If you’ve been looking for that important file for ten minutes, changing from folder to folder, and had no luck, maybe it’s time to do some PC spring cleaning. Unconsciously, we store a lot of files on our PCs, and sometimes, we don’t realize just how much clutter it is until we are looking for that one paper that is due in two minutes.
A cluttered hard drive and a running “Low on disk space” warning can have a significant effect on your computer’s performance. You’ll find your once quick-to-respond PC lagging and freezing at random times of the day, your boot-up time taking longer as each week passes, and slow response when opening programs and folders.
This is why it is important to declutter every once in a while and free up some storage space while you are at it too!
Here, we find out how to free up space from your hard drive!
Uninstall unnecessary programs
Just because you are not using a program anymore doesn’t mean it’s not taking up space on your hard drive. Every once in a while, evaluate the programs and applications you use and no longer use and uninstall unnecessary ones.
Clean you desktop
It’s tempting to save everything on your desktop where you can easily see and open them anytime. But did you know that desktop clutter can slow down your computer? This is because it is using all these operating memory to display all the time.
Consider deleting, if not, transferring these files, to your Documents, Pictures, and Videos folder. Not only will you free some space but also save yourself some time trying to look for your needed files.
Use the Disk Cleanup Tool (for Win 10 PCs)
This helpful utility program comes in Windows 10 PCs and is one click away from deleting the unnecessary operating system files. This program lets Windows recognize files you need and deletes them for you.
You can do this by:
- Asking Cortana or searching and selecting Disk Cleanup from your search box
- Choose “Drive: C”
It will take a few minutes to complete and longer if it’s your first time using it.
Empty the Recycle Bin
When you delete your files, there’s a higher chance that they’ll sit in your Recycle Bin and continue to take up storage. So when you do delete your files, make sure to Empty Recycle Bin by right-clicking on the recycle bin. It will ask you if want to temporarily delete your files. If yes, then that’s the only time those files are removed from your storage.
Remove temporary files
Each time you visit a website, you leave digital footprints, such as cookies and caches. This is necessary to make your next website visit faster. However, if you need more space or trying to bump up your speed, you can discard these temporary files.
Delete cookies, clear your cache, and delete browsing history.
Consider saving to cloud storage
A time might come where you may not be able to store everything you want on your PC without sacrificing performance and storage space. If this is the case, consider saving to a cloud storage service.
This is recommended if you want to backup some files. Photos you can’t delete, videos you treasure, and documents that are handy for the future can be saved into your cloud storage. This is also so you can protect your files just in case your PC fails, you lose your device or any other hardware failure.
Save up for Hard Drive Upgrade
Most of the tips mentioned above are temporary and must be done routinely. Eventually, you’ll install a program that you won’t use in a few months time and uninstall it again, you need to utilize the Disk Cleanup Tool every time you need to discard unnecessary operating files, your cloud storage will fill up, and you just can’t resist but downloads tons of files every day.
If you’ve been experiencing a recurring “Low on disk space” warning, you might consider upgrading to a bigger drive.
If your laptop’s hard drive is upgradeable, you can purchase a bigger drive and swap it yourself. Note, only do this if you are experienced or you know what you are doing.