How-To

Reclaim Drive Space on Windows: Use PC Manager to Delete Old and Large Files

By Brian Burgess

Published June 14, 2024

Soemtimes you’ll need to reclaim drive space to help improve your PC system’s performance. Here’s how with Microsoft PC Manager.

One of the free utilities you can use to make Windows faster is the Microsoft PC Manager. It is essentially Microsoft’s take version of the CCleaner app. PC Manager includes ways to reclaim drive space by finding and deleting old files, running virus scans, killing processes, and more.

If your PC is running low on storage space, removing old, large files is helpful. Ensuring you have space on your local drive aids in a smoother system. So, if you find your computer is running sluggishly, reclaiming drive space can help improve system performance.

The PC Manager app is free from Microsoft and available for Windows 10 and 11. In our example, we’ll demonstrate running it on Windows 11, but the steps are the same for Windows 10.

Run a Deep Cleanup and Clear Large Files You no Longer Need

Once installing the utility on your PC, you can use the following steps to discover and delete old files you no longer need.

1. Press the Windows key, type PC Manager, and open it from the Start menu.
2. Select the Storage icon in the left column and click the Scan button next to the Deep cleanup entry.
3. Choose the files that take up the most space and click the Proceed button to remove them. This process is similar to using Disk Cleanup.
4. Once the files are removed, click the back arrow and select the Large files option under the Files cleanup section.
5. A larger window will open, allowing you to choose the files you want to remove. You can also use the tools at the top to select the file types and sources. For instance, here are several video files that I no longer need. After choosing the files, click the Permanently delete button in the corner.
6. If you download or have several duplicates, select Downloaded or Duplicate files. Like the Large files section, you can use the tools at the top to sort the files, so it’s easier to delete the ones you no longer need.

How Do I Delete Files on My PC

If you are looking for a straightforward way to reclaim drive space, using the Storage section of the free Microsoft PC Manager app is a helpful tool. It’s an excellent way to remove old and large files you no longer need proactively. However, there are other ways to reclaim drive space. For instance, you can manually delete temp files on Windows 11.

We also recommend that you enable Storage Sense to keep your drive clean. This is more of a “set it and forget it” option that helps ensure plenty of space on your drive is available. Initially introduced on Windows 10, it periodically deletes large and unused temp files and empties the Recycle Bin.