Checking how much storage you have left on Windows 10 takes seconds, and seeing what is using the space tells you exactly what to clean up. This guide covers the quick check in File Explorer, the detailed breakdown in Settings, how to check other drives, and how to free space once you know what’s taking it. It also clears up a common mix-up between storage and memory (RAM).
Quick Answer
Press Windows + E and click This PC. Each drive shows a bar with free and total space. For a breakdown by category (apps, temporary files, documents), go to Settings > System > Storage.
Method 1: This PC (Fastest)
- Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
- Click This PC in the left pane.
- Under Devices and drives, each drive shows a bar and text such as “153 GB free of 476 GB.” The bar turns red when a drive is nearly full.
Right-click a drive and choose Properties to see exact used and free space and a pie chart.
Method 2: Settings > Storage (Detailed Breakdown)
- Press Windows + I and go to System > Storage.
- The top shows used and free space on your C: drive.
- Below, see categories such as Apps & features, Temporary files, Documents, and Pictures. Click Show more categories for the rest.
- Click a category to see details and take action, such as uninstalling large apps or deleting temporary files.
To see other drives, click View storage usage on other drives (under More storage settings).
Method 3: Disk Management (All Disks and Partitions)
- Right-click Start and choose Disk Management.
- The list shows every drive and partition with Capacity and Free Space, including drives without a letter.
This is useful when a new drive doesn’t appear in This PC, or to see how the disk is partitioned.
Storage vs. Memory (RAM)
People often say “storage” when they mean memory, or the other way around:
- Storage (hard drive or SSD) holds your files and apps, for example 256 GB or 1 TB. Check it with the methods above.
- Memory (RAM) is temporary working space, for example 8 GB or 16 GB. Check it in Settings > System > About (Installed RAM) or Task Manager > Performance > Memory.
Free Up Space Fast
- Temporary files: Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files, check the items you want to remove (be careful with Downloads), and click Remove files.
- Storage Sense: turn it on to delete temporary files and old Recycle Bin items automatically. Click Configure Storage Sense or run it now to set a schedule.
- Uninstall large apps: Settings > Apps > Apps & features, sort by Size.
- Empty the Recycle Bin and clear your Downloads folder.
- Move files such as videos and photos to an external drive or cloud storage.
- Disk Cleanup: search for Disk Cleanup, choose C:, click Clean up system files, and remove items like Windows Update Cleanup and Previous Windows installation(s).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my drive smaller than advertised?
Manufacturers count 1 GB as 1 billion bytes, while Windows uses binary units, so a 512 GB drive shows about 476 GB. A recovery partition also takes a little space.
How much free space should I keep?
Keep at least 10–15% free on your Windows drive for updates and good performance.
What is “Other” in Storage?
Files and folders Windows can’t categorize, often large files in unusual locations. Click it to see the biggest folders.
Summary
- Open This PC in File Explorer for a quick look.
- Use Settings > System > Storage for a breakdown.
- Use Disk Management to see every disk and partition.
- Clean temporary files and turn on Storage Sense to free space.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.