How to Check Disk Usage on Windows 11/10

How to Check Disk Usage on Windows 11/10: On a typical PC, your software, system files, and user files are all stored on the C: drive. If you don’t have enough space on your local drive, you might not always be able to install new software. This is especially likely if you install a lot of big programs, like games. One of the most likely reasons why Windows 11 is running slowly is that the disk is being used a lot for no apparent reason.

This can reach 100%. Both old and new computers have had this problem, especially ones that don’t have an SSD drive. Even with all the changes to the user interface and polish in Windows 11, there are still some problems that just don’t seem to go away. For example, some Windows 11 users recently told us they were having trouble with the sound, so we made a guide to fix the “no sound” problem on Windows 11.

Now, we’ve heard that Windows 11 users are seeing random spikes in disk usage, with 100% disk usage even when the PC isn’t doing anything. So, it’s a good idea to check every so often to see how much free space is on your PC’s local drive. Then you can check to see if you need to free up space to install more software. Here are a few ways how to Check Disk Usage on Windows 11/10.

What is disk usage?

Disk usage is the amount of space on a disk drive or other storage device that is being used. It is measured in bytes, kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), and terabytes (TB). Disk usage can be affected by a number of things, such as the operating system, the installed programs, and the files on the disk. For example, the operating system will use some disk space to store system files like the kernel and drivers. The program files and data files that applications use will also take up space on the disk.

And user files like documents, pictures, and music also take up space on the disk. It is important to keep an eye on how much space is being used on the disk to make sure that the operating system and applications have enough space to run properly. If the disk gets too full, it can slow down or even stop working. You can use tools like the Windows Disk Management utility or the macOS Disk Utility to keep track of how your disk is being used. These tools will show you how the disk is being used, including how much space different types of files are taking up.

How to Check Disk Usage on Windows 11/10

Using the File Explorer

1. Open the file manager.
2. On the left side, click on This PC.
3. Right-click the disk you want to see how it is being used and choose Properties.
4. On the General tab, you can see the total disk space, the disk space that is being used, and the disk space that is still free.
5. You can also click the Disk Usage button to see a more detailed list of how much space is being used on the disk.

Using the Disk Management tool

1. To open the Run box, press Windows + R.
2. Press Enter after typing diskmgmt.msc.
3. You can see a list of all the disks connected to your computer in the Disk Management tool.
4. Right-click the disk you want to see how it is being used and choose Properties.
5. On the General tab, you can see the total disk space, the disk space that is being used, and the disk space that is still free.
6. You can also click the Disk Usage button to see a more detailed list of how much space is being used on the disk.

Why is it important to check disk usage?

1. Performance Optimization: Monitoring disk usage helps ensure that your computer or server operates efficiently. When a disk becomes too full, it can slow down system performance significantly. By identifying and addressing high disk usage, you can prevent performance bottlenecks and keep your system running smoothly.
2. Preventing Data Loss: When a disk is near its capacity limit, there’s a higher risk of data loss. If the disk runs out of space, you may not be able to save new files or data, and it can lead to errors in applications that rely on disk space for temporary storage. Regularly checking disk usage can help you avoid reaching critical storage levels.
3. Identifying and Managing Unnecessary Files: Over time, your disk may accumulate unnecessary files, such as temporary files, duplicate files, or large unused applications. Checking disk usage allows you to identify and delete or archive such files, freeing up valuable storage space.
4. Maintaining System Stability: Insufficient disk space can affect system stability. Some operating systems require a certain amount of free disk space to function correctly. For example, virtual memory systems use disk space as an extension of RAM. If your disk is nearly full, it can lead to system crashes and instability.
5. Security: Inadequate disk space can impact security. Security updates and patches may require space for installation. If you can’t install these updates due to low disk space, your system can become vulnerable to security threats.
6. Resource Planning: Monitoring disk usage is crucial for resource planning, especially in server environments. It helps IT administrators predict when additional storage resources will be needed and allocate resources accordingly.

Conclusion

When we know how much space a hard drive has, we can better organize the programs and data on it. For example, if we want to install more than one program, especially a large game, we need to know how much space each hard drive has in total and how much space each partition has. Have you ever had a disk that was full but you couldn’t figure out why? In that case, we can use the Disk Space Usage in a Folder tool to find out how big a folder is and how much space it takes up. We have some ways to do the same thing. Let’s look into them. If you want to know more information about this so you can visit Microsoft Official Website.

Questions and Answers