Windows folder in c drive is huge. But do I still need all those .

Windows folder in c drive is huge Users often reported that the folder can grow to a massive 50 GB or Sep 24, 2020 · Hi, C: drive of my server is almost full, total capacity of is 60 GB. I can understand you are having query\issues related to Windows Installer folder huge size. I noticed that my Windows… Searching for Large Files in Windows Occasionally, you may want to perform an advanced search to find large files somewhere on your computer. is it fair amount of size and how can i clear some space. Jul 23, 2025 · Method 1: How to Find Large Files on Windows 11 Using File Explorer Step 1: Open Windows File Explorer Open File Explorer by pressing (Windows Key + E). These might be in places like C:\Windows\Temp or C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Temp. my users folder is 23gb. Jan 21, 2018 · My Windows folder in my C drive is huge (75. . , C:). The Windows folder (C: Windows) has been by biggest obstacle. Clean up the C:\Windows\Installer folder using this tool. Choose a Windows version to get started. Dec 6, 2022 · If your hard drive is full, you can find large files on Windows 10 and then delete it. See full list on ubackup. Windows installer cache is stored in the C:\Windows\Installer folder, which you shouldn't delete. So… Jun 30, 2025 · How to Fix the “Users Folder Taking Space in C” Issue To Sum Up What Is the Windows Users Folder The Windows Users folder is a directory that stores personal data and settings for each user account on a Windows computer. MiniTool shows you how to find large files and folders on Windows 10 and then tells you what files and folders can be deleted. Then, narrow the search down to large files only, and sort by size. Mar 17, 2023 · Hello Thank you for your question and reaching out. Start with finding the biggest or largest files on Windows 11/10. I then located the user's folder which to my surprise I found Dec 7, 2020 · I've taken shots of the main C-Drive and then the AppData folder, concentrating on the 2 large folders inside: Roaming and Local. Step 2: Go to the Drive Navigate to the drive you want to search (e. Windows 11 Pro sometimes houses extremely large files in the C:\Windows\CSC folder due to the Client-Side Caching (CSC) mechanism. msp (and a few . msp-/. I did just free up another 1gb using the disk cleanup tool. Have a customer who has a W7 VM running on iMacs. Windows’ built-in uninstaller more often than not leaves residual program data and Registry entries. If you try to search for objects over a certain size in Windows File Explorer, it simply doesn't find folders at all. Dec 12, 2024 · Why Temp folder keeps filling up C drive and how to fix it? This post will help you clean up the full Temp folder quickly on Windows 10/11. 9GB, which is three times as large as the Windows Folder on my desktop PC (I use Windows 10 pro on both). Here's how to Fix Windows folder too big in Windows issue. What can I safely delete from the C: drive, especially the Windows system folder? Jun 8, 2016 · I have windows 10. My question is simple - how Apr 25, 2021 · So I was looking at the drive I use to store windows on, in my case I have it stored on a 500GB Samsung SSD, and I was trying to clear out space for potentially installing my main games on it. Using this feature, you can locate those memory-hogging files and get them removed from your PC. The “Other”’ storage is a category in the Storage settings that contains various drive root files, system files, temporary caches, and other miscellaneous files. Even that can generate multiple gigs of temp files over several months. The Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders are deeply integrated into the Windows operating system. 63. This folder is used to keep crucial files for programmes installed using the Windows Installer technology. Addressing this issue requires a combination of disk management, cleanup tools, and, in some cases, deeper Thanks; there's only 1. Move large files to an external drive or cloud storage. If you need to free up storage space on your drive quickly do things like empty the temp folder, purge your downloads, look for things in Documents and Pictures that can go (back them up if needed), etc. Clean up the WinSxS folder via this guide. Is there any way to compress this folder?" Why is the Windows folder so large on Windows 10? Over time, the C drive – the Aug 27, 2024 · If your hard disk space is slowly filling up, freeing up some space is needed. 0 GB), is this normal and is there away to reduce it? Anonymous Jan 21, 2018, 2:17 PM Jun 26, 2023 · By default, the Windows operating system is installed on the C drive. 3gb; this is my only drive so of current I am unable to download anything) Apparently Windows is taking up 46gb of space on my computer Jun 6, 2025 · Conclusion What Is Other Storage on Windows When opening the Storage window, you may find that the Other files are filling up the C drive. 2GB of this space is used by a single hidden folder - C:\Windows\Installer, all of the space is taken up by multiple . Using the file explorer you can quickly find the Large files on your system as follows: 1. So, I plan on freeing up some space for the C drive by deleting some unnecessary files. Understanding how to safely access, manage, and delete these files can save you significant disk space and prevent frustrating storage-related issues. I find the Windows folder takes up over 20GB of space. I have windows 10. But do I still need all those . If you have a Windows folder that is taking up a significant amount of space on your computer, ther Nov 14, 2025 · Technically, yes — you can move your Program Files folder to another drive in Windows 10/11, but it’s not recommended for most users. msi) files, which have been progressively building on my machine for the past 9 years. What I might recommend is to use TreeSize to pinpoint any particular folders inside the Windows Installer folder which are taking up a particularly large amount of space. g. Nov 30, 2020 · We are monitoring the disk space on a file server (every 15min) and we are looking at the heavy use of space in the 'C: \Windows' folder. Oct 24, 2022 · Adding a second disk and relocating some large folders to it, is also quite easy. Other than these I May 12, 2023 · The Windows folder is too big on my Windows 10 PC "As the C drive is almost full, my PC is gradually becoming slow and sluggish. What causes the Windows folder size too large issue? Jul 1, 2025 · To free up space on a full C drive in Windows, delete temporary files, uninstall unused programs, and run Disk Cleanup. I am now left with ~20GB free space, and I don't think that is enough for another major update. Go to the Storage menu in your Windows Settings to see which files take up the most space. Is there a reason for this? And is there anything I can do Nov 17, 2016 · You have to take into account all the windows related folders rather than just the actual Windows folder, things like Program Files, Users and the hidden folders can easily fill an 80GB drive after a short time in use. Jul 25, 2024 · As a result, you might have unknowingly saved large files Cache, temporary downloads, and junk files from Windows could be present on the local drive C How do I stop C drive from getting full automatically in Windows 11? 1. Sep 19, 2018 · Hey guys, the folder C:\\Windows\\Installer is enormous on my PC as its size is now at around 36GB. That's always my starting points. Nov 28, 2017 · My Windows Installer folder is 30 GB. The folder occupies ~150GB (that is ~60% of my C: drive) Among other sources, I u Jul 7, 2021 · It showed that there was 26. com Jun 13, 2025 · This post explains why Windows folder is too big in C drive and shows how to free up disk space on a Windows PC. Sep 3, 2024 · To see the biggest files on Windows 10, you can use the built-in tools and some third-party options. Step 3: Search by Size In the search bar, type size:Large (128MB-1GB), size:Huge (1GB-4GB), or size:Giganti c (>4GB). Perform a Disk Cleanup Press the Windows + E key combination to launch File Explorer. My other drives have this unknown thing but it's small at 800mb-1gb each. Apr 9, 2014 · I have an SSD boot drive with Windows 7 on it. Lastly, certain Windows features like hibernation files and system restore points can also contribute to storage space depletion. Mar 22, 2020 · The Windows Installer Cache, located in c:\windows\installer folder, is used to store important files for applications installed using the Windows Installe r technology and should not be deleted. Size of the "C:\\windows\\Installer" folder is around 17 GB, Would like to know the use this folder and if cleanup can be done to recover some free space considering it is… Dec 9, 2020 · Hi So I'm trying to free up space in my C drive. I would say its pretty effective at cleaning up old update files and uninstallers, as its keeping my install pretty small. This can be quite a big issue if your Windows system is on a rather small-sized SSD hard drive. I'm using Windows 10 Home 21H2. Jan 11, 2024 · What is AppData Local Packages folder in Windows 11/10? Why is it so huge? Can we delete Packages folder? How to clean AppData folder? Jul 16, 2025 · Finding Large Windows Files Open your main drive in File Explorer and search for *, which shows all files. Software products install by default to C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86), but there is not any constraint to do so. Hard disk filling up? You can use built-in functions and other apps to find large files in Windows. Nov 28, 2024 · Generally speaking, if the Windows folder takes up 20% or more space of the C drive, it can be considered that the Windows folder is too large. All of the threads I've found tend to recommend the same things which don't solve the problem, and then go dead. I read online that the 40gb might be restore points which would make sense since i create a lot of restore points for my C drive bur very rarely for Jun 6, 2024 · Delete temporary files in the C: drive Temporary files pile up in different folders on your C: drive over time and take up a lot of space. Only files. By using File Explorer, Command Prompt, or specialized software, you can identify and manage large files, freeing up space and improving system performance. If you open your C drive, you will see many folders there, including Windows, Program Files, Program Files (x86), etc. I have a Windows 7 system, and my C: drive is regularly getting full. Jul 26, 2023 · Hello! I have a Windows 10 22H2 OS on a computer which is 9 years old, but working well (it is a high end computer). May 31, 2025 · Additionally, large media files like videos, music, and photos can quickly fill up your drive if you don’t manage them carefully. Currently, it is at 41. I noticed that in Roaming it seems I have a 25GB folder called Apple Computer which I think is the backup to my iphone, not much I can do about that, but maybe it doesn't need to be on the C-Drive? Feb 25, 2025 · Discover how to locate large folders in Windows 11 with this step-by-step guide, optimizing your storage and enhancing system performance. It has 128GB of disk space. Is this a normal behavior on OS Windows? Aug 6, 2020 · Soo can i remove it or is it necessary for windows. I have already used the disk clean up to remove the old things so i do not understand what is taking all that space. Use a third-party tool for easier navigation and location of large files. System files, update caches, and hidden folders can quickly consume gigabytes, leaving little room for daily tasks and even causing performance slowdowns. The %TEMP% folder with logon session ID is deleted - Windows Server Winkey + R > cleanmgr > C: > click the "Clean up System Files" button > check off what you want to get rid of Disable hibernate - hibernate puts a large 5-10GB file at your root C: directory, if you don't use the hibernate feature, just disable it. 7 Gb free In C drive, but dell backup and recovery still had folders left in program files etc, indicating that the uninstall was not complete. Jul 5, 2024 · My C: drive is full without reason and what can I do? This article covers 7 methods to fix it and help free up space on C drive in Windows 11/10/8/7. Jan 16, 2012 · 32 In typical PCs the Size of Windows Folder is 6 to 8 GB but in my Case its 25GB. Is there a way to clean up that folder without killing Windows 8. My windows folder is taking 50gb of my ssd. This can both bloat the Registry and take unnecessary space on your drive. For example my friends installation is 30gb while mine is 50gb, what can i do to reduce its size Aug 19, 2016 · I had recently upgraded to Windows 10 and noticed that the C-drive is almost up to 140GB of the whole 145GB drive. Oct 29, 2011 · Windows folder size is huge and taking over my hard drive - by design? I've been working on a thorough system cleanup in an attempt to get my hard drive usage down to a minimum. It's been a consistent problem for me for years Oct 6, 2022 · I have yet another problem with the System Volume Information folder on my machine. 1/10? Tucking away the Closed 11 years ago. having a third party tool that deletes windows files in the winsxs folder is playing a dangerous game Aug 3, 2019 · 4 I have a serious problem with disk space on my laptop (a Medion Erazer), since the size of the Windows folder just keeps growing for no apparent reason. 9GB in that temp folder and I don't see any 'details' section in c:drive properties. my C/windows folder is only 18gb. Open File Explorer and select the This PC from the left-hand side to find the larger files on entire computer, or double-click at any disk drive to locate the largest files on it. While this data can be in many places, like Program Files and ProgramData, most of it is found in the AppData folder in the user’s folder. Jul 14, 2022 · Scripts to clean profile folder and prevent TEMP user profile creation - Windows Server Provides a script to clean up profile folder information and prevent TEMP user profiles from being created. May 14, 2025 · My Windows Folder In My C Drive Is Huge (75. If 1-5 folders are taking the majority of the space up (like 200+GB) then consider inspecting their contents to try and figure out what software dumped them in there. There is about 1gb in the winsxs temp folder, but that really isn't going to make much of a difference to most. I keep all (most) of my applications on my HDD. Windows 10 (Similar to Windows 8) Windows 7 May 2, 2024 · If you’ve been using your Windows computer for a long time without a reformat, you might have noticed that the “ C:\Windows\Installer ” folder has grown into a giant-sized folder, which keeps increasing in size over time. I couldn't believe it was taking up 22GB of space even after running both CCleaner and Windows Disk Cleanup. msi-files? Disk Cleanup doesn’t delete those files and Windows Installer Cleanup May 14, 2025 · Sudden drops in available storage on the C drive have become a frequent headache for users after installing Windows 11 24H2. I go to the properties of my USER folder and it shows 77GB, however whenever I access the folder and check every single file in it, they all seem to be not more than 10 GB and I'm checking EVERYTHING. Luckily, Windows has a pretty useful feature that lets you find and delete these files easily without having to dig through folders. Moving these folders outright can easily cause apps to malfunction or Windows to become unstable. On my SSD machine, the C:\\Windows\\Installer folder is massive and takes up about 15% of my total disk space. I installed fallout 4 onto that drive, which was a mistake I think now. Here is how to search for large files. Those generally include running disk cleanup as admin (doesn't touch the problem) or trying a sketchy 3rd party cleaner program. The Documents folder is probably the likeliest to gain space, see Quickly Move My Documents to Another Drive in Windows 10. I’ve seen older posts from WinXP ages, that said you should not delete it and I’m not gonna do that as I see the product IDs of all installed software as folders inside it. I have a 128 GB SSD where my C drive lives, and I do not have many programs installed. It contains subfolders for Desktop, Downloads, Documents, Videos, and Pictures, along with other configuration files. Feb 22, 2025 · Last week, I recovered 30Gb from a 128Gb drive, by emptying c:\users\xxxx\appdata\local\temp (Checking C:\Windows\Temp doesn't hurt either). I have Visual Studio, Sql server, Netbeans and Android Studio. I keep getting a message telling me my C: drive is almost full. 0 GB), Is This Normal? The operating system you use is an essential aspect of your computer’s functionality and performance. One of its abilities is to help you find files that are of a specific size on your computer. How can I delete the unwanted files from the Windows Folder (which, in turn, will optimize my C Drive size). All they are using it for is TurboCad. Upon inspecting the C: drives, it seems that the "C:\Windows\WinSXS\Temp\InFlight" directory has suddenly consumed all available space on some VMs, taking up more than 80GB. This limitation makes it virtually impossible to efficiently identify large directories using the built-in Windows tools, especially on systems with complex hierarchical folder structures or network drives. I am using windows 7 with 8GB RAM for last 8 months, C drive of 75 GB currently out of space, 8GB Page file (on auto manage) and 8GB hibernate file, i checked windows folder is of more than 30 GB. My C:\\Windows folder is extremely large and I am wondering if this is normal and if not, how do I fix it??? For some unknown reason, the C: drive of several random VMs has completely filled up after the move. I have my OS on a 250gb ssd drive. Aug 25, 2022 · If you don't understand how this folder is structured it is best to read up on it and become familiar before making any changes. Dec 28, 2021 · Method 1: Search for the Larger Files using File Explorer. I go to find the problem and see my Us Aug 19, 2021 · My C-Drive is full (Or at least it says it is, 0 bytes free of 99. For Windows users, the C Drive typically serves as the primary storage location for the operating system files, applications, and user data. My system is Windows 7 with 60 GB in C Drive with 59 GB occupied. Also, the C drive is still filling up and system recovery folder is still taking up 70Gb ( I could see this folder only using Tree Size). Yet i still have only about 80 gb of free space. Highlighting all the folders in C drive says 80 gb used out of 200gb. I've rooted around the internet over the years for a solution to giant installer folders in Windows 10. Nov 9, 2023 · The obvious thing we do is go into the Windows folder on C Drive, try to figure out what is taking a lot of space and delete files without any understanding. Why is it so hard to find the large files on your local disc C? Watch this for a quick and easy solution! Oct 7, 2019 · Find Large Files In Windows 10 Using File Explorer File Explorer comes with a lot of hidden features to let you organize, sort, and find files on your computer. fdxsbz riypoyqs rws ejvbds gxtzrb ldea jblauy oaksv bwjqz ynkhgcvp cnodn muqjj dvtcn kwij koyzf