At some point, most of us run out of storage capacity.
When this happens to you, it is important to know how to properly clean the computer, i.e. free up computer space.
The following sections will teach you how to free up disk space on your computer.
In Windows, you have several alternatives for freeing up space.
Use the Disk Cleanup option to clean up the disk
- Press the Windows key, and then type Disk Cleanup in the search field.
- Select the disk on which you want additional space and click OK.
- Check the box next to the things that are taking up disk space in the Disk Cleanup window, and then click OK.
- Click the Delete Files button when prompted.
Remove outdated applications or programs from your computer
Uninstalling programs, even games you no longer use can free up a lot of disk space.
Learn how to uninstall a program or application.
Turn off System Restore
Windows users can also save many gigabytes of hard disk space by reducing the default space used by Windows System Restore.
To disable System Restore, follow the procedures.
- Press the Windows key, then enter the restore point and press Enter.
- On the System Protection tab of the System Properties window, click the Configure button.
- Select the Disable system protection option under System protection that appears.
- To disable System Restore, click the Apply button, then click OK.
Compression
You have the option to compress your hard drive when you run Disk Cleanup.
Users are strongly advised not to compress their hard drives or their old data.
Change the location of the swap file
Consider moving the replacement file to another drive if your computer has more than one hard drive and the C: drive is low on capacity.
Hibernation should be turned off
You can stop this feature by turning off your computer instead of using hibernation mode to save a lot of space.
How can I turn off Windows hibernate mode?
Windows 3.x i MS-DOS
To delete all temporary files on the hard disk, type del *.tmp /s and del *.chk /s from the MS-DOS prompt.
Remove any software products or games you no longer use.
macOS
You have several choices for freeing up space on your iMac or Macbook.
Organize your hard drive storage
- To access the Apple menu, click the Apple icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu.
- Click the Storage tab at the top of the System Information window that appears.
- On the right-hand side, click the Manage option.
- Hard disk management options are shown in the menu below.
You can follow Apple’s recommended procedures for cleaning up space or pick things up yourself by selecting one of the tabs on the left.
Remove outdated applications from your computer
Uninstalling programs, even games you no longer use can free up a lot of disk space.
How to remove or uninstall a program on a Mac
Uninstalling apps from your MacBook or iMac can be beneficial for a variety of reasons, including freeing up space.
Fewer applications on your computer save disk space and make your computer run faster and smoother.
Furthermore, certain macOS programs will not be successfully upgraded unless the previous version is uninstalled first.
Follow the instructions below to find out how to remove the software on your Mac.
Uninstalling software or application
At the bottom of the screen, click the Finder icon in the Dock.
Click the macOS application selector on the left side of the window that appears, below the Favorites area.
Find the app or apps you want to remove.
Select Move to Trash from the drop-down menu when you right-click an application icon.
Right-click the trash can icon in the Dock when you’re done selecting apps to remove.
Select Empty Trash from the menu.
We hope we’ve helped you free up space on your computer.
Read more.