How to Clean Your Hard Disk With Disk Cleanup
The Disk Cleanup utility has been included with Windows starting with Windows XP. While the functionality enhanced slightly in newer versions of Windows, the process remains the same.
Use Storage Settings and Storage Sense
You don’t have to do a full Disk Cleanup every day or week, but you should be clearing your Recycle Bin, temporary internet files, and downloaded files on a regular basis. If you are using Windows 10, then you have access to a utility called Storage Sense where you can do this in a more sophisticated way.
Other Ways to Clean a Hard Disk in Windows
There are a few additional ways you can keep your hard disk clean in Windows for optimal performance. Storage Sense takes care of keeping your Recycle Bin and Downloads folder clean automatically so you don’t have to remember to do it manually.
Uninstall Unused Applications
Unused apps on your system can take up a lot more space than your realize especially if those apps are unused because you moved on to a different app (so now you have two apps which do the same thing but you are only using one). Follow these steps to clean them up.
Make Sure Cloud Storage Backups Are One-Way
Online storage services like OneDrive and Google Drive have Windows apps which sync with your Windows folders and store their contents in the cloud. However, these services include an Offline Storage feature which saves files on your computer. Disable this to save space.
OneDrive: Right-click the OneDrive cloud in your Windows taskbar and select Settings. On the Settings tab, make sure to select Save space and download files as you use them. Google Drive: Visit drive.google.com/drive/settings and make sure the Offline option is deselected.
Copy Entire Folders to an External Drive
To copy folders to an external drive, choose a high quality external hard drive and plug it into your Windows PC. Then, while holding down the Shift key, drag entire folders of files into the attached external hard drive. This will move, rather than copy, the folder. This is a great way to move files like vacation photos or videos off of your computer, cleaning up a lot of space.
A Clean Hard Drive Works Better
The importance of regularly cleaning your Windows hard drive can’t be understated. It leaves you with space to store important files, and it’s also where the computer stores data for fast retrieval when you have a lot of applications open at once. Keeping it clean ensures your computer runs fast and efficiently.
