Windows Storage Sense: How to optimize PC using it?

Windows storage sense is a new, intelligent storage management system that will help users gain more storage space on their PC. It can automatically free up unused storage spaces by removing temporary files and old, non-essential programs from the computer. This means you can keep using your system without worrying about running out of storage space! Learn how to configure storage sense in Windows 11, as well as how to use it clean and optimize your PC for better performance!

What is Storage Sense?

Storage sense is a storage optimization feature that was introduced in Windows 10. As mentioned in the introduction, it helps clean up your computer’s hard drive by deleting old, unnecessary files. This can free up storage space on your PC, which can improve performance. 

How to Enable Storage Sense in Windows 11

There are two ways to enable storage sense in Windows 11. The first way is to open the Start Menu and type ‘Storage sense’. This will bring up the Storage sense settings window.

The second way to enable Storage sense is by navigating through Settings. 

1. Open the Settings app and go to System -> Storage. 
2. On the right side of the window, you’ll see a section called Storage Sense.
3. Toggle to Turn ON the switch to enable Storage Sense.

What Does Storage Sense Do?

When you enable storage sense, it will do a variety of things to clean up your computer’s hard drive:

– Delete temporary files that are no longer needed

– Delete downloaded files that are no longer needed

– Empty the recycle bin

– Delete temporary internet files

– Delete old Windows Update files

How to Use Storage Sense to Clean and Optimize Your PC’s Hard Drive

Storage sense can be used to clean up your PC’s hard drive in a number of ways. The following are some tips on how you can use storage sense to optimize your computer’s hard drive:

Open the Settings app and go to System > Storage. On the right side of the window, you’ll see a section called Storage Sense. Click on the Change how we free up space link. A window will pop up with three options:

• Cleanup of temporary files: Automatically deletes temporary files to keep running the system smoothly.
• Automatic User Content Cleanup: This option cleans up your computer’s hard drive automatically every week.
• Configure cleanup schedules: This option lets you choose which files to delete from your computer’s hard drive.
  • Run Storage Sense: Choose when to run the Storage Sense
    • Every Week
    • During Low Free Disk Space
    • Every Day
    • Every Month
  • Delete Files in my Recycle Bin if they have been there for over:
    • Never
    • 1 Day
    • 30 Days
    • 60 Days
  • Delete Files in my Download Folder if they haven’t been opened for more than:
    • Never
    • 1 Day
    • 30 Days
    • 60 Days

You can choose whichever method works best for you. If you’re not sure what to do, the Automatic Cleanup option is a good choice. It will clean up your computer’s hard drive automatically every week without any input from you.

You can also run Storage Sense manually by clicking on Run Storage Sense now.

How to Delete Temporary Files in Windows 11?

Temporary files unnecessary get accumulated in the system and take up valuable space. Such files might indirectly cause the system to slow down.

On Windows 11, it is easy to remove Temporary files. Here are the steps:

1. Open Windows 11 Settings from the Start Menu.
2. From the left pane, choose System settings and click on Storage from the right.
3. Click on the Temporary files option.
4. Tick all the boxes that you want to delete and click on Remove files.

Summing Up

Windows storage sense is a great way to clean up your computer’s hard drive and optimize your PC for better performance. It’s easy to enable and can be used in a number of ways to suit your needs. If you’re not sure what to do, the Automatic Cleanup option is a good choice. It will take care of everything for you without any input from you. Have a look at other posts for more optimizing tips on Windows 10 and 11. Thanks for reading!

Peter Brown

Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.