How to Get Rid of Old Windows Files

What to Know

• Open File Explorer and navigate to This PC or the drive you wish to search.
• In the search field, type size: gigantic and then press Enter. It will search for any files larger than 128 MB.
• Click the View tab, then select Details. The search results will now have additional information, like file size, next to their names.

This article explains how to search for large files in Windows 10 using Windows Explorer. You won't need to purchase any extra software or tools; access to a Windows 10 computer is all you need.

If it turns out there are no individual files large enough to make a difference, you may want to use a disk space analyzer tool to find out what you can safely get rid of to free up a meaningful amount of space.

How to Find Large Files on Windows 10

You won't need any extra software to do this because Microsoft builds this functionality right into Windows. And you can access it from anywhere on your PC in just a few clicks.

1. Open up File Explorer, and navigate to the location you wish to begin your search. If you search This PC, it'll scan your whole computer, and if you select a drive within This PC, you'll search for any files only on the selected drive.

   Target your search to locations where you wouldn't expect to find large files. Remember, you're looking for non-essential files. Don't waste time searching drives for folders that you know you need.

2. In the search field at the top right of the window, type size: gigantic and then Enter. This will search your specified location for any files larger than 128 MB.

3. At the top-left of the window, click the View tab, then select Details. The search results will now have additional information, like file size, next to their names.

4. Click the Size tab at the top of the results list to sort the files from largest to smallest, and click the tab again to sort from smallest to largest.

5. From here, you can see the names and sizes of the files found and where they are, which will help you determine if it's a safe file to delete.

6. If you don't get results with large files on your computer, you can have Windows show hidden files and folders and search again.

   When searching for files with hidden files shown, you'll likely discover a few critical files important to Windows. Be careful not to delete these files.

FAQ

• How can I see a file's size in Windows 10?

  Go to File Explorer and right-click the Name field. Select Size. File sizes will now display on the right side of the window. Find it in File Explorer, right-click, and then select Properties to see a folder's size. You'll see the size and space the folder occupies.

• How can I view a file's full name on Windows 10?

  Go to File Explorer and click the View tab. Select Details to view more information about the file. Place a check in the box next to File Name Extensions to view the item's extension. Place a check next to Hidden Files to see any invisible documents. If the filename is getting cut off, go to Details view and drag the name column to make it wider.

How to Search for Files in Windows 10

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How to Get Rid of Old Windows Files

Source: https://www.lifewire.com/find-large-files-on-windows-10-5180994

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