Stuck in a digital dead end? Low disk space grinding your Windows updates to a halt? Don’t panic! Before you nuke precious files, discover temporary lifelines. This guide reveals sneaky space-saving tricks to get you back on track without deleting a single thing. Reclaim your digital freedom, one gigabyte at a time!
1. Disable Reserved Storage
Windows secretly hoards gigabytes of your storage (at least 7GB!), supposedly for updates, temp files, and system caching. Think of it as a rainy-day fund for your OS. But what if itneverrains? You can reclaim that storage! Temporarily disable this “reserve” and watch your free space skyrocket. Just remember to reactivate it before your next Windows update, or prepare for a digital downpour.
Open the Command Prompt as administrator and run the following command:
“` dism
/
Online
/
Set
–
ReservedStorageState
/
State:Disabled “`
Reclaim Your Lost Gigabytes: Unleash at Least 7GB by Disabling Reserved Storage! Ready to supercharge your storage? Execute this command, and watch as a minimum of 7GB reappears like magic. Once you’ve enjoyed your newfound digital breathing room, you can reactivate the reserved storage feature using the following command.
“` dism
/
Online
/
Set
–
ReservedStorageState
/
State:Enabled “`
Out of disk space? Windows Update might be the culprit! If you disabled reserved storage and then filled that reclaimed space with your own files, you’re setting yourself up for the dreaded “not enough disk space” error when Windows tries to update. Don’t let Windows updates catch you by surprise – manage your storage wisely!
2. Turn off the Hibernation Feature
Hibernation: a sometimes-necessary evil, like that weird aunt you see twice a year. Truth is, youcanditch it – at least temporarily – without your PC throwing a tantrum. Hibernation’s only truly crucial when your machine’s been idle for ages, your laptop’s battery is begging for mercy, or you’re relying on Windows’ “Fast Startup” trick. Think of it this way: those are niche scenarios, not daily essentials. But here’s the kicker: hibernation hogs atonof space – roughly 75% of your RAM! If you’re constantly battling low storage, reclaiming that chunk could be a game-changer. Ready to evict hibernation? Here’s how:
Open an elevated Command Prompt window again and enter the following command:
“` powercfg
–
h
off “`
“` powercfg
–
h
on “`
3. Disable or Move Pagefile
Windows juggles running programs like a skilled circus performer, using the pagefile (virtual memory) as a safety net to catch any RAM overflow. Think of it as RAM’s understudy, stepping in when the main act gets overwhelmed. While essential, that safety net can take up precious disk space. Got a beefy 16GB+ of RAM? You might be able to ditch the pagefile altogether! Freeing up gigabytes is tempting, but be warned: some apps are divas and demand their virtual memory. It’s generally safe, but proceed with caution. You might experience a minor hiccup here and there, but nothing catastrophic.
Out of RAM? Don’t gamble with your PC’s health! Instead, give your overloaded system some breathing room by relocating the pagefile to a different drive. Think of it as moving furniture to create more space. Ready to declutter? Discover how to disable, enable, and relocate your pagefile with these simple guides.
Don’t ditch your pagefile just yet, even if your RAM is overflowing. Unexpected glitches can surface when it’s disabled – a little insurance policy for smooth sailing.
4. Enable CompactOS
Reclaim gigabytes of precious drive space with Windows’ hidden weapon: CompactOS. This clever feature shrinks your operating system’s footprint by compressing system files. Imagine pocketing an extra 5-10 GB without sacrificing performance.
While CompactOS does add a whisper of CPU overhead for on-the-fly decompression, the trade-off is typically negligible. Think of it as a diet for your hard drive; it might take an extra millisecond or two to rise from sleep (boot), but the overall benefit of a leaner, faster system far outweighs this minor delay. Unleash CompactOS and experience a tidier, more responsive Windows.
Open an elevated Command Prompt window and enter the following command:
“` compact.exe
/
compactos:always “`
Imagine reclaiming a surprising chunk of your hard drive – up to 8GB or more! Windows can cleverly compress its core files, shrinking its footprint and giving you back precious space. After a little behind-the-scenes work, Windows reveals exactly how much digital breathing room you’ve gained. Need to revert? A single command restores everything to its original state.
“` compact.exe
/
compactos:never “`
5. Use NTFS Compression
Need to squeeze more life out of your hard drive? NTFS compression is your unsung hero. Think of it as a digital Marie Kondo, tidying up your files and banishing wasted space. Like its cousin, CompactOS, it asks your CPU to work a little harder when you open a compressed file. But here’s the kicker: NTFS compression works directly onyourfiles. That means you’ll always encounter a tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it delay whenever you access something compressed. Is it a deal-breaker? Usually not. Think of it as the cost of doing business in a decluttered digital world.
Instead of compressing your entire drive, why not target those bulky, rarelyused programs and folders? It’s like putting them in a spacesaving bag! To shrink them down, simply rightclick on the chosen folder(s) – yes, you can select more than one! – and head toProperties. Under theGeneraltab, the secret lies within theAdvancedbutton. Click it, and get ready to reclaim valuable disk space.
Imagine shrinking your Chrome browser by nearly a third! We did just that, squeezing it from a hefty 811 MB down to a svelte 559 MB using file compression. The space savings can be dramatic, especially with easily compressible file types like text documents. Want to reclaim that lost space? Simply toggle off the “Compress contents to save disk space” option and things will revert back to normal.
Need space, fast? Ditch hibernation and reserved storage for a quick win. For a deep clean, compress your entire drive – just be prepared for a bit of a wait. Hungry for more space-saving secrets that don’t involve deleting files? Read on!
Thanks for reading 5 Ways to Temporarily Free Up Space in Windows in Emergencies
