Can’t Install Windows 11 Due to Low Disk Space. What Should I Do Now?

The much awaited roll-out of Microsoft’s “first version of a new era of Windows” has been a bit rocky since June. With many users trying to upgrade to Windows 11, storage space requirements have been causing uproar on the Internet forums, just like the heavily criticized TPM and SecureBoot requirements.

Many users are unable to install Windows 11 due to unavailability of adequate disk space on their PCs. If you’re looking for a quick way to free-up maximum space without deleting the files that you actually need, follow this simple workaround.

Use Disk CleanUp

Disk CleanUp analyzes your computer for temporary files, temporary Internet files, Website cache, setup extracted files and other sorts of non-essential files. Disk CleanUp was first introduced in Windows 98 and since then has become a part of the subsequent Windows versions.

1. Double-click This PC icon on the Desktop, or click the File Explorer icon on the taskbar.
2. Right-click the system drive.
3. Choose Properties.
4. In the General tab, click on Disk Cleanup.
5. Disk CleanUp will start analyzing the potential disk space that can be freed. Wait a while.
6. Once the process is completed, a list of all temporary components would appear on your screen.
7. Click on OK to start the cleanup.

Get Rid of Bloatware

It’s not uncommon to find even the best laptops and desktops in the industry come with bloatware. Bloatware are applications that come preinstalled with your PC/ laptop. You will most probably never need these applications at all. Uninstalling bloatware can free up significant storage for installing Windows 11.

1. Click on Start, select Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Select a program you want to uninstall.
4. Click on Uninstall.
5. Follow the removal wizard.
6. Restart your computer when you’re done.

Remove Duplicate Copies of Documents, Images & Videos

Having multiple identical copies of files on your hard disk can waste a lot of precious disk space. Deep cleaning your PC of duplicate copies will free up sufficient storage for Windows 11 installation.

Download Clone Files Checker from Sorcim and run a full scan to identify and remove the duplicate files with ease. CFC uses file hashing technology to compare your files by their content- instead of name. The results are 100% accurate and you can even backup files before deleting (just in the case you’re worried).

Clone Files Checker Features:

• Delete duplicate documents, photos, videos, music and archives
• Exclude files by their size (for example, exclude files smaller than 1 MB, exclude files above 1 GB)
• Exclude files by their kind (file type)
• Exclude files by their location
• Quick-Fix Wizard: Follow the simple wizard to quickly reclaim tens of GBs of space without manually reviewing your files
• Review & Fix: Shows a detailed list of all files so that you can manually mark or unmark them, and use the automatic file selection tools
• Move duplicates to another folder or delete them permanently
• iTunes and duplicate music finder
• In-house file previewing feature
• Smart tool to delete empty folders at a single click

Delete Large Downloads

Another simplest way to free-up a large storage in a short time is to delete large downloads. If you’ve downloaded some files that you may not need again, it’s a good choice to delete them.

1. Double-click the Users folder on your Desktop.
2. Open the Downloads folder.
3. Right-click on an empty area.
4. Select Group by > Size.
5. Windows will group your files by their sizes. Deleting files will become simple.

You can follow the similar trick for other locations such as the Documents, Pictures, Videos folder on your hard disk.

Move Your Files to the Cloud

Moving your files to the cloud will make room for new files required for Windows 11 installation. Another benefit is that your files will be safe from virus infection and hardware failure.

If you’ve got a large chunk of data stored on your hard disk, a file synchronization program will make it easier for you to transfer your files on the cloud. The file sync program will divide your data into small parts which will get uploaded automatically in the background. The procedure is fairly simple.

1. Download Google Drive for Desktop.
2. Run the downloaded installer and the User Account Control (UAC) will prompt for permissions. Click on Yes.
3. Once the installation is closed, click on Close.
4. Google Drive for Desktop will automatically open up.
5. Click on Get Started.
6. Sign in to your Google account using the login credentials.
7. If you’ve activated 2-Factor Authentication enabled for security purposes, you’ll need to type the OTP from the Google Authenticator app or SMS. Click on Next.
8. Click on Got it.
9. Select the folders you want to sync online.
10. You can also add custom folders of your choice by clicking on the Choose Folder link and selecting the concerning folder.
11. You’ll be prompted to confirm uploading files to the Google Drive online web. Click on Continue.
12. Once you’re done selecting your folders, select your desired photo and video upload size. Select Original Quality to retain the original size. Choose High Quality to compress your images and videos to take lesser space online.
13. Click on Next.
14. Uncheck the Sync My Drive to this computer option otherwise your online files will be downloaded to your hard disk for offline access and eat up additional storage instead of freeing it up.
15. Click on Start.

If you run out of space but don’t plan to purchase Google Drive premium plans, you can use the free plan offering from other file sync clients such as Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox to store more files online.