Find the files taking up space.

Find large files on Windows 11 using Storage settings, File Explorer, and visual disk maps. Review files before deciding what to delete.

Windows 11 guide · Updated October 2, 2026

Start with Windows Storage settings

Open Windows Settings, choose System, then Storage. Review the categories to see whether apps, temporary files, documents, or another area accounts for the space you are investigating. Allow Windows time to calculate the totals.

Look inside your own folders

Open Downloads, Videos, or another folder you recognize in File Explorer. Use Details view and sort by Size to bring larger files to the top. This helps with files in that folder; File Explorer's Size column does not show a recursive size total for each subfolder.

Old installers, video exports, disk images, and archives are useful places to look. Check what each item is and whether you have another copy before removing it. Avoid manually deleting unfamiliar Windows or application folders.

Use a disk space analyzer for the folder hierarchy

If the space is spread across nested folders, a visual map makes the relationship easier to inspect. In Storage Scanner, choose Scan a folder for a focused view or select a local drive for a wider scan. Large drives can take many minutes, depending on the number of entries and the storage device.

The Sunburst view shows nested folders as rings. The Sankey view connects folders through proportional bands. Both let you follow storage from a broad area to the files inside. Read about the two visual disk maps.

Review before you remove

In Storage Scanner, collect candidates in the cleanup tray, then open Review cleanup. Check the full path for every selected entry. Remove anything uncertain from the tray before approving Move to Recycle Bin. Collecting a file alone does not delete it.

Check free space after cleanup

Files in Recycle Bin usually still occupy space on the original drive. Restoring them remains possible while Windows retains them in the bin. If you choose permanent removal, use Windows Recycle Bin and understand that the normal restore option is lost.

For the distinction between recycling and freeing space, see why Recycle Bin still uses disk space.

Why scan totals can differ

System-managed storage, permissions, cloud-sync exclusions, and differences between logical and allocated sizes can affect the totals you see. Review the app's coverage summary rather than treating an incomplete scan as a full accounting of the drive.

Reference: Microsoft's guide to freeing drive space in Windows.