How to see which files and folders are using the most space

When your computer says the drive is almost full, the worst thing to do is start deleting at random. A better first step is simply to look. Find out which folders are big, then decide what, if anything, should go.

This guide only shows you how to look. Nothing here removes a single file. At the end, you can ask Key to open the right screen for you.

Why look before you remove anything

Most of the space on a full drive is usually in a few places, not spread evenly. A handful of big folders, such as photos, videos, downloads or old installers, can account for most of it. Once you can see them, you can choose calmly. You may find that one forgotten folder is worth more than a hundred small files.

It also keeps you safe. If you know what a folder is and how big it is, you will not delete something your computer or a program needs.

On Windows: use the Storage page

Windows has a built-in screen that shows what is using your drive, sorted by type. The steps are the same on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Open Start, then choose Settings.
2. Go to Settings › System › Storage.
3. At the top you will see how full your main drive (usually C:) is, and a list of categories showing what is using the space, such as apps, temporary files and documents.
4. Select a category to open it and see more detail.

If you have more than one drive, select Advanced storage settings, then Storage used on other drives, to look at the others.

Check the size of one folder in File Explorer

The Storage page gives you the big picture. To check a particular folder, do this:

1. Open File Explorer and find the folder, for example Documents, Pictures or Videos.
2. Right-click the folder and choose Properties.
3. Look at the Size line. It shows how much space the folder and everything inside it uses.

Go through your main folders one at a time and write down the biggest ones. For a larger folder, you can open it and repeat the same check on the folders inside it. That is how you narrow it down from "Videos is huge" to "this one folder of old recordings is huge".

On a Mac: use Storage settings and Get Info

macOS also has a screen that shows how your space is being used.

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
2. Choose System Settings.
3. Go to System Settings › General › Storage.
4. Look at the categories to see which kinds of files take the most room.

On this screen macOS may also suggest ways to save space, such as storing files in iCloud or emptying the Trash automatically. These are only suggestions. You do not have to turn any of them on.

Check the size of one folder in Finder

1. Open Finder and click the folder once to select it.
2. Choose File › Get Info, or press Command + I.
3. The info window opens and shows the folder's size.

The status bar at the bottom of a Finder window also shows how much free space is left on the disk. If you do not see it, choose View › Show Status Bar.

If you want to go further on a Mac, our guide on finding and deleting large files on your Mac picks up where this one stops.

What to do once you know what is big

Now you have a short list of the biggest places. A few gentle ideas:

• Downloads. This folder often fills up with installers and files you opened once. Our guide to cleaning up your Downloads folder shows a safe way to sort it.
• Videos and photos. These are usually the largest files. Decide whether you want to keep them all on this computer.
• Things you do not recognize. Leave them alone until you know what they are. Folders that belong to Windows, macOS or your programs are best left untouched.

When you do remove something, send it to the Recycle Bin or the Trash first, and give it a few days before you empty it. That way you can still get it back if you change your mind. For Windows, there is a longer walk-through in how to free up disk space on Windows 11 without deleting what matters.

Ask Key to open the right screen

If you would rather not click through menus, you can ask Key. Key is a free assistant that lives on your computer. You can speak to it or type to it, and both give the same result. It opens the real window, presses the real button and then tells you what it did.

For this job, you could ask it to open your storage settings. It opens the real Storage page on Windows or the Storage screen on your Mac, and you look at the list yourself. If you are hunting for a particular file, Key can also find it by what is inside it, not just by its name. If two files match, it asks which one you meant.

KeyVoice

Open the storage settings

opened the Settings windowwent to the Storage pageleft the list open for you

I opened your storage settings, so you can see which categories are using the most space.

Checked: the Storage page is open and showing the list of what is using your drive.

Key works with the rule that it never deletes for good. Anything it removes goes to the Recycle Bin or the Trash, and the program has no permanent delete at all. You stay in charge of what goes. It also shows a small panel while it works, and you can stop it at any point.

You can read more in our guide on whether it is safe to let an assistant use your computer, or see how Key helps with settings in changing settings by voice.

A quick routine you can repeat

1. Open the Storage page and note which category is biggest.
2. Check the size of your main folders: Downloads, Documents, Pictures and Videos.
3. Open the biggest folder and look inside for large items you no longer need.
4. Move anything you are sure about to the Recycle Bin or Trash.
5. Wait a few days, then empty it.

Doing this once every few months keeps a drive from filling up again. And because you looked first, you will always know why.

Related guide: How to take a screenshot on Windows 11 and Mac, and find it

Related guide: How to zip and unzip files on Windows and Mac