If you’re here, it means you’re searching for effective ways to delete massive, unimportant files draining your storage space. You’ve come to the right place. I’ll show you how to find large files on Windows 11 or 10, implementing the method I use.
However, keep in mind I used the word “unimportant.” And that’s because some large data is crucial for Windows to run smoothly. So, you shouldn’t delete files that are big unless you know their full function.
No matter; I’ll explain everything you need to know while showing you how to get rid of large files on your Windows PC.
If you’re ready, let’s begin.
How to Find Large Files on Windows 10/11 and Delete Them
In this section, I’ll show you how to find the biggest files on a PC and remove them. I’ll start with the method I use to delete my files, whether big, small, or just not needed anymore. Incidentally, it is the easiest option compared to the others.
That said, you can go through other methods as well and choose the one that works for you:
Method 1: Use reputable third-party software
If you want the best and most efficient way to find large files on Windows 11 or 10, use a well-recognized third-party utility, such as Auslogics BoostSpeed. This program comes with a full package to help your computer run better than before.
BoostSpeed adequately scans your system to find large files, ranging from temporary files and leftover Windows Update files to unused error logs and web browser cache.
Besides that, you can clean your PC space by finding and deleting duplicate files and photos, as well as uninstalling programs and apps.
Follow these steps:
- Go to the official Auslogics website and download the software.
- After that, install the program, which only takes a few minutes, and launch it.
- Next, go to Tools, hover your mouse pointer on Info Tools, and select Disk Explorer.
- Select the drive you want to scan if you have multiple disk drives. Then, click on Scan Now.
- Wait for BoostSpeed to scan your entire drive for large files cluttering your system.
- When the scan is complete, you’ll see all the files on your computer and how much space they are taking. You can move the slider to the right to check the type of file and date.
- From the screenshot above, you can see that most of the files taking up my space are in the Users folder. Just double-click on it to check what’s going on there.
- My largest files are centered in Videos, Downloads, AppData, and Music. I won’t touch the AppData folder because some items there are crucial, which might affect your apps. You can delete the temp files, though. Let’s move to the Videos directory.
- It seems most of my large files are in the Captures folder, which makes sense because that’s where all my screenshots and video recordings of my gameplays are.
- Finally, select the folder you want to remove and select Delete.
All this in one cleaning-up tool.
Method 2: Use Windows File Explorer
Another way to find the biggest files on your PC is to use File Explorer. This method is less effective compared to the previous solution. However, you can still use it.
Here are the steps to find large files on Windows 10 and 11:
- Launch File Explorer by pressing
Win + E. - Click on This PC in the left-side panel.
- Type the asterisk (*) in the search bar and press Enter. This will display every file and folder on your PC.
- Next, go to the search bar and type “size:>1GB,” “size:>500MB,” or whatever size you want to search for.
- Once you get the search results, you can click on the Size column header to sort the files by size in descending order.
- Finally, review the files and delete them or move them to your external drive, if you want.
But since the asterisk acts as a wildcard character, pulling up all files and folders, it’s understandable why it’s taking time, particularly if you have lots of files.
To save time, it’s best to go with the first method—using BoostSpeed.
Method 3: Use Command Prompt
You can also use another built-in Windows tool to find large files and delete them — the Command Prompt.
Searching for large files
- Press
Win + S, type “Command Prompt,” and select Run as administrator on the right-hand side. - Use the “cd” command to navigate to the drive or folder where you want to search for large files. For example:
cd C:\Users
- Find and display files larger than a specified size by using the following command:
forfiles /S /M * /C “cmd /c if @fsize GEQ <size> echo @path
forfiles /S /M * /C “cmd /c if @fsize GEQ 104857600 echo @path
The command will display the paths of files that meet the size criteria.
Next guide to read: How to Get More Storage on Your Windows 10/11 PC
Finding large folders
- Open Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
- Go to the drive or folder using the “cd” command where you want to search for large files. For example:
cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Google
- Use the following “dir” command to show folders by size in descending order (largest folders first):
dir /S /O:-S
The command will display the folder paths and their sizes in bytes. You can use this information to delete any large files you no longer need.
There is also a chance of mistyping commands and it’s time consuming. You can use Auslogics BoostSpeed to make it easier.
How to Find Large Files on Windows 10/11: Resolved
With the steps I’ve covered in this guide, you can now look for too big files cluttering your Windows. Remember that it’s better to keep removing these unnecessary files regularly.
If you don’t have the luxury of manually cleaning your computer, I recommend using the automatic method discussed—Auslogics BoostSpeed. It has a feature to automatically maintain your PC, not just clearing extensive files.
If you have any questions, share them in the comments. Also share the article with anyone who might need it!
FAQ
However, the success rate depends on several factors, like the method used to delete the files. Check out this guide for more details: How to Wipe Your Hard Drive in Windows 10/11
