How do I see what’s taking up storage on my computer?

Understanding Your Computer’s Storage: How to Identify What’s Taking Up Space

Managing your computer’s storage efficiently is essential for smooth performance and adequate space for new files or applications. If you’ve ever noticed that your available storage suddenly diminishes without obvious reason, you’re not alone. This article will guide you through the steps to identify what’s occupying your disk space and help you reclaim storage for your needs.

Scenario Overview

Imagine this: you recently returned from a four-night vacation, during which you’re certain you had over 200 GB of free space. Upon returning and attempting to sell a game, you discover that your remaining storage has drastically decreased to only 40 GB. Naturally, this raises concerns—what caused this rapid consumption of space?

Common Causes for Unexpected Storage Loss

Before delving into technical solutions, consider possible reasons for unexpected storage usage:

Automatic system updates or backups
Hidden or large files accumulated over time
Software or app caches
Unintended data downloads or duplications
Malware or malicious software

How to Check What’s Using Your Storage on a Windows PC

Use Built-in Storage Tools
Open Settings: Click on the Start menu and select the gear icon.
Navigate to Storage: Go to “System” > “Storage.”
Review Storage Breakdown: Windows provides a visual overview of how disk space is allocated across different categories like System & Reserved, Apps & Features, Temporary Files, etc.
Utilize File Explorer
Access Your Drive: Open File Explorer (Windows + E).
Sort Files by Size: Navigate to your main drive (usually C:), then right-click and select “Sort by” > “Size” to identify large files or folders.
Search for Large Files: Use the search bar with the query size:>100MB to locate files larger than 100 MB.
Employ Third-Party Disk Space Analyzers

Tools like WinDirStat or TreeSize Free offer a detailed, graphical view of how storage is used:

Download and Install: Obtain one of these free utilities.
Scan Your Drive: Run the program and scan your primary storage.
Analyze Results: The visual maps will show which files and folders occupy the most space.

How to Check Your Storage on a macOS System