TL;DR: How to free up disk space on Windows

KB ID 2610140002

Problem: The Windows system drive is almost full and I want to free space safely using only the tools that come with Windows.
Applies to: Windows Settings (Storage, Storage Sense), Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe), DISM, powercfg, vssadmin, OneDrive Files On-Demand, PowerShell
Time to fix: 15 to 45 minutes, plus waiting for cleanup runs

Symptoms, platforms, difficulty and more

Symptoms: You would do this when the drive capacity bar in Settings > System > Storage is red, a feature update or cumulative update says it needs more space or fails, or the PC runs slowly with very little free space left. You will see how much space each step frees, and a drive that is no longer in the red.
Platforms affected: Windows 10, Windows 11
Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate (command line for some steps, administrator rights)
Verified on: Not yet tested by KEH-TECH on a live system. Steps and commands checked against Microsoft Learn on 14 October 2026.
Category: How-to
Updated: 14 Oct 2026
Tags: Disk Cleanup, DISM, PowerShell, Storage Sense, Windows

The fix only. No explanation, no diagnosis. Read the full article if any of this does not match what you are seeing.

Settings > System > Storage: turn Storage Sense on, then open Temporary files (Windows 11: Cleanup recommendations) and remove what you recognise.
Run Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr), pick C:, select Clean up system files, and tick the update cleanup items it lists.
Check the component store from an elevated Command Prompt:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Only if you never hibernate and do not need Fast Startup, remove the hibernation file:

powercfg /hibernate off

Never delete files from C:\Windows\WinSxS by hand, and do not add /ResetBase unless you accept that installed updates can no longer be uninstalled.

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Updated on October 14, 2026