Alex Ruben
How To Check If Your PC Has Enough Space for Installing Windows 11
So, you’re trying to upgrade to Windows 11 and hit that annoying error saying, “We Can’t Tell if Your PC Has Enough Space.” Honestly, it’s kind of a pain because Windows sometimes just refuses to recognize available space, especially if your drive is cluttered or if there are system files hiding around. This guide walks through some practical methods to free up disk space, clear out clutter, and get that install moving. Trust me, you’ll want to make sure your drive has enough room (at least 64 GB or more) and that your system isn’t hiding huge files that block the upgrade. Once done, that upgrade should go much smoother, and Windows won’t throw a fit about space.
How to Fix the “We Can’t Tell if Your PC Has Enough Space” Error When Installing Windows 11
Use Disk Cleanup to Clear Out Temporary and Junk Files
This is the first stop for dealing with stuff that’s just taking up space without doing much. Windows’ built-in Disk Cleanup tool can get rid of temporary files, thumbnails, and other junk that piles up. Sometimes, it’s enough to clear that space and get past that stupid error.
- Open the Start Menu and type
Disk Cleanup. On some setups, this app may not show up immediately, so you might need to search a bit. - Select Disk Cleanup from the list, then pick your main drive (usually C:) and hit OK.
- Check the boxes for categories like Temporary files, Thumbnails, Recycle Bin. These are the usual space hogs.
- Click OK then confirm with Delete Files.
While it’s simple, this step can free up a surprising amount of space sometimes. On some machines, it’s enough to tip the scales, or at least get rid of enough clutter to move forward.
Perform a Deeper Cleanup with “Cleanup System Files”
If a regular cleanup isn’t cutting it, this next step deep dives into system files, including Windows Update leftovers that can eat up hundreds of MBs or even GBs.
- Run Disk Cleanup again as described, then click Cleanup system files in the bottom left of the window. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
- Pick the same drive (C:) and press OK.
- In the new window, check options like Windows Update Cleanup. If you’ve been running a lot of updates or keeping stuff around, this can free massive space.
- Hit OK and confirm with Delete Files.
This move often gets rid of old update files and other system cache, which tend to linger unless you clear them manually. Sometimes, Windows covers this up but via the cleanup tool, it’s easy to remove.
Uninstall Unnecessary Programs
Unused apps and bloatware can secretly hog a lot of disk space — especially those games, toolbars, or big utility programs nobody uses anymore. Clearing some of those out makes a major difference.
- Open Add or remove programs from the Start Menu.
- Sort the list by size if possible — it’ll usually be a button like Size or implemented via sorting in the list view.
- Identify the big offenders: maybe Photoshop, Skype, or those old games you haven’t played in years.
- Click the three-dot menu or select the app, then hit Uninstall.
- Follow the prompts and restart your PC afterward. Sometimes uninstalling is quick, other times Windows asks for extra confirmations or additional steps.
Consider External Storage or Drive Partitioning
If you’re still short on space even after cleaning, perhaps you can move some files to external drives or SD cards. Also, check if your C: drive is getting full while other partitions have room. If so, consider resizing the partitions — but that’s more advanced and can be risky, so backup first. Use tools like MiniTool Partition Wizard if needed. Anyway, just moving big media files, backups, or installers over can make a noticeable difference.
Restart and Retry the Upgrade
After all this cleanup, reboot your PC. Sometimes, Windows just needs a fresh start to properly detect available space. Then, launch the Windows 11 installer again and see if the error is gone. It sounds simple, but on some setups, a restart is the magic bullet that makes everything click.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
It’s worth noting that Windows sometimes caches space info or gets stubborn about updating your disk stats. Running a disk check with chkdsk /f in an admin Command Prompt can help if there are underlying drive issues. Also, keep an eye out for hidden files or backups in your main folder that take up massive chunks — hidden folders or restore points could be hiding gigabytes.
Wrap-up
Following these cleanup routines should get you past that space check and focused on the real upgrade. Sometimes it’s just about deleting enough junk to make Windows happy. Keep an eye on your disk usage regularly — prevention beats cure, as they say. Overall, this combination of cleaning out temp files, deep system cleanup, and uninstalling unused apps usually does the trick. Fingers crossed this helps and gets you onto Windows 11 without more headaches.
Summary
- Clear temporary and system files with Disk Cleanup
- Uninstall big or unused programs
- Check for hidden or leftover files hogging space
- Restart and try the upgrade again