Windows

How to Free Up Disk Space Using Windows 10 Storage Sense

We all know what it feels like to run into a full storage. While there are plenty of important files on our computer, sometimes the storage just gets clogged because of junk and unused files. The good news for Windows 10 users is that the new Storage Sense will make cleaning up these files a lot easier ā€“ even automated. The new feature was introduced in the Creators Update that came out earlier this year ā€“ if you’ve not yet done the update, it is definitely worth it to ensure you enjoy this particular feature as well as some other cool tricks that came with the update.

So, if you are one of those that constantly suffering from low disk space, here’s something to help you out. Here’s how you can free up disk space by using the Storage Sense on your Windows.

Enabling Storage Sense

The feature is disabled by default so you need to enable it before it’ll start cleaning your junk files. Once you enable it, the system will start deleting specific temporary files automatically ā€“ this includes temporary files created by apps and any files you’ve moved to the recycle bin and kept them there for over 30 days.

You can enable Storage Sense by going to the Settings file on your Windows 10. Click Systems and then Storage to find the Storage Sense notification. The toggle switch will be turned off and all you need to do is turn it on.

Now you’ve enabled Storage Sense and the program will start automatically deleting the junk files.

Configuring Storage Sense

Once you’ve enabled the program, you can configure it to specifically focus on certain files as well as how the deleting takes place. Again, this is a super simple thing to do.

You need to go to Setting, click on Systems and then Storage. You will see a link saying ‘ Change how we free up space’ right under the toggle switch for Storage Sense. Click on the link.

It’ll provide you with options on the items you want to delete. You can choose to delete temporary files that apps are not using and files that have been in the recycle bin for over 30 days. You can select either these options, or just one of them, depending on your needs.

If you are already low on disk space, you can perform the cleaning process immediately. There is a section for ‘Free up space now’. Just click the ‘Clean now’ button and the system will delete the files you’ve chosen to be deleted. The process shouldn’t last too long, although it will depend on how much deleting you have to do.

From there on, Storage Sense will keep checking your temporary files and binned files regularly and destroying anything that fits the prescription. Remember that you can configure and disable the program at any point.

What will the system delete?

As mentioned briefly above, the system will delete certain temporary files, created by apps, along with any files you’ve had on your recycling bin for more than 30 days. If you are looking to delete temporary files such as Windows Update logs, you will need to do this manually. The program won’t delete any previous versions of Windows 10 either.

Furthermore, the binned files will stay in the bin for over 30 days before the system will classify them as ready for deleting. Therefore, if you move a big file to the bin, you might want to manually delete the file using Disk Cleanup. This ensures you free the space immediately and don’t need to wait for a month for the automatic deletion.

If you’d like a more comprehensive way to automatically delete temporary files or other specific files, you can do this with the Disk Cleanup system. However, the above is a great way to start clearing junk without much effort and will be sufficient for most users.

If you’ve not yet made the upgrade to Windows 10, you should definitely consider it. You can find the operating system online and if you shop around, there are plenty of ways to save money on the operating systems and any additional software you might like. Frugaa.com has plenty of technology retailers offering discounts so don’t forget to compare prices to find the best deal.

Furthermore, if you are currently running out of disk space, you should consider using an external storage for some of your files. This can free up more space for the necessary Windows files and ensures you don’t need to worry about storage issues on a regular basis. Things that are great for storing on an external disk include things like photos, movies, games and so on. If you are looking for a great external storage, then check out reviews and find the one that suits your needs the best.

Hopefully, with the above instructions, you are able to benefit from the Storage Sense to the full and make those annoying “out of storage” pop-ups a thing of the past!

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