Fix: Windows needs more space to update/not enough space
- To install the Windows 10 cumulative patch, your OS expects you to keep a certain amount of storage space available.
- If that's not the case, yours truly will be quick to point out that Windows needs more space.
- Even so, you needn't worry. The not enough space error during Windows upgrade can be wiped out quickly with our tips below.
- Get ready for a bit of clean-up on your C: drive or start looking for an external HDD to solve this issue.
A certain amount of free storage space is required for Windows 10‘s cumulative patch or feature updates.
If there is not enough space for Windows update, a window will pop up when users the Check for updates or Fix issues buttons stating that Windows needs more space.
The window above gives users an option to update Win 10 with an external storage flash drive. However, a certain amount of free C: drive space might still be required to update Win 10 even with external flash storage.
That window will not include a Continue button when there’s an X beside part A for free C: drive space even if users have inserted a sufficient USB drive for part B.
Users can click the Free up space button on the Windows needs more space window. That button opens Storage in Settings from which users can click drive C to open a storage usage list.
That shows users what file categories are hogging the most space.
How do I free up space for Windows Update?
1. Click the Free up space now option
Users can also click a Free up space now option on the Storage tab in Settings to erase temporary files.
Windows will then scan for temporary and superfluous files wasting hard drive space. Then select some file checkboxes there, and press the Remove files button.
2. Uninstall software
Uninstalling superfluous software that’s seldom utilized is perhaps the best way to free up HDD space for Windows updates as programs and apps usually hog the most storage.
- To do that, press the Windows key + R hotkey, which opens Run.
- Enter appwiz.cpl in Run and click OK to open the uninstaller Control Panel applet shown directly below.
- Then users can select software to uninstall there.
- Click Uninstall to remove a selected program.
- Then click Yes to give further confirmation to uninstall the software.
If you want to free up valuable storage on your PC, the most reliable method is by using uninstaller software that entirely removes the useless programs.
These efficient tools will offer automated support for uninstalling multiple programs at once, after scanning your PC to find unused apps and other residual files that take storage.
Hence, you can save up significant storage using automated help from the best uninstaller software available now on the market.
3. Reduce disk space storage for System Restore
- System Restore can also hog a lot of hard drive storage. To reduce the amount of storage allocated to System Restore, press the Windows key + S keyboard shortcut.
- Enter System Restore in the search box.
- Click Create a restore point to open the window shown directly below.
- Press the Configure button to open the window in the snapshot directly below.
- Drag the Max Usage bar further to the left to reduce the hard drive storage space allocated to System Restore.
- Click the Apply button.
- Select the OK option.
Bonus: Windows 10 does not have enough disk space but there is plenty
Your computer needs a required update but you don’t have space available for the download. While the error message is pretty clear, it is not always necessarily true.
Here are some useful tips to help you can try out:
- Use the built-in Windows 10 Disk Cleanup tool to eliminate junk files, clutter, temporary files and optimize your drives.
- Turn on Storage sense to free up space automatically (The option is available under Settings -> System -> Storage).
- Increase your drive space in Windows 10. To do that, open Disk Management with administrator permissions.
Right-click on the drive whose size you want to increase (The column is marked as Volume), and then select Extend Volume. - Finally, you can also consider an external drive when Windows needs space to update (even an SD card would do as long as you format it to the same NTFS sile system that is also used by your PC’s storage).
There you go, these solutions should help you remove the not enough space error during Windows upgrade.
Do you know of any other workarounds? Feel free to share your expertise with us via the comments section below.
