💾 Windows 8.1 Update Tip: Clean Up That Disk Space Now

As you use your Windows 8.1 system, temporary files, update backups, and unused programs can accumulate — taking up valuable disk space and potentially slowing down performance.

With this expert guide, you’ll learn how to clean up disk space effectively, optimize your system, and ensure your Windows 8.1 device runs smoothly — especially after updates.

Let’s dive into the best practices and tools to free up disk space on your Windows 8.1 PC.

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🧹 Why You Should Clean Up Disk Space

Over time, Windows accumulates:

• ❌ Temporary internet files
• ❌ System cache
• ❌ Old Windows update files
• ❌ Unused applications
• ❌ Duplicate or junk files

This not only eats up disk space but can also affect boot times, app responsiveness, and update installations.

✅ Pro Tip: A clean drive helps Windows run more efficiently and gives you room for new apps, photos, videos, and documents.

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🔧 Built-in Tools to Free Up Space

1. Disk Cleanup (Cleanmgr.exe)

Windows includes a built-in tool that safely removes unnecessary files.

Steps:

1. Press Win + S > Type Disk Cleanup
2. Select the drive you want to clean (usually C:)
3. Wait while it scans
4. Check boxes like:

• Temporary Internet Files
• Downloaded Program Files
• Recycle Bin
• System error memory dump files

1. Click OK > Delete Files

Bonus Option: Clean up system files

After running Disk Cleanup once, click Clean up system files to remove old Windows updates, setup logs, and Windows upgrade files.

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2. Storage Sense (Settings App)

Available in later versions of Windows 8.1, Storage Sense automatically deletes temporary files and clears out downloads that haven’t been used in a while.

How to Enable:

1. Go to Settings > Change PC settings
2. Navigate to System > Storage
3. Turn on Storage Sense
4. Adjust settings to delete files older than 1 day, 14 days, etc.

📝 Note: Not all Windows 8.1 editions have Storage Sense by default — it was added in later updates.

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3. Uninstall Unused Programs

Some apps take up significant space and may run in the background.

To Uninstall:

1. Press Win + I > Open Settings
2. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program
3. Scroll through the list
4. Right-click any unwanted software > Uninstall

⚠️ Warning: Don’t uninstall anything labeled as “Windows Update” or related to hardware drivers unless sure.

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4. Remove Old Windows Update Files

Windows keeps copies of update files in case you need to roll back. These can take up hundreds of megabytes or even gigabytes.

Steps:

1. Open Disk Cleanup
2. Click Clean up system files
3. Scroll down and check:

• Windows Update Cleanup

1. Click OK > Delete

💡 This is safe to do after confirming your system is stable post-update.

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5. Clear the WinSxS Folder (Advanced)

The WinSxS (Windows Side-by-Side) folder stores component-based servicing files. It can grow large, but don’t delete it manually — use DISM instead.

Run This Command:

1. Open Command Prompt as Admin
2. Run:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore

3. Then:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

This safely removes outdated components from the store.

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🛠 Third-Party Tools (Optional)

If you’re comfortable with third-party utilities, these are trusted options:

Tool	Features
CCleaner	Cleans temp files, browser cache, registry
Wise Disk Cleaner	Fast and easy-to-use cleanup utility
BleachBit	Open-source alternative with advanced options

⚠️ Always download from official sources to avoid malware.

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🗂 Other Tips to Save Space

✅ Move Large Files Off the Drive

Use external storage or cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive) for:

• Photos
• Videos
• Large documents
• Archives (.zip, .rar)

✅ Use Symbolic Links (Advanced)

Move folders like Downloads, Documents, or Pictures to another drive using symbolic links.

Example:

mklink /J C:\Users\YourName\Documents D:\MyBackup\Documents

✅ Disable Hibernation (Saves ~25% of RAM size on disk)

Open Admin Command Prompt:

powercfg -h off

This removes the hiberfil.sys file from your root drive.

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🧪 Final Thoughts & Recommendation

Regular maintenance is key to keeping your Windows 8.1 system fast and healthy.

Here’s what I recommend doing monthly:

Task	Frequency
Run Disk Cleanup	Monthly
Uninstall Unused Apps	Quarterly
Clear WinSxS Store	After major updates
Remove Hibernation File	Once
Use CCleaner or BleachBit	As needed

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re using a small SSD (e.g., under 128GB), aggressive cleaning and offloading data to external/cloud storage is essential.

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🏁 A few minutes of disk cleanup now can save you from slowdowns, crashes, and low-space errors later. Keep your Windows 8.1 system lean and mean with regular maintenance!