of your Windows.
Tap the Cortana icon, and type “Disk Cleanup” in the search box and then press enter.
In the Disk Cleanup window that pops up on the screen, first select the drive on which you need to perform the operation. Wait for a few minutes until Windows performs a scan on the selected drive to look for temp files, junk files, etc.
Once the files are listed, you can check on all files that you wish to remove from your system including Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Internet Files, Junk files, etc. to recover storage space on Windows. Tap on “OK” to delete all the selected files from your system.
Storage Sense
If you don’t wish to dig deep into technical settings via the Disk cleanup tool, you can also use Windows 10’s Storage Sense feature that can get the job done for you in minimal steps. Storage Sense is one of the most effective ways of dealing with unnecessary junk and temp files on Windows 10.
Open Windows 10 Settings> System> Storage and tap on “Storage Settings”.
Just like how you selected files on the Disk Cleanup window, do the same on Storage Sense while you select temp files and junk files to remove from your Windows 10 PC.
Once you’re done selecting all the items that you wish to send to junk, tap on “Remove” to confirm and proceed.
Empty Recycle Bin
Yes, it’s like stating the obvious but if you’ve failed to empty the Recycle Bin, maybe now is the time. Open the Recycle Bin, just to check if it has nothing important. In case it has any important files, you can restore that data back into the drive. Once you’re done checking all the items stored in Recycle Bin, right-click on the Recycle Bin icon, and select “Empty Recycle Bin”.
OneDrive Files on Demand
Using OneDrive’s Files on Demand is another quick workaround to optimize storage space on Windows 10.
Follow these steps to enable this feature on Windows, all you have to do is make a few tweaks in the Settings. Here you go!
Find the OneDrive icon in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar.
Launch OneDrive.
Tap the three-dotted “More” option and click on “Settings”.
In OneDrive Settings, check on “Save space and download files as you use them” option. Tap on “OK” to save the settings.
Uninstall Programs and Update Drivers
Apart from the above-mentioned steps, you can also try uninstalling less frequently used apps and services to optimize storage space on your device.
Also, in order to optimize your system’s performance, you can also take the help of a reliable Windows driver updater tool that makes sure your system is loaded with the latest version of driver updates. If you’re looking for a decent pick, Smart Driver Care is an ultimate tool that keeps all your system drivers updated. The tool comes with a neatly packed interface and can enhance the performance of your system in the most efficient manner.
Here were some of the most useful workarounds to optimize storage space on Windows 10. We hope these solutions will help you in recovering storage space on your device and also boost your PC’s performance.
Good luck!