How to Fix Insufficient Storage Space on Your Computer

Apr 3

Written By Chad .

How to Fix Insufficient Storage Space on Your Computer

Running out of storage space on your computer can slow down performance, prevent software updates, and even cause system crashes. If you’re constantly seeing “Low Disk Space” warnings, it’s time to free up storage and optimize your system.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to fix insufficient storage space and keep your computer running efficiently.

1. Check What’s Taking Up Space

Before freeing up storage, it’s important to identify what’s using the most space.

How to Check Storage Usage on Windows:

Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Go to System > Storage.
Click on Local Disk (C:) to see a breakdown of storage usage.

On Mac, go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage to check space usage.

2. Delete Unnecessary Files

Clear Temporary Files:

Press Windows + R, type temp, and hit Enter.
Delete all files in the Temp folder.
Repeat the process with %temp% and prefetch folders.

Use Disk Cleanup (Windows Only):

Open File Explorer and right-click Local Disk (C:).
Select Properties > Disk Cleanup.
Check items like Temporary Files, System Cache, and Recycle Bin, then click OK.

3. Uninstall Unused Programs

How to Remove Unused Apps:

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.
Sort by Size to find large apps.
Click on an app and select Uninstall.

Mac users can drag unused apps from Applications to the Trash.

4. Move Files to External Storage or Cloud

If you have large files, consider moving them to an external drive or cloud storage.

Best Cloud Storage Options:

Google Drive (15GB free)
OneDrive (5GB free)
Dropbox (2GB free)

To move files, simply drag and drop them into your cloud storage folder.

5. Enable Storage Sense (Windows Users)

Storage Sense automatically removes old temporary files, Recycle Bin items, and unused downloads.

How to Enable Storage Sense:

Open Settings > System > Storage.
Toggle Storage Sense to On.
Click Configure Storage Sense and adjust settings to automatically free up space.

6. Compress Large Files

Instead of deleting large files, you can compress them to save space.

How to Compress Files:

Right-click a large file or folder.
Select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
Store the zipped file safely.

7. Upgrade Your Storage

If you frequently run out of space, upgrading your hard drive or SSD might be necessary.

Replace your HDD with an SSD for better speed and storage.
Install a larger capacity SSD or HDD for extra space.

At ABQ Computer Pros, we specialize in storage upgrades and data transfers to keep your system running efficiently.

Need More Storage? Contact ABQ Computer Pros!

If you’re struggling with insufficient storage space, let ABQ Computer Pros help! We offer disk cleanup, storage upgrades, and data recovery services to optimize your computer.

Call us today to free up space and improve your PC’s performance!

Chad .