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Step-by-step instructions to see how much storage space you have
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This wikiHow teaches you how to see how much storage space remains on your computer or smartphone. This process is different than checking memory usage, which typically refers to a computer's RAM (random access memory).

Checking Hard Disc Storage on Different Devices

  • On Windows, open “Settings” in the Start menu, then navigate to “System.” Click the “Storage” tab to review your hard drive’s space usage.
  • On Mac, open the Apple menu, then navigate to “About this Mac.” Click the “Storage” tab to review your hard drive’s space.
  • For an Android phone, open “Settings,” then navigate to “Device.” Click “Storage & USB” to review your phone’s storage space.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

On Windows

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  2. It's a computer-shaped icon on the Settings page.
    • If Settings opens to a page other than the main Settings page, click the "Back" button in the top-left corner of the window until the "Back" button disappears.
  3. This option is in the upper-left side of the Display page.
  4. Below the "Local storage" heading at the top of the page, you'll see an image of your hard drive with "Number used" and a "Number free" categories below it. The "Number used" section tells you how much of your computer's hard drive is being used, while the "Number free" section tells you how much free space remains.
  5. Click the hard disk icon below the "Local storage" heading. This will open a comprehensive list that shows you how much space specific file types, programs, and so on are taking up, which will help you target areas for clean-up if you want to free up some hard drive space.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

On Mac

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  1. Expert Answer
    Q

    When asked, “How do you check your hard drive space on a Mac?”

    Gonzalo Martinez

    Gonzalo Martinez

    Computer Repair Technician
    Gonzalo Martinez is the President of CleverTech, a tech repair business in San Jose, California founded in 2014. CleverTech LLC specializes in repairing Apple products. CleverTech pursues environmental responsibility by recycling aluminum, display assemblies, and the micro components on motherboards to reuse for future repairs. On average, they save 2 lbs - 3 lbs more electronic waste daily than the average computer repair store.
    Gonzalo Martinez
    EXPERT ADVICE
    Answer from Gonzalo Martinez:

    Gonzalo Martinez, an Apple repair specialist, responded: “On the upper left of your screen is an Apple logo. Click on that and go down to “About This Mac.” You’ll see six tabs, and you want to click on “Storage.” You’ll see the name of your drive, how much space is available, and the total size.”

  2. It's at the top of the drop-down menu. Doing so opens a new window.
  3. This option is at the top of the "About This Mac" window.
  4. In the upper-right side of the window, you'll see the amount of storage remaining out of the total available storage on your computer (e.g., "15 GB free of 249 GB").
    • You can see a color-coded breakdown of which programs are taking up the most space on this page as well.
    • If you hover over a color-coded section, you can see exactly how much space the section's pertaining files (e.g., "Apps") are taking up.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

On iPhone

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  1. This option is near the bottom of the screen.
  2. In the top-right side of the screen, you'll see "Number GB of Number GB Used" (e.g., "45 GB of 128 GB Used"). The first number pertains to the amount of space on your iPhone that's being used, while the second number pertains to your iPhone hard drive's total space.
    • Subtracting the "Used" number from the total number will tell you how much available space your iPhone currently has.
    • You can scroll down to see exactly how much hard drive space each app is currently using.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

On Android

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  1. It's in the "Device" section of the Settings menu.
    • On a Samsung, you'll instead tap Apps.
  2. At the top of the screen, you should see "X GB Used of Y GB" (e.g., "8.50 GB Used of 32 GB"). You can also view a breakdown of how much space each item on your Android is using on this page.
    • On a Samsung, you must first swipe right to the SD card tab.
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Community Q&A

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Add New Question
  • Question
    How much free space on a hard drive is best?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It depends on how much space you need -- that is, on what you use your computer for. Gamers need much more space than the average user who simply uses a word processor occasionally and checks email does, for example.
  • Question
    How can I do this on Windows 10?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Go to File Explorer, and go to "This PC". Look for your default hard drive, which by default is (C:), and from there you can check your total space, and how much you have used.
  • Question
    Is there an application for Windows to check how much space a folder is taking?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can do that by right clicking the folder or file you want to check the space of and then clicking on Properties. After you do that, Windows will start calculating the space occupied by the folder/file. It may take some time if the file is large.
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Tips

  • Your item's available hard drive space will always be less than was advertised. This is because a portion of the hard drive is used for the operating system and required files.
  • If you're trying to clear space on your computer, note that you cannot change your hard disk space simply by dragging files into your trash; you must empty the trash to make more space.
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Warnings

  • If your hard drive is full, you'll need to delete files or programs before you can add more to the hard drive.
  • Traditional hard drives will always run slower than optimal speed if they're over halfway full. Solid State Drives don't have this problem.
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About This Article

Gonzalo Martinez
Co-authored by:
Computer Repair Technician
This article was co-authored by Gonzalo Martinez and by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Gonzalo Martinez is the President of CleverTech, a tech repair business in San Jose, California founded in 2014. CleverTech LLC specializes in repairing Apple products. CleverTech pursues environmental responsibility by recycling aluminum, display assemblies, and the micro components on motherboards to reuse for future repairs. On average, they save 2 lbs - 3 lbs more electronic waste daily than the average computer repair store. This article has been viewed 2,092,294 times.
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Co-authors: 40
Updated: April 5, 2024
Views: 2,092,294
Article SummaryX

1. Click the Start menu.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click System.
4. Click Storage.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,092,294 times.

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