I found a 'DISM' command that reclaims Windows 11 system storage - but you'll have to use it wisely

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

Have you ever noticed how your PC's storage never quite seems to add up? Part of that is because Windows reserves a small portion of your storage for system files. A feature called Reserved Storage quietly sets aside 5GB to 10GB on your SSD for update files, cache, and temporary files.

It's not as nefarious as it sounds -- there's a rationale behind allocating space to streamline updates -- but you may want to get that space back, especially if you have a smaller SSD and space is tight.

Also: Do yourself a favor and stop buying these cheap SSD drives flooding the market

Most users with 512GB or more of storage don't need to mess with these settings, but if you really want to maximize your SSD, Windows lets you disable Reserved Storage.

Start here first

If you're hurting for space on your local drive, there are several other options I recommend exploring first -- many of which could produce even better results. First, consider clearing the cache in Windows 11, a safe way to free up some space.

Second, Windows PC Manager is a free cleanup tool that helps identify clutter on your machine. Since it's designed by Microsoft, it should theoretically be able to identify some files that third-party programs can't, like old Windows log files and installation clutter.

Also: I used an M.2 PCIe enclosure for data storage, and it made file transfers so much faster

... continue reading