Top 5 Fixes for Drive Keeps Filling Up Issue on Windows

The C: drive, often called the System Drive, is where the most apps and services are stored. Hence, it can be troubling if the C: drive on Windows keeps filling up even though you don’t seem to be saving anything.

Keeping your C: drive free of clutter can be difficult, with temporary files, updates, and other system data constantly occupying space. This guide provides helpful tips to prevent your Windows 10 or 11 computer’s C: drive from becoming unnecessarily full. So, let’s take a look.

1. Use the Disk Cleanup Tool

The C: drive is the primary drive for storing system files, Windows Updates, temporary files, and more. As you use your computer, these files keep piling up on your C: drive, taking up more and more space.

Running the Disk Cleanup tool on Windows can help you eliminate any unnecessary files with ease. Hence, you should start with that.

Step 1: Click the Windows search icon on the taskbar, type disk cleanup, and press Enter.

Step 2: Use the drop-down menu to select C: drive and click OK.

Step 3: Under Files to delete, use the checkboxes to select the files you want to remove. Then, click OK to proceed.

Step 4: Click the Delete Files button to confirm.

2. Enable Storage Sense

While running Disk Cleanup is a simple way to keep the C: drive from filling up, you can also automate this process by using the Storage Sense feature on Windows. Here’s how:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to launch the Settings app. Choose System from the left sidebar and, click on Storage from the right pane.

Step 2: Click on Storage Sense.

Step 3: Under Cleanup of temporary files, tick the ‘Keep Windows running smoothly by automatically cleaning up the temporary system and app files’ checkbox.

Step 4: Turn on the ‘Automatic User content cleanup’ option.

Step 5: Use the drop-down menu under Run Storage Sense to select from the available options: Every day, Every week, Every month, or During low free disk space.

Optionally, you can also configure Storage Sense to delete files from the Recycle Bin and the Downloads folder at the specified interval.

After you set up Storage Sense, Windows will automatically delete unnecessary files regularly and keep the C: drive from getting full.

3. Configure Disk Usage for System Restore

System Restore is a useful feature that creates a backup of your system whenever it detects any major changes. However, allocating too much disk space for System Restore points might cause your C: drive to fill up on your Windows 10 or 11 computer.

To avoid this, you can reduce the amount of disk space allocated to System Restore points. This will cause Windows to overwrite older restore points instead of creating new ones.

Step 1: Click the Windows search icon on the taskbar, type create a restore point, and press Enter.

Step 2: Under the System Protection tab, select the Local Disk (C:) and click the Configure button.

Step 3: Drag the Max Usage slider to your left and click Apply followed by OK.

4. Change the Default Save Location for Apps and Files

By default, Windows saves all Microsoft Store apps and downloads to the C: drive. This is another reason why the C: drive may fill up quickly. To prevent this, you can change the default download location for Microsoft Store apps, music, photos, documents, and other files.

Step 1: Open the Start menu and click on the Settings app icon (cog-shaped icon) to launch it.

Step 2: In the System tab, click on Storage.

Step 3: Under the Storage management section, click on the downward arrow next to ‘Advanced storage settings’ to expand it.

Step 4: Select ‘Where new content is saved.’

Step 5: Use the drop-down menu under a file type and select a different drive. Then, hit Apply.

5. Scan for Malware

Malware, such as viruses, ransomware, and other malicious software, can cause your C: drive to fill up with data. If you continue to experience problems after following the above tips, consider scanning your PC for malware using Windows Defender.

If the scan finds any malware, take the suggested steps to remove it.

Reclaim Your Drive

It is vital to keep the C: drive from filling up unnecessarily to avoid any kind of system performance dip on your Windows PC. The solutions mentioned above will help you prevent the C: Drive or the System drive from filling up raptidly. Additionally, if you have extra storage space on other drives, you can use the Disk Management tool to extend the C: drive partition.