When the drive is almost full, the fastest fix is usually a handful of very large files or folders. Windows 11 can show them without extra software. The rule is simple: find first, read what it is, and only then decide.
1. Start with Storage settings
Open Settings → System → Storage and wait for the scan. Choose Show more categories to see Apps & features, Temporary files, Documents, Videos and other groups with their sizes. On many versions Cleanup recommendations also lists large or unused files; the exact entries depend on your build.
2. Use File Explorer size filters
Open This PC (or the drive), click the search box and type size:>1GB. File Explorer then lists files bigger than 1 GB; you can also use size:gigantic (over 128 MB). Switch to the Details view and sort by Size, largest first. Search results can be incomplete for folders that are not indexed, so treat the list as a guide, not a full audit.
3. Check installed apps by size
Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps and sort by Size. Games and creative tools are often the largest items. Uninstalling an app you no longer use usually frees more space than deleting many small files.
4. Use PowerShell for a top-20 list
Open Windows Terminal and run: Get-ChildItem C:\Users\YourName -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Sort-Object Length -Descending | Select-Object -First 20 FullName, @{n='GB';e={[math]::Round($_.Length/1GB,2)}}. Replace the path with the folder you want to check. This only reads files; it deletes nothing. On a whole drive it can take several minutes.
Files you should not delete by hand
hiberfil.sys, pagefile.sys and swapfile.sys are managed by Windows. If you really do not need hibernation, you can turn it off from an administrator terminal with powercfg /h off, which removes hiberfil.sys. Do not delete these files from File Explorer, and read our guides on Windows.old and the WinSxS folder before touching those.
Before you delete
Check what a file is, when it was last used and whether you have another copy. Move rarely needed large files such as video projects or installers to an external drive instead of deleting them straight away. Empty the Recycle Bin only after you are sure.
FAQ
How do I find the biggest files on my C: drive?
Use Settings → System → Storage for the big picture, then File Explorer with size:>1GB, or the PowerShell command in this guide for a top-20 list.
Is it safe to delete hiberfil.sys or pagefile.sys?
Not from File Explorer. Windows manages them. Hibernation can be turned off with powercfg /h off if you do not use it; the page file is best left alone.
Will freeing disk space make my PC faster?
It gives Windows room to update and work, but it does not by itself make the processor, graphics card or internet faster.
If you prefer seeing cleanup candidates before removing them, Rain Cleaner follows this approach with a preview step. I am one of the people behind it, so take that as a disclosure, not a recommendation: everything above works with Windows alone.
Originally published at https://raincleaner.eu/guides/find-large-files-taking-space-windows-11
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