Use a methodical approach to see what's using the most space on your PC and easily clean it up. Programs, photos, videos, games, downloads and your other items live alongside system data like temporary files and updates. That's not to mention duplicate files and other junk that serves no purpose. When you need to clean up some space in Windows, it's easy to see what's using the most storage. With this laid out, you can create the most room with the least effort, only dipping into more advanced methods if you're really pressed for space. Don't go digging into folders at random; weeding out what's monopolizing your space gives you more breathing room.

The first step: Storage settings. Let's begin with Windows' built-in storage management tool: press Win + I to open the Settings panel, then go to System > Storage. Here, you'll see the total space in use on your main disk, along with a breakdown of what's taking it. Select one of these categories to jump into the relevant place and manage it. One of the biggest hogs is likely to be Installed apps; clicking this brings you to the Settings > Apps > Installed app page. Change the Sort by box to Size (Large to Small) to put the lowest-hanging fruit at the top. Under the three-dot (...) menu, hit Uninstall to remove anything you don't use anymore.

The Temporary Files category shows several checkboxes for items like Thumbnails that can be easy space-savers. Click Cleanup System Files to show more types of clutter. Be careful with Downloads and the Recycle Bin — while those spots can use lots of space, you might not want to delete them outright. It's best to open the Recycle Bin from your desktop and quickly check for anything you want to restore, since clearing the bin permanently deletes the files in it. If you have multiple storage drives, back on the Storage page, expand the Advanced storage settings section and choose Storage used on other drives to see the same breakdown for the others.

Several third-party tools make it easier to visualize what's using the most space across folders; my favorite is Tree Size Free. For best results, use the button on the top toolbar to run the program as an admin, then click Select Directory to choose what you scan — your entire C: drive is sensible. You'll see the largest folders at the top; use the arrows to navigate and identify space-hogging files quickly.