Effortlessly Clean C Drive in Windows 11 Without Formatting

Struggling with a full C drive on your Windows 11 PC? Here are some quick and easy ways to free up storage without having to format your drive.

How to Clear Up Storage on Your C Drive in Windows 11?​

1. Run Disk Cleanup​

• Open File Explorer by clicking the folder icon on your taskbar.
• Right-click on your C drive and select Properties.
• Click on the Disk Cleanup button.
• In the Disk Cleanup window, select the files you want to delete by checking the appropriate boxes.
• Click OK, then click Delete Files to confirm.
• For additional space, click Clean up system files and repeat the process.

Disk Cleanup helps you remove temporary files, downloaded program files, and other unnecessary files, freeing up space on your C drive.

2. Use Storage Sense​

• Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.
• Go to System and then Storage.
• Turn on Storage Sense if it’s not already on.
  
• Click on Configure Storage Sense or run it now.
• Set your preferences for how often you want to delete temporary files, Recycle Bin content, etc.
• Click on Clean now to immediately run Storage Sense.

Storage Sense automatically deletes unnecessary files, ensuring your C drive stays clean without manual intervention.

3. Uninstall Unnecessary Apps​

• Open Control Panel by typing "Control Panel" in the search bar and selecting it.
• Under Programs, click on Uninstall a program.
  
• Browse through the list of installed applications.
• Right-click on any app you no longer need and select Uninstall.

Uninstalling applications you don't use can significantly free up space on your C drive.

4. Empty Recycle Bin​

• Right-click on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.
• Select Empty Recycle Bin.
• Click Yes to confirm.

Emptying the Recycle Bin ensures that deleted files are permanently removed, freeing up space on your C drive.

5. Delete Large Files​

• Open File Explorer and navigate to your C drive.
• Use the search bar to find large files by typing "size:>100MB".
• Review the search results and delete any large files you no longer need.

Deleting large files can quickly free up significant space on your C drive.

6. Remove Duplicate Files​

• Download and install a duplicate file finder tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant.
• Open the tool and select Duplicate Files Finder.
• Scan your C drive for duplicate files.
• Review the results and delete any duplicate files.

Removing duplicate files helps reclaim space by eliminating unnecessary copies of files.

7. Move Installed Apps to Another Drive​

• Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.
• Go to System, then click on Storage.
• Click on Apps & features.
• Select an application you want to move and click on Move.
• Choose a different drive and click Move again.

Moving apps to another drive frees up space on your C drive while keeping your applications accessible.

8. Allocate Free Space to C Drive​

• Download and install AOMEI Partition Assistant.
• Open the tool and select Allocate Free Space.
• Choose the drive with available space and allocate it to your C drive.
• Click Apply to confirm the changes.

Allocating free space from another drive to your C drive ensures you have enough space for your system files and applications.

These solutions will help you manage and optimize the storage on your C drive, ensuring your PC runs smoothly and efficiently.