How can I locate large files on Windows 11?

Windows
1

I’ve noticed my storage is almost full and suspect there are some large files taking up a lot of space. I’m not sure where to start looking. Does anyone know a quick way to find and manage large files on Windows 11?

2

Finding large files on Windows 11 is actually pretty straightforwad if you know where to look. Personally, I like being thorough, so I’ll walk ya through different ways.

1. File Explorer Search:
Open File Explorer and go to any folder or directly to “This PC.” In the search bar, type size:>1GB (or use different size values depending on what you’re looking for). This will list all files larger than 1GB in that directory. Narrow it down further by specifying directories or just start at the root.

2. Storage Sense:
Windows 11 has a feature called Storage Sense. Go to Settings > System > Storage. Here you can see a breakdown of what is taking up space. Click on ‘Show more categories’ and go into ‘Temporary files’, ‘Other’, ‘System & reserved’. You can then clean up some unnecessary files - just be cautious about what you choose to delete.

3. 3rd Party Apps:
If you like something more visual, try apps like WinDirStat or TreeSize Free. These offer a graphical representation of your file usage, making it easy to spot those space hoggers.

4. Temp Files and Recycle Bin:
Don’t forget to empty your Recycle Bin and delete temp files. These can sometimes add up to several GBs of junk.

5. Command Line:
For those who are comfortable with using CLI, you can use PowerShell or Command Prompt. For instance,

dir /s /a /o:-s > filelist.txt

will create a text document listing all your files by size. It’s a bit more hands-on.

Be cautious: Before deleting any file, be sure it’s not something essential. System files, for example, are best left untouched. Same goes for program files unless you’re sure you don’t need the specific app anymore.

Finally, consider cloud storage or external drives if you’re frequently bumping against storage issues. It’s not a quick fix but helps long-term.

There you go. Multiple methods, so choose whichever fits you best. Happy decluttering!

3

You’re on the right track with the suggestions from @codecrafter, but let’s throw in some additional techniques to give you a more holistic approach. This should help you locate those pesky large files and manage your storage more efficiently on Windows 11.

Advanced Search in File Explorer

While the size:>1GB filter is a solid starting point, you can also be more specific with your File Explorer searches. For instance, use:

  • size:>500MB <1GB to find medium-sized files.
  • kind:=video to locate large video files, which often take up substantial space.
  • Combine both: kind:=video size:>1GB.

Simply adjust the size and kind parameters depending on your needs.

Using Disk Cleanup

Beyond just manually searching, Windows has a built-in Disk Cleanup tool you might find useful. It can clean up system files that aren’t always visible. Follow these steps:

  1. Search for “Disk Cleanup” in the Start menu.
  2. Choose the drive you want to clean up.
  3. Click on “Clean up system files”.
  4. Select various file categories, like “Windows Update Cleanup”, which could free up a significant amount of space.

Windows Settings - More than Storage Sense

Instead of just using Storage Sense, you can also delve deeper into the “Apps & Features” section of Windows Settings:

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
  2. Sort the list by size. This will highlight the largest installed applications.
  3. Uninstall any applications you don’t use frequently.

OneDrive Files On-Demand

If you use OneDrive, its Files On-Demand feature lets you store files online only, freeing up local space:

  1. Right-click on a file or folder in OneDrive.
  2. Select “Free up space” to make files available online-only.

Command Line with PowerShell Beyond Basics

If you’re comfortable with the command line but want something a bit more advanced than dir, try PowerShell. You can use this script to locate files of a certain size and easily manage them:

Get-ChildItem -Path C:\ -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.Length -gt 1GB } | Sort-Object Length -descending | Out-File C:\largefiles.txt

This creates a text file largefiles.txt that lists all files larger than 1GB, sorted by size. It’s more powerful than traditional Command Prompt commands.

Third-Party Applications Alternatives

While WinDirStat and TreeSize Free are great, there are other alternatives you might want to explore:

SpaceSniffer

This tool provides a visual treemap representation, making it incredibly easy to spot large files and directories.

  • Visit spacesniffer.com to download and install it.
  • Run the program, select your drive, and wait for the scan to complete.

WizTree

Although somewhat similar to WinDirStat, WizTree often runs faster and provides a clean, intuitive interface.

  • Download from wiztreefree.com.
  • Use it to visually inspect your disk usage.

Using Virtual Hard Drives (VHD)

If you’re running out of physical storage options, consider setting up a Virtual Hard Drive (VHD) for better organization and allocation of space:

  1. Open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc).
  2. Click on Action > Create VHD.
  3. Set the location and size of the VHD.
  4. Initialize and format the VHD.
  5. Mount it via Disk Management or File Explorer when needed.

This is more of a workaround but can help manage storage.

Cloud Storage Beyond OneDrive

Additionally, cloud storage services beyond OneDrive, like Google Drive and Dropbox, offer ample space and might help in maintaining a clutter-free system:

  • Backup large but lesser-used files.
  • Set to “online-only” access to save space.

Final Cautions and Tips

  • Backup: Always ensure to back up your important files. Mistakes happen!
  • Analyze Needs: Regularly reassess your storage needs. Sometimes the issue isn’t the large files but redundant data spread across your drives.
  • Automation: Set up automated tasks (via task scheduler) to clean temp files periodically.

Hopefully, these methods give you more tools to tackle those large files occupying your storage. Implementing a mixture of these strategies should streamline your efforts and potentially prevent future storage issues altogether. Happy tidying!

4

You’re complicating things way too much. Who wants to dig through endless menus and type scripts when there are simpler ways?

What you really need is a targeted approach without jumping through hoops. The built-in Storage Sense and File Explorer Search methods you are suggesting might work, but they’re slow and not alwayz effective.

Try These:

1. Advanced File Explorer Search:
Use kind:= to specify types of files you’re interested in like videos (kind:=video) or documents (kind:=document). This pinpoints large files fast without over-complicating the process.

2. Download a Simple App:
Forget WinDirStat or TreeSize Free for a second; they can be overkill. Check out SpaceSniffer, it’s faster and simpler. Why waste time waiting for a bloated scan to finish?

3. Removing Apps:
Go to Settings > Apps > Installed, sort by size, and delete what you don’t use. No need for third-party nonsense here.

4. Temp Files & Recyle Bin:
Emptying these without third-party tools can clean up several GBs quickly. Shortcut Win + R then type temp for quick access.

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

  1. Direct, No-Fuss: Quick search terms and a straightforward cleanup of apps.
  2. Visual Tools like SpaceSniffer are highly effective.

Cons:

  1. Basic built-in tools (Explorer Search, Storage Sense) can miss stuff.
  2. Deleting files manually risks deleting something important. So, backup—seriously.

For those of you into CLIs, fine. But for most, a simple GUI in SpaceSniffer is a lifesaver.

Listen, you don’t need to make storage management rocket science—keep it simple, clean, and effective.