Tackling digital clutter: simple ways to free up space on your computer

Carrying out a storage audit

Before deleting anything, it’s worth getting the full picture. Otherwise, there’s a risk of wasting time on trivial matters and missing the main issue — a 20 GB file quietly tucked away somewhere deep within your folders.

In Windows, open «Settings» → «System» → «Storage» – here you can immediately see how much space is taken up by documents, photos, videos, apps and temporary files. On a Mac, a similar feature can be found in the Apple menu → «About This Mac» → «Storage» → «Manage».

After getting an overview, it’s worth going through the folders manually, as system tools show categories but don’t always spot specific clutter inside the folders. On Windows, File Explorer lets you sort contents by size, last modified date or file type. On a Mac, you do the same thing using Finder: the «List» view, sorted by size or date opened, immediately shows what’s taking up the most space.

Pay particular attention to the «Documents», «Desktop» and «Downloads» folders: that’s where all sorts of things tend to end up. Ten minutes spent going through them will make the situation much clearer.

Getting rid of temporary files

The operating system constantly creates temporary files — during updates, software installations and when using a web browser. In theory, these should be deleted automatically, but in practice they accumulate over the years and can take up several gigabytes. This is often where disk space disappears without the user even noticing.

In Windows, the quickest way to remove temporary files is to run the Disk Cleanup utility (cleanmgr) via Win + R. Select drive C:, tick the boxes next to temporary files, draft files and Recycle Bin files — and run the cleanup. This is a targeted tool: it works quickly and solves a specific problem – getting rid of temporary junk. An even more convenient option is to enable the «Storage Sense» feature, which will do this automatically: «Settings» → «System» → «Storage» → «Storage Sense».

On a Mac, this is handled by the «Storage Optimisation» feature. Open the Apple menu → «About This Mac» → «Storage» → «Manage» — the system will suggest what can be safely deleted or moved to the cloud, such as offloading rarely used files to iCloud and deleting viewed tabs from Mail.

Getting clean-up recommendations from Windows

Whilst cleanmgr only removes temporary files, «Cleanup recommendations» is a more comprehensive tool that analyses the entire drive and provides an overview. Open «Settings» → «System» → «Storage» → «Cleanup recommendations» – and the system will tell you what is taking up unnecessary space and what can be safely deleted.

This section will display categories that cleanmgr does not affect: large or rarely used files, files that have already been synchronised with the cloud and are duplicated locally, and outdated app data. Windows doesn’t just list these — it explains what these files are so that you can make an informed decision. Select the relevant categories and click «Clean».

On a Mac, the «Recommendations» tab in the «Storage Management» section serves a similar purpose — providing tips on what can be optimised and how, at a system-wide level.

Clearing the browser cache

It’s worth mentioning cache clearing separately. Your browser stores copies of websites, images and cookies on your hard drive so that pages load faster next time. Over time, this cache grows and can take up anywhere from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. In most browsers — on both Windows and Mac — clearing the cache is done in the same way: using Ctrl + Shift + Delete (on Mac — Cmd + Shift + Delete). A window will open where you can select the cache, cookies and other temporary data. Regularly clearing your browser cache is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to keep your hard drive tidy.

Tidying up the «Downloads» folder

Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on a Mac and take a look at the «Downloads» folder. Chances are it’s full of months or even years’ worth of files that you downloaded «just for a moment» and then forgot about. Installers for programmes you installed ages ago. PDF files you’ve only looked at once. Compressed files whose contents you extracted ages ago. All of this is just sitting there, taking up space on your hard drive.

Sort your files by size — and you’ll immediately see what’s taking up the most space. On Windows, to permanently delete a file without sending it to the Recycle Bin, use the Shift + Delete key combination. On a Mac, use Option + Delete, then empty the Trash. A few minutes’ work — and you’ll free up gigabytes.

Getting rid of unnecessary programmes

Take a fresh look at your list of installed programmes. Almost everyone has apps they installed «to try out» but have never opened since. Games, utilities, trial versions of programmes — all of these take up space and often load when the system starts up, slowing it down. This is one of the main ways to free up space on your computer, delivering quick and noticeable results.

On Windows: «Settings» → «Apps» → «Installed apps» → sort by size.

On a Mac: «Finder» → «Applications» — select the ones you no longer need and drag them to the bin, or use the «Storage Management» section, which has a separate «Applications» category sorted by size. Pay particular attention to games: a modern game can easily take up 50-100 GB, and if you haven’t played it for a year, the decision is obvious.

Incidentally, on Windows, uninstalling programs isn’t the only option. Some apps can be moved to another drive without reinstalling them: «Settings» → «Apps» → «Installed apps» → select the programme → «Move». This is particularly handy if you have a small-capacity system SSD and a separate HDD for data storage. Games over 50 GB that you only play occasionally can easily be stored on a slower drive — whilst freeing up space on your system drive for what really needs speed.

On Windows, also check your startup items: «Task Manager» → «Startup» tab. On a Mac, this is done via «System Preferences» → «General» → «Login Items». Disable anything unnecessary to speed up system startup.

Removing system ‘junk’ and old update files

Over time, the operating system accumulates leftover files from updates, temporary system files and backups of previous versions — all of which take up space that you may not even notice.

On Windows, run cleanmgr, click «Clean up system files» and wait for the scan to complete. The system will itself show you what can be safely deleted. After major updates, Windows usually leaves a backup of the previous version — if the system is running smoothly, you can remove it and free up between 10 and 20 GB.

On a Mac, the easiest way to remove system junk is via the «Storage Management» section — it provides recommendations on which files can be safely deleted. Macs also store local Time Machine snapshots — if you don’t use this feature or back up to an external drive, you can disable it via Terminal.

Getting rid of duplicate files

Photos downloaded twice. Documents saved in several folders «just in case». Music that’s in one folder and another. Duplicates build up without you realising, but can take up a significant amount of space when added together. Finding them manually is a faff, but there are free programmes that do it automatically. On Windows, dupeGuru or Duplicate Cleaner will do the job; on a Mac, dupeGuru also works, or you can use Gemini. They scan your hard drive, find identical files and offer to delete the duplicates, leaving the choice up to you.

Let’s use cloud storage

You don’t have to delete everything — some files can simply be moved. Photos, videos, document archives — all of these can be stored in the cloud, freeing up space on your hard drive. Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive work just as conveniently on both Windows and Mac: they store local shortcuts instead of the actual files — you can see them in File Explorer or Finder, but they don’t physically take up any space on your hard drive. Mac users can also use iCloud Drive, which is built straight into the system.

If your home Internet connection is stable and fast, transferring files to the cloud takes just a few minutes. This is where the quality of your connection becomes crucial: with a slow or unstable internet connection, synchronisation becomes a source of frustration. Maxnet provides a GPON connection — fibre-optic broadband with a consistent speed that doesn’t slow down during peak hours. For those who actively use cloud services or regularly download large files, this feels like the difference between convenience and constant delays.

Regular tidying is better than a last-minute clear-out

The answer to the question «How do I free up space on my computer?» is obvious: don’t wait until the situation becomes critical. Digital clutter builds up gradually, which is why it’s so easy to overlook. It’s much easier to set aside 15 minutes once a month: run cleanmgr, check your downloads folder, clear your browser cache, and review your list of programmes. Follow these simple steps — and your computer will run much more smoothly without the extra expense of upgrading your hardware.