Cleanup Plan When the C Drive Is Full

When “low disk space” pops up, rescue first, then maintain—fast then slow.

Emergency trio

1. Downloads/Desktop: move old zips, ISOs, and recordings to external storage.
2. Caches: clear browser/WeChat/Steam, etc., via settings.
3. Update leftovers: pause Windows Update, clear SoftwareDistribution\Download, then restart services.

Deeper checks

• Look in AppData for huge logs or crash dumps.
• Are VM images, Docker data, or design assets on C?
• Are hibernation/pagefile sizes too large—can they move elsewhere?

Wrap-up

After cleaning, check Recycle Bin, then reboot. If apps fail to start, configs were likely deleted—restore and whitelist them. Set a 15GB threshold alert to act before the red bar returns.

Don’ts

• Don’t delete winsxs or System32 to “save time”—you’ll break Windows.
• Don’t clear caches mid-download—it corrupts installers.

Small tools

• Win+R %temp% jumps straight to the temp folder—fast and precise.
• TreeSize Portable plots a heatmap in minutes—target the red zones.

Once the bar is green, set a “month-start reminder” to review monthly—no more surprises.

Further reading

• Checklist for Low C Drive Space
• Guide to Finding and Handling Large Files on C
• Safe Removal of Windows Update Cache
• Post-Cleanup Reminders and Maintenance
• Comprehensive C Drive Cleanup Guide