Free Up Hard Drive Space on Windows 10 & macOS – Easy Tech

Overview: For the smooth functioning of your Windows 10/11 or Mac system, it is very essential to manage the hard drive space efficiently. It is because, over time, files start to accumulate and consume the disk’s valuable space. This leads to slowing down of your computer performance. Fortunately, several methods can be used to free up hard drive space on Windows 10 & macOS. With this much being said, let’s get into the depths of exploring the step-by-step instructions for each.

How to Free Up Hard Drive Space on Windows 10/11?

Keeping your Windows 10/11 PC organized and fast is crucial in the current age. If your computer is running out of space on your hard drive or getting slow, this section is for you. By following the below methods you can easily clean up the hard drive and increase your computer’s overall performance. Whether you are a tech professional or a beginner, these tips will help your computer to stay tidy and run well. 

1. Delete Temporary Files:

• Press the Windows + R button to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type %temp% or “prefetch” command and press Enter. This will open the folder containing the temporary files.
• After that, press “Ctrl + A” to choose all files and folders in the Temp directory. Then, hit on the Delete tab.
• Check the deletion when prompted. 
• Besides this, you can also clear the temporary files by typing cleanmgr in the Run dialog box and picking the right drive you need. Here, select the boxes adjacent to the file types you want to delete. Lastly, tap on the OK button.

2. Uninstall Unnecessary Programs:

• Press the >> Windows + I << keys together to open the Settings window.
• Next, navigate to “Apps” → “Apps & features”.
• Now, scroll through the list of installed applications and choose the programs that you no longer need.
• At the end, tap on the “Uninstall” button and follow the on-screen instructions to remove them.

3. Disk Cleanup Utility to Free up Hard Drive Space:

• Open File Explorer by pressing the “Win + E” button on your keyboard.
• Navigate to the directories where you suspect unnecessary files are stored (Downloads, Documents, Desktop, etc.).
• Select the files you want to delete by holding down Ctrl and clicking on them.
• Right-click on the selected files and choose “Delete.”

Alternatively, you can use the Disk Cleanup tool:

• Press Win + S to open the search bar, type “Disk Cleanup,” and select it from the results.
• Next, pick the drive/disk you want to clean (usually C: taken).
• Here, this “Disk Cleanup” utility will figure out the exact parameter you will get when you free up the storage space.
• After that, tick the boxes adjacent to the file types you want to remove. Hit on the “OK” button.

4. Utilize Storage Sense:

• Go to Settings.
• Click on System, then Storage.
• Toggle Storage Sense to On.
• Henceforth, tap on the “Configure Storage Sense” or run it now tab.
• Choose your preferences for when and how Storage Sense runs.

5. Remove Large and Unused Files:

• Use File Explorer to navigate to your files.
• Sort files by size to identify large ones.
• Review and delete files you no longer need, such as old documents, videos, or downloads.

6. Move Files to External Storage:

• To begin with, connect an external hard drive or USB Flash drive to your computer.
• Following, utilize the Windows File Explorer to select and move the records on the outside source. Keep in mind that choosing the files simply now is not required.
• At last, copy and paste them into the outside storage device.

7. Remove Duplicate Files:

• Download and launch the reliable duplicates finder application.
• Open the remover apparatus and select the drive or folders you need to check.
• Begin the scan and wait for the utility to distinguish the identical records.
• Preview and evaluate the duplicate files before deleting them.
• At last, tap on the Delete tab to remove the similar selected files.

How to Free Up Hard Drive Space Mac?

Are you struggling with your Mac’s ineffectiveness? Or Is your macOS running out of space? If that is the case, this part is for you to show the easy ways to clear up space on your Mac system. Next, abide by the solutions stated below to free up your precious storage space. Let’s dive in!

1. Delete Unnecessary Files:

• Begin by opening the Finder on your Mac.
• Next, go to the folders where the unnecessary files are stored. The directories such as Downloads, Documents, and Desktop.
• After that, choose the files that you no longer require.
• Right-click and select “Move to Trash” or drag them to the Trash icon within the Dock.
• Once you’ve chosen all undesirable records, empty the Trash by right-clicking on the Trash icon and selecting “Empty Trash.”

2. Clear Cache and Temporary Files:

• Start through the Finder and press on “Go” within the menu bar.
• Select “Go to Folder“. Then, sort “~/Library/Caches” (without quotes) → press Enter.
• Evaluate the files in the Caches folder. Then, delete the contents you no longer use.
• Likewise, navigate to the “/Library/Application Bolster” and “/Library/Logs” to erase unnecessary files.
• Don’t forget to empty the Trash after removing these files.

3. Remove Unused Applications to Free Up Hard Drive Space:

• Open Finder → go to the “Applications” folder.
• Review the list of all the software that you don’t want on your system.
• Henceforth, drag the unwanted applications to the Trash bin.
• At the end, right-click on the Trash icon and select “Empty Trash” to permanently erase the unused applications.

4. Optimize Storage:

• Tap on the Apple menu and select “About This Mac.”
• Next, go to the “Storage” tab and tap on “Manage.”
• Evaluate the suggestions given by macOS, such as saving the records in iCloud or optimizing storage space.
• Take after the prompts to optimize capacity and evacuate unnecessary records, such as old email attachments and system backups.

Also Read: The verified list of top 5 best duplicate video finder apps.

Final Takeaway

In this write-up, we have covered the basic methods to free up hard drive space on your Windows 10/11 & Mac OS. There is not a single action to maintain the optimal system performance. Rather, there are multiple steps involved to clean up the storage space on your machine. As a result, remember to regularly review your storage usage and perform the aforementioned methods to PC smoothly running.