6 Tips To Free Up Drive Space In PC

You have probably noticed that your PC slows down considerably when the hard disk space runs low. Running low on space can be very frustrating. You will have a low disk space warning popping up every time and interfering with your concentration.

Apart from the warning sign, you will find it hard to run many programs at the same time. No matter how large your hard drive is, you will experience this challenge at some point. If you are lucky, your PC may have extra slots where you can add more hard drives.

But not every PC comes with the option for additional hard drives. You will have to find a way to work around the problem of running out of disk space. Companies such as TrendMicro.com have realized this challenge and come up with solutions to help PC users acquire extra storage space.

With the tips below, you will be able to get extra space and maximize your PC’s potential.

1. Uninstall Unnecessary Programs

Many people have their PCs filled with programs they do not use. Some of these programs came preinstalled while some are installed by owners but are no longer useful.

You can find out which programs are taking up unnecessary space in your hard drive and uninstall them. If you are using Windows 10, go to Settings menu > Apps > Apps & Features and select Sort by Size. This will show you all your programs and the hard drive space they occupy so that you can decide which ones to uninstall.

To uninstall any program, right-click on it and select uninstall. Some programs such as Legacy Software may not appear on the list of programs. If you suspect you have such a program, search them through the Start Menu then uninstall.

2. Empty the Recycle Bin

When you delete files from your PC, they are not deleted automatically. Instead, they are removed from the main folder and stored in a section of the hard drive called the Recycle Bin. Yes, just like you put trash in your trashcan.

Like you have to keep emptying your trash can, you have to empty the recycle bin regularly. The Recycle Bin is a useful option in windows because in case you mistakenly delete a file, you can go and recover it from the Recycle Bin.

As the Recycle bin fills up, it increasingly takes up more space on your hard drive. To empty the recycle bin, go to the recycle bin icon on the desktop, right-click and select the ‘empty recycle bin’ option.

If the recycle bin was full, you could claim up to ten percent of hard drive space through this method.

3. Use Windows Disk Cleanup

You have probably noticed your hard drive space running low, yet there is nothing that seems to be taking up space. There are a lot of activities that go on behind your screen and end up taking up space and memory on your PC.

If you don’t know what’s eating your hard drive space, Windows has some inbuilt features that can be handy in analyzing your PC and removing junk files. Disk Cleanup is one such feature, and it can help you recover gigabytes of data.

To use Disk Cleanup, go to:

• Start > Computer
• Right-click hard drive then select ‘properties’.
• Go to the ‘General’ tab and select ‘Disk Cleanup’.

This will initiate Disk Cleanup to scan your PC and determine what junk files it can delete to save disk space.

4. Delete Temporary Files

Your PC saves so many temporary fills to help save time when booting up, running programs, or browsing. If you never delete these files, they may build up and take considerable hard disk space.

Using Disk Cleanup is an easy option for deleting temporary files. But Disk Cleanup is limited in options as it does not delete files from external programs. So, temporary file such as cookies, stored by programs such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox will still be eating up space.

To delete temporary files from browsers, you can go to the Settings menu on the browser and clear browsing data or use a third-party application.

5. Remove Duplicate Files

As you download and save items on your computer, you end up with a lot of duplicate files. There is no easy way in windows to find duplicate files and delete them. The only reliable way is using third-party software.

There are free tools that can help you find and delete duplicate files, but it’s a daunting task. Several commercial programs like Duplicate Cleaner Pro, Duplicate Sweeper are available to help you find and delete these duplicate files automatically.

These are built for the ordinary user with little knowledge of command language. These programs come with a user-friendly interface and useful features for finding and deleting duplicate files.

The only challenge is you might have to spend a few bucks to get these programs. However, you can opt for trial versions to test and see if they offer the services you are looking for. 

6. Use External or Cloud Storage

Creating space in your hard disk is only possible if you have unnecessary files that you can delete. But what happens when you have deleted everything and your disk space is still low?

You may have precious photos, music, videos, and other files that you cannot delete. When it comes to that, external storage is the only option you have. For external storage, you can choose an external hard drive or cloud storage.

An external hard drive is just the same as an internal disk only that it is not installed on the PC. You can move all important documents and files that you do not regularly use to an external hard drive.

You also have the option of cloud storage such as Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, and others. This option allows you to store your files on remote servers. You will need internet access for this, and you will not be able to access your files without internet access as well.

Conclusion

If you use your PC a lot, especially for important functions such as work, having it on optimum functionality is important. Having a slow PC due to low storage can be annoying. Even having to clear space every time you need to save something significant is time-wasting and frustrating.

These tips will ensure that your PC always has adequate space and you can save time and have a happy time working.