1. Measure available space

In File Explorer, open This PC and check free space on the relevant drive. A computer may have several drives; a failing game installation or update may target a different one from the drive you are looking at.

Open Settings → System → Storage and let its categories finish calculating. Identify the largest categories first. Record the initial free space so you can measure the outcome rather than count deleted files.

2. Review cleanup recommendations

Open Cleanup recommendations. Windows may suggest temporary files, large or unused files and unused apps. Inspect the contents of each group.

1. Clear the selection for anything you do not recognise or want to keep.
2. Open the personal folders involved before selecting them.
3. Check Recycle Bin contents before emptying it.
4. Run cleanup only when the selection matches your decision.

Old does not necessarily mean useless: backups, photographs and installers can still matter. Start with items whose purpose you understand. Avoid manually removing system folders or unknown files just to recover a little space.

3. Remove apps and games you no longer use

Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Find software you no longer need and use its uninstall command. For a game managed by a launcher, that launcher’s management tools may also be appropriate.

Before removing a game, check where its saves are stored and whether synchronisation has actually completed. Removing game files and preserving progress are separate questions. Keep what you need to reinstall it later.

To move documents to another drive, copy them first and check that the destination copies open before deleting the originals. A folder with the right name is not proof that the copy finished.

Understand Windows.old before removing it

After an upgrade, files from the previous installation may use substantial space. Removing them takes away the option to return to that version through this mechanism.

If you are still assessing the new installation, consider that consequence. The reported space saving should not be your only criterion: temporarily keeping a way back may be more useful.

4. Check the gain and manage recurring growth

Return to This PC and compare free space with your first reading. Retry the installation or update that lacked room. If it requires more, confirm both its requirement and target drive before deleting anything else.

Storage Sense can automate some cleanup. Review its categories and frequency before enabling it; another person’s setup may not suit how you keep files.

To avoid repeated emergency cleanup, watch folders that regularly grow, such as game captures, downloads and unused installations. Reviewing these gives you a clearer decision than deleting broadly.

Sources and scope

Prepared from official documentation checked on 20 October 2026. Windows labels can change between versions. This guide does not claim hands-on testing on every PC.

• Microsoft — libérer de l’espace disque (French source)
• Microsoft — gérer les applications et le stockage (French source)