When your Windows 11 C drive fills up, important updates may fail to install, and your computer can slow down significantly. Cleaning up your C drive is essential to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently. This guide covers several effective methods to reclaim disk space and optimize your Windows 11 PC.

Method 1: Use Cleanup Recommendations in Windows 11 Settings

Step 1: Open your Windows 11 Settings by clicking the Start button and selecting the gear icon or pressing Win + I. Navigate to System > Storage.

Step 2: Under the Storage settings, click on Cleanup recommendations. Windows will analyze your drive and suggest files you can safely remove, such as Temporary files, Large or unused files, Files synced to the cloud, and Unused apps.

Step 3: Review each category carefully. Select the files or apps you no longer need by checking the boxes next to them. Windows will display the amount of disk space you can reclaim by removing these items.

Step 4: Click Clean up for each category after selecting the items you want to delete. Windows will then remove these files, freeing up valuable space on your C drive.

Note: If you recently upgraded Windows, you may see a "Previous Windows installation" option. Deleting this will remove your ability to revert to the previous Windows version, so only select this if you're certain you won't need to roll back.

Method 2: Run Disk Cleanup

Step 1: Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type cleanmgr and press Enter to launch Disk Cleanup.

Step 2: Select your C drive from the list and click OK. Disk Cleanup will calculate the amount of space you can free up.

Step 3: After the analysis, check the boxes next to the files you wish to remove, such as Temporary files, Delivery Optimization Files, and Windows Update Cleanup. Click Clean up system files to include additional system-related files in the cleanup process.

Step 4: Click OK and confirm deletion when prompted. Disk Cleanup will remove the selected files, freeing up additional disk space.

Method 3: Enable Storage Sense

Step 1: Open Settings (Win + I) and navigate to System > Storage.

Step 2: Click on Storage Sense and toggle it on. Storage Sense automatically deletes temporary files and empties your Recycle Bin regularly.

Step 3: Configure Storage Sense by clicking on Storage Sense settings. You can choose how frequently Storage Sense runs and define rules for deleting temporary files and Recycle Bin contents.

Storage Sense helps maintain your drive space by regularly removing unnecessary files without manual intervention.

Method 4: Move Files to External Storage or Another Drive

If your C drive is still full after cleaning temporary files, consider moving large personal files like videos, photos, and music to another drive or external storage device such as a USB drive or SD card.

Step 1: Connect your external storage device to your PC and open File Explorer.

Step 2: Navigate to folders like Videos, Pictures, and Downloads on your C drive. Right-click the files or folders you want to move and select Cut.

Step 3: Go to your external drive or another internal drive with sufficient free space, right-click an empty area, and select Paste. The files will transfer, freeing up space on your C drive.

To avoid future space issues, you can set Windows to save new files automatically to another drive. Go to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved, and select your preferred drive from the drop-down menus.

Method 5: Reset Microsoft Store and Clear Cache

If you notice your Temp folder filling rapidly, it might be due to Microsoft Store cache issues.

Step 1: To reset the Microsoft Store, open Settings, navigate to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, and click Run next to Windows Store Apps.

Step 2: Clear the Microsoft Store cache by pressing Win + R, typing wsreset.exe, and pressing Enter. A blank Command Prompt window will briefly appear, and the Store will open automatically.

Step 3: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter by navigating to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and clicking Run next to Windows Update.

Restart your PC after these steps to ensure the issue is resolved.

Method 6: Scan for Malware and Viruses

Sometimes, malware or viruses can consume significant disk space. Run a full antivirus scan using Windows Security or your preferred antivirus software to remove any infections and reclaim space.

To perform a scan, click Start, type "Windows Security," select it, and click on Virus & threat protection. Choose Scan options, select Full scan, and click Scan now.

Regularly cleaning your C drive using these methods will keep your Windows 11 system running smoothly and efficiently, preventing issues related to low disk space. Remember to periodically check your storage usage to avoid future problems.