One of the most common evils that a computer faces is have low capacity on the hard drive. Therefore, it is essential for every user to know how to free up storage space on a hard drive. If you want to know what to do, continue reading this step by step guide for Windows 8.
Photos, videos, text documents and programs they occupy a huge portion of the disk. Excessive weight can lead to unpleasant situations such as computer slowdown.
Therefore, we want to offer you a series of useful tips and tools to clear your hard drive quickly and easily.
Why is it important to delete unnecessary files from my PC?
Users download new content to their computers every day. On many occasions, they do not stop to erase those they no longer use. However, you should know that it is important to delete unnecessary files from the PC for proper operation. First, free up storage space on your hard drive implies keeping only what is necessary.
Cleanings work for get rid of corrupt files or damaged, virus-infected, junk or temporary files. In this way, you favor the maintenance of an orderly work area. Second, a hard drive with enough storage space makes the computer work more efficiently. The slowdown is considerably minimized, and you will have more memory to install programs or download new files.
Learn step by step how to free up storage space in Windows 8
View a system message that alerts you to the little space left in HDD It can be overwhelming. However, there are many ways to quickly recover memory.
Here, learn step by step how to free up storage space in Windows 8:
Hard disk check
Before carrying out any cleaning, you need to check the available hard disk space.
To do this, carry out the following steps:
- Go to the section âSettingâ and click on âChange PC settingsâ.
- Click on the button âPC and devicesâ. Then, click on âDisc spaceâ.
- Finally, click on âFree up space from this teamâ. The display will show the total capacity and how much memory is free.
Uninstall rarely used programs
It is likely that you no longer need to use many applications on your desktop. Old or useless programs only consume space on the computer, so it is recommended remove them.
You can do it in the following way:
- From the button âStartâ, click on âControl Panelâ and then in âProgramsâ.
- Accede to âPrograms and characteristicsâ.
- Select the program you want to delete. The vast majority of applications provide the option of âUninstallâ. Some others also have the âRepairâ Y âChangeâ.
- If the program you are looking for does not appear, you should check with the application documentation to proceed to uninstall.
- If you want to delete a program from the store Windows, you must access âChange PC settingsâ and select âSearch and applicationsâ. Then click on âApplication sizesâ.
- Select the program you want to delete and press âUninstallâ.
Delete media files
Accumulation of images and videos they can quickly overwhelm the capacity of the hard drive. For this reason, it is convenient delete or move such files. In case you want to keep some, you can resort to saving it in the cloud, or move it to an external storage drive, such as a CD, DVD, USB or external disk.
However, if you want to delete it, proceed to:
- Through the box âSearchâ, writes âThis teamâ to open that window.
- In the bar âSearch this computerâ, enter âSize: hugeâ.
- Then, it is necessary to display the menu of âSeeâ. Click on âSort byâ and select âSizeâ.
- The first files that appear are the heaviest. You can right click on them and select âRemoveâ.
Delete junk, temporary or duplicate files
Computers usually accumulate temporary files and junk files that end up limiting hard drive space. Therefore it is necessary to make use of the disk cleanup to flush the memory.
The steps to follow are those:
- Click on the start button. Then write âDisk Cleanupâ and click on the corresponding button in the results list.
- Select the hard drive you want to clean, if prompted. Press âTo acceptâ.
- A pop-up window will appear on the screen initiating a dialogue with the user. In the description box, click on âClean system filesâ. You will likely need to re-specify which drive you want to clean. Finally press âTo acceptâ.
- In the next dialog box, you should check all the boxes that correspond to the files you want to delete of the computer.
- If you want to delete the data from a previous installation of Windows, you need to check the box âPrevious Windows Installationsâ.
- In the last dialog box, you must click on âDelete filesâ.
- Finally, go back to âTeamâ, select the disk you cleaned and click âTo updateâ.
For complement the action of the space liberator, you can use other tools, such as CCleaner, for a much more thorough and efficient cleaning.
Add more storage capacity
In case you need more space, either for personal or work reasons, a good alternative is increase storage capacity. You can make use of a removable drive, such as a device USBcard SD, CDs or DVDs, external hard drive or opt for the cloud from OneDrive.
Take into consideration that documents saved in OneDrive can still consume space on your computer if the option to keep the documents of the document available is enabled OneDrive Without connection. To avoid this, you just have to deactivate this option. In this way, the files will only be available when the computer is connected to a network.
List of the best programs that will help you free up space on your PC
Even though Windows 8 has a space cleaner, you can always choose to download a program to free up hard disk space.
If you do not have references in this regard, here is a list of the best programs that will help you free up space on your PC:
CCleaner
Is a free closed source app which fulfills the function of improving the performance of computers Windows. It is one of the best known programs at present, as it is a fairly reliable space liberator.
Through CCleaner, you have the function of:
- Delete temporary files and unnecessary from Windows.
- Clear history browser.
- Delete the data of plugins and applications.
- Repair invalid entries from the Windows registry.
- Adjust programs according to user preferences for automatic system start.
Download CCleaner Windows
Xinorbis
It is a free storage analyzer. Takes care of provide explanatory graphics on the capacity of the hard drive, folders, SSD, removable drives or network. In other words, Xinorbis provides a complete view of the content of any team. It is a tool aimed at experts in the area or administrators, but some of its functions are sufficient for the common user.
Some of its characteristics are:
- Analyze content from a variety of devices, even those that are connected to the network or the PC.
- Produce custom reports regarding storage space and computer performance.
- Generate a copy about folder history.
- It has an independent search system to locate file names, size, date and time, categories, file owner, and file attributes.
- It is available in various languages.
Download Xinorbis Windows
JetClean
It is an optimizer program for Windows. It is responsible for freeing up space on the hard disk through the elimination of temporary, recent documents, empty the recycle bin, clipboard, cache, error reports, among others.
Other notable functions are:
- Optimizes the internet connection.
- It takes care of cleaning and defragmenting the system.
- Offers the ability to manage programs for automatic start.
- Improves computer performance for work activities or video games.
- It is a light and easy program of using.
Download JetClean Windows
DiskMax
Like CCleaner, is an application to free up space on your hard drive. Likewise, it is also responsible for optimizing the system, regardless of the version of Windows in which it is installed. It allows you to delete the internet cache, the recycle bin, cookies, temporary files and applications that you no longer use.
Its characteristics are as follows:
- It has automatic emptying of the recycle bin. It also removes the remains of the facilities.
- You can delete the history of each user on the computer.
- Delete registry entries, as well as event logs from Windows.
- You can scan in depth your HDD.
- Allows you to rearrange files for easy access.
Download DiskMax Windows
CloneSpy
CloneSpy is a specialized program in deleting duplicate files on your computer. Its analysis function is responsible for scanning all the system folders to locate duplicate files, or those that are unnecessary for the user.
Other of its functions are:
- Provide information what files should be eliminated.
- You can move the duplicate files to a specific folder.
- Inform the user, through a list, of all redundant files on the system.
- Replace duplicate files with shortcuts.
- It is an easy tool to use, and it is lightweight. Works for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10.
Download CloneSpy Windows
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, we will answer you as soon as possible, and it will also be of great help to more members of the community. Thank you! đ