When the computerâs hard drive begins to fill up, you will start wondering whatâs taking up all the available space, and this is when âStorage senseâ will come in handy.
On Windows 10, most people know Storage sense as a feature to free up hard drive space. While this is true, it is also a tool to analyze the content of any drive to figure out the space utilization to know where to start cleaning up files you cannot remove using this feature.
In this guide, you will learn how to use Storage sense to understand how the storage is being utilized on Windows 10.
- Find out what files are taking up space on Windows 10
- Find out what files are taking up space on Windows 10 1809 and older
Find out what files are taking up space on Windows 10
To see the files taking up space on the hard drive on Windows 10, use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 10.
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Click on System.
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Click on Storage.
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Under the â(C:)â section, you will see whatâs taking up space on the main hard drive.
Storage settings on Windows 10 version 1903 and later
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Click the Show more categories option to view the storage usage from other file types.
Windows 10 storage usage for the main drive
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(Optional) Under the âMore storage settingsâ section, click the View storage usage on other drives option.
Windows 10 storage usage for other drives
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Select the drive to see its storage usage if you have multiple hard drives.
Windows 10 other drives storage usage
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See storage usage for the other drive.
Secondary drive storage usage
Once you complete the steps, you will understand what files take up most of the space on your device. (See also a video tutorial.)
Find out what files are taking up space on Windows 10 1809 and older
To see the drive space utilization on Windows 10 1809 (or older releases), use these steps:
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Open Settings.
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Click on System.
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Click on Storage.
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Under the âLocal storageâ section, click the drive to see the storage usage.
Local storage on Storage sense
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While on âStorage usage,â you can see whatâs taking up space on the hard drive. Also, you can click on each item to get more details and take additional actions.
Storage usage settings on Windows 10
For instance, if you notice that some of the apps are taking most of the space, you can click the âApps & gamesâ item to see and uninstall apps you no longer need.
Apps & games settings on Windows 10
If temporary files are the items consuming most of your storage, you can use this guide to free up space quickly.
Storage usage offers an overview of everything stored on the drive, including system files, apps, games, temporary files, and those stored in the Documents, OneDrive, Pictures, Music, Videos, and files from other accounts if you share the device with other users.
Alternatively, you can also use third-party tools, such as WinDirStat, to see what files fill out the hard drive to take action accordingly.