N
The Daily Insight

How do I free up 20GB on Windows 10?

Author

Daniel Martin

Updated on February 21, 2026

Windows 10 Update Wastes 20GB: How to Get It Back
  1. Launch Disk Cleanup.
  2. Select the C drive and Click Ok.
  3. Click Clean up system files.
  4. Select the C drive again and click Ok.
  5. Select Previous Windows Installations and hit Ok.
  6. Click Delete Files.
  7. Click Yes if prompted to confirm.

Correspondingly, how do I free up more GB on Windows 10?

Free up drive space in Windows 10

  1. Open the Start menu and select Settings > System > Storage. Open Storage settings.
  2. Turn on Storage sense to have Windows delete unneccesary files automatically.
  3. To delete unnecessary files manually, select Change how we free up space automatically.

Also Know, how do I free up GB on my computer? Here's how to free up hard drive space on your desktop or laptop, even if you've never done it before.

  1. Uninstall unnecessary apps and programs.
  2. Clean your desktop.
  3. Get rid of monster files.
  4. Use the Disk Cleanup Tool.
  5. Discard temporary files.
  6. Deal with downloads.
  7. Save to the cloud.

Similarly one may ask, how do I free up 30gb on Windows 10?

Open Settings and go to System > Storage. Under Storage Sense click Free up space now. On the next screen, click select the Previous Windows Installation(s) option, then click Remove Files.

Is 20GB enough for Windows 10?

According to Microsoft, the 32-bit (or x86) version of Windows 10 requires a total 16GB of free space, while the 64-bit version requires 20GB. On some devices, such as Windows 10 tablets with only 16GB or 32GB of storage, Windows may perform a compressed installation.

Related Question Answers

Is CCleaner safe?

In January 2017, CNET gave the program a "Very Good" rating. However, in September 2017, CCleaner malware was discovered. Hackers took the legitimate program and inserted malicious code that was designed to steal data from users.

How do I clear my RAM on Windows 10?

How to Make the Most of Your RAM
  1. Restart Your Computer. The first thing you can try to free up RAM is restarting your computer.
  2. Update Your Software.
  3. Try a Different Browser.
  4. Clear Your Cache.
  5. Remove Browser Extensions.
  6. Track Memory and Clean Up Processes.
  7. Disable Startup Programs You Don't Need.
  8. Stop Running Background Apps.

Why is C: drive full Windows 10?

Generally, C drive full is an error message that when the C: drive is running out of space, Windows will prompt this error message on your computer: "Low Disk Space. You are running out of disk space on Local Disk (C:). Click here to see if you can free space o this drive."

How do I free up space without deleting apps?

First of all, we would like to share two easy and quick ways to free up Android space without removing any applications.
  1. Clear the cache. A large number of Android apps use the stored or cached data to ensure a better user experience.
  2. Store your photos online.

How do I clear up my RAM?

Task manager
  1. From any Home screen, tap Apps.
  2. Scroll to and tap Task Manager.
  3. Choose one of the following options:
  4. Tap the Menu key, and then tap Settings.
  5. To automatically clear your RAM:
  6. To prevent automatic clearing of RAM, clear the Auto clear RAM check box.

What files can I delete from Windows 10?

Windows suggests different types of files you can remove, including Recycle Bin files, Windows Update Cleanup files, upgrade log files, device driver packages, temporary internet files, and temporary files.

Why is my C drive full for no reason?

Why is C: drive full? Viruses and malware may keep generating files to fill your system drive. You may have saved large files to C: drive that you are not aware of. Pages files, previous Windows installation, temporary files, and other system files may have taken up the space of your system partition.

Why is my SSD so full?

Just as the case has mentioned, the SSD gets full because of the installation of Steam. The easiest way to solve this SSD full for no reason issue is uninstalling some programs. Step 1. In Windows 8/8.1, you can type "uninstall" and then select "Programs and Features" from the results.

How do I free up 40gb on Windows 10?

Luckily, Windows has an option to remove all this data. Click on the start button and go to “Settings.” From all the options that appear, click on “System” and then “Storage.” Find the option “Storage sense” and right below “Free up space now.” Go for it.

What are Windows Update Cleanup files?

The Windows Update Cleanup feature is designed to help you to regain valuable hard disk space by removing bits and pieces of old Windows updates that are no longer needed.

How do I delete unnecessary files in Windows 10?

Disk cleanup in Windows 10
  1. In the search box on the taskbar, type disk cleanup, and select Disk Cleanup from the list of results.
  2. Select the drive you want to clean up, and then select OK.
  3. Under Files to delete, select the file types to get rid of. To get a description of the file type, select it.
  4. Select OK.

What is taking up space on my hard drive Windows 10?

To see how the hard drive space is being used on Windows 10 version 1809 or older releases, use these steps:
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Click on System.
  3. Click on Storage.
  4. Under the “Local storage” section, click the drive to see the storage usage.
  5. While on “Storage usage,” you can see what's taking up space on the hard drive.

Why is my laptop so slow?

A slow computer is often caused by too many programs running simultaneously, taking up processing power and reducing the PC's performance. Click the CPU, Memory, and Disk headers to sort the programs that are running on your computer by how much of your computer's resources they are taking.

Is 30GB enough for Windows 10?

Windows 10 needs at least 16 (32-bit) or 20GB (64-bit). As a matter of fact, there are already some devices like HDMI sticks, AiOs and x86 Atom/Celeron SBCs with only 32GB of eMMC storage which run Windows 10. That said, 30GB will be enough but you might run out of space for installing applications.

How can I clean up my computer?

How to clean your computer, Step 1: Hardware
  1. Wipe down your computer.
  2. Clean Your keyboard.
  3. Blow dust buildup out of computer vents, fans and accessories.
  4. Run check disk tool.
  5. Check surge protector.
  6. Keep PC ventilated.
  7. Back up your hard drives.
  8. Get antivirus software to protect from malware.

Why is my phone full of storage?

If your smartphone is set to automatically update its apps as new versions become available, you could easily wake up to less available phone storage. Major app updates can take up more space than the version you had previously installed—and can do it without warning.

Does Disk Cleanup delete files?

Disk Cleanup helps free up space on your hard disk, creating improved system performance. Disk Cleanup searches your disk and then shows you temporary files, Internet cache files, and unnecessary program files that you can safely delete. You can direct Disk Cleanup to delete some or all of those files.

How can I clean up my laptop?

How to Do Disk Cleanup to Make Your Computer Run Faster
  1. Step 1: In “File Explorer”, right-click on your “C” drive, then left-click on “Properties”.
  2. Step 2: Click on “Disk Cleanup”
  3. Step 3: Select all items under, “Files to delete”.
  4. Step 4: Delete the selected files.
  5. Step 5: Click on, “OK”.

What is taking up my hard drive space?

Or what is taking up space on my hard drive? Many users may ask problems like these. Usually, the hard drive space is occupied by system files, installed apps or personal files, backups, virus or other malware, or other unknown files.

Is it safe to Disk Cleanup?

For the most part, the items in Disk Cleanup are safe to delete. But, if your computer isn't running properly, deleting some of these things may prevent you from uninstalling updates, rolling back your operating system, or just troubleshooting a problem, so they're handy to keep around if you have the space.

What Windows files can I delete?

Here are some Windows files and folders (that are totally safe to remove) you should delete to save space on your computer or laptop.
  • The Temp Folder.
  • The Hibernation File.
  • The Recycle Bin.
  • Downloaded Program Files.
  • The Windows Old Folder Files.
  • Windows Update Folder.

What can I delete from C drive?

Files that can be safely deleted from C drive:
  1. Temporary files.
  2. Download files.
  3. Browser's cache files.
  4. Old Windows log files.
  5. Windows upgrade files.
  6. Recycle Bin.
  7. Desktop files.

How do you delete temp files?

Click any image for a full-size version.
  1. Press the Windows Button + R to open the "Run" dialog box.
  2. Enter this text: %temp%
  3. Click "OK." This will open your temp folder.
  4. Press Ctrl + A to select all.
  5. Press "Delete" on your keyboard and click "Yes" to confirm.
  6. All temporary files will now be deleted.

Why does Windows 10 take up 20GB?

Since Windows 10 takes up about 20GB, the backup folder eats up all that space. Upgrading from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 also creates this backup folder. The reason Windows 10 keeps a backup is to help you roll back to the previous build number in the event that you have a serious problem.

How many GB do you need for Windows 10?

A fresh install of Windows 10 takes up about 15 GB of storage space. Most of that is made up of system and reserved files while 1 GB is taken up by default apps and games that come with Windows 10.

How much RAM does Windows 10 require?

Microsoft's Teams collaboration platform has become something of a memory hog, meaning Windows 10 users need at least 16GB of RAM to keep things running smoothly.

How big should my C drive be?

-- We suggest that you set around 120 to 200 GB for the C drive. even if you install a lot of heavy games, it would be sufficient. -- Once you have set the size for the C drive, the disk management tool will start partitioning the drive.

When did Windows 11 come out?

Video: Microsoft reveals Windows 11

And many press images for Windows 11 include a date of Oct. 20 in the taskbar, The Verge noted.

Is 40GB enough Windows 10?

40GB is not large enough. 80GB you can get by with but I would recommend 120 as a minimum. Even then you need to mange your usage and keep the drive clean of accumulated temp and junk files.

What is the cost of Windows 10 operating system?

You can choose from three versions of the Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10 Home costs $139 and is suited for a home computer or gaming. Windows 10 Pro costs $199.99 and is suited for businesses or large enterprises.

How many GB is Windows 10 64-bit?

Windows 10 Increases in Size

The Windows 10 May 2019 update brought some unwelcome news. Microsoft used the update to increase the Windows 10 installation size from 16GB for 32-bit, and 20GB for 64-bit, to 32GB for both versions. The drastic increase in size relates to an alteration to the Windows 10 update process.

Is 64GB enough for Windows 10?

Is 64GB enough to run Windows 10? 64GB is big enough for Windows 10, but only Windows 10 – not your applications and content. Many applications install fonts and DLL's into the Windows directory, so even if you install the applications elsewhere, they will also consume some of the 64GB. Windows major updates are large.