How to Check Total Hard Disk Space in Windows 10: A Step-by-Step Guide

By / November 7, 2025

Ever wondered how much storage space you actually have on your Windows 10 computer? Whether you’re installing a new game, downloading large files, or simply trying to organize your data, knowing your total hard disk space (and how much is free) is crucial.

Luckily, Windows 10 makes it easy to check your total, used, and available storage space — and you don’t need to be a tech expert to do it.

In this comprehensive step-by-step guide, we’ll show you multiple methods to check total hard disk space in Windows 10, using built-in tools like File Explorer, Settings, Disk Management, Command Prompt, and more.

Why You Should Know Your Hard Disk Space

Checking your hard disk space is important for several reasons:

  • 💾 Storage Management: Avoid running out of space for files, videos, and apps.

  • ⚙️ System Performance: Low disk space can slow down your PC and cause crashes.

  • 🎮 Game Installation: Games and design software often require significant space.

  • ☁️ Backup Planning: Know how much data you can back up locally or to the cloud.

  • 🔍 Upgrade Decisions: Determine whether you need an external drive or SSD upgrade.

Knowing your total and available storage gives you control over your system’s health and performance.

2. Understanding Disk Space: Total, Used, and Free

Before we jump into methods, let’s understand the three key terms you’ll see when checking disk space:

Term Description
Total Space The full capacity of your hard drive (e.g., 500 GB, 1 TB).
Used Space The portion occupied by files, apps, and system data.
Free Space The remaining space available for new files or programs.

💡 Example:
If your 500 GB drive shows 400 GB used and 100 GB free, the total disk space is 500 GB.

3. How to Check Total Hard Disk Space in Windows 10 (Quick Overview)

Here’s a quick summary of all available methods:

Method Tool Used Difficulty Shows Free/Used Space Extra Details
1 File Explorer ⭐ Easy ✅ Basic visual view
2 Settings App ⭐ Easy ✅ Drive details and cleanup options
3 Disk Management ⭐⭐ Moderate ✅ Partition-level details
4 Command Prompt ⭐⭐ Moderate ✅ Text-based disk info
5 PowerShell ⭐⭐ Moderate ✅ Script-friendly disk info
6 This PC Shortcut ⭐ Easy ✅ Quick check for all drives
7 Third-party tools ⭐⭐ Moderate ✅ In-depth space usage analysis

4. Method 1: Check Hard Disk Space Using File Explorer

The File Explorer method is the most straightforward and user-friendly.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.

  2. In the left sidebar, click This PC.

  3. You’ll see all drives (C:, D:, etc.) listed under “Devices and drives.”

  4. Each drive shows:

    • Total space

    • Used space

    • Free space

    • A visual bar indicator

💡 Tip: Hover your mouse over the drive to see exact details (e.g., “500 GB total, 120 GB free”).

Example Output:

Local Disk (C:)
Free space: 120 GB
Total size: 500 GB

5. Method 2: View Disk Space via Settings App

The Settings app provides a clean, modern interface for checking storage.

Steps:

  1. Click Start → Settings → System → Storage.

  2. Under Local storage, click your main drive (usually C: drive).

  3. You’ll see how storage is used by:

    • Apps & features

    • System files

    • Documents, pictures, videos, etc.

This gives you a detailed breakdown of what’s consuming your space.

💡 Pro Tip: Use the Storage Sense option here to automatically free up space by deleting temporary files.

6. Method 3: Use Disk Management Tool

The Disk Management tool gives a complete view of all physical disks and partitions.

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + X and select Disk Management.

  2. You’ll see a list of all drives and partitions.

  3. Each entry shows:

    • Disk number (e.g., Disk 0, Disk 1)

    • Capacity (total size)

    • Free space

    • Partition type (Primary, Logical, Recovery, etc.)

This method is perfect for users managing multiple drives or partitions.

7. Method 4: Check Hard Disk Space Using Command Prompt

If you prefer command-line tools, the Command Prompt (CMD) can display total and free space instantly.

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.

  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    wmic logicaldisk get size,freespace,caption

  3. You’ll see output like this:

    Caption FreeSpace Size
    C: 128934912000 500107862016
    D: 89948160000 200043965440

To convert bytes to GB, divide by 1,073,741,824 (1 GB).
For example: 500107862016 / 1073741824 = 465 GB total.

💡 Tip: This method is fast and works even when the graphical interface fails to load.

8. Method 5: View Disk Space via PowerShell

PowerShell offers more flexibility for power users.

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + X → Windows PowerShell (Admin).

  2. Type this command:

    Get-PSDrive -PSProvider FileSystem

  3. Press Enter to see results like:

    Name Used (GB) Free (GB) Provider Root
    ---- --------- --------- -------- ----
    C 320.45 145.32 FileSystem C:\
    D 122.15 78.54 FileSystem D:\

This gives a clear summary of used and free space across all drives.

9. Method 6: Check Hard Disk Space Using “This PC” Shortcut

If you only want a quick visual check, this is the easiest method.

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + D to go to your desktop.

  2. Double-click This PC.

  3. Look under Devices and drives — your disk space is shown right there.

This method is fast, beginner-friendly, and doesn’t require extra tools.

10. Method 7: Use Third-Party Tools for Detailed Insights

If you want more granular analysis of disk space usage, third-party tools are ideal.

Tool Description Key Features
WinDirStat Visual disk usage analyzer Shows file size by color-coded blocks
TreeSize Free Folder size analyzer Identifies large folders easily
CCleaner System cleaner Frees up junk and shows usage breakdown
SpaceSniffer Interactive disk visualizer Displays files as dynamic blocks

💡 Tip: WinDirStat is great for visually identifying which folders eat up the most space.

11. How to Identify Disk Space Per Drive or Partition

If you have multiple partitions (like C:, D:, E:), it’s easy to check space on each one.

  • Open File Explorer → This PC

  • Right-click the specific drive → Properties

  • Under the General tab, you’ll see:

    • Used space

    • Free space

    • Capacity

    • Pie chart visualization

This is helpful when managing partitions on laptops or PCs with multiple drives.

12. How to Check Hidden or Reserved Space

Windows sometimes reserves disk space for system recovery, virtual memory, or updates.

Steps to View Hidden/Reserved Space:

  1. Open Disk Management.

  2. Look for partitions labeled System Reserved or Recovery.

  3. These partitions typically occupy a few GBs and are hidden from File Explorer.

You can’t delete them without risking system stability — they’re used for recovery and boot management.

13. How to Free Up Disk Space in Windows 10

If your drive is running low, try these quick fixes:

Use Disk Cleanup:

  1. Type Disk Cleanup in the Start Menu and open it.

  2. Choose a drive (usually C:).

  3. Select categories like:

    • Temporary files

    • Recycle Bin

    • System cache

  4. Click OK → Delete Files.

Use Storage Sense:

  • Go to Settings → System → Storage → Configure Storage Sense.

  • Enable automatic cleanup to delete temporary files regularly.

Delete Large Files:

Use WinDirStat or TreeSize Free to locate massive unused files and remove them.

14. Common Disk Space Issues and How to Fix Them

Problem Cause Solution
Low Disk Space Warning Drive nearly full Delete temp files, empty Recycle Bin
Missing Free Space Hidden system files Check with Disk Management
Incorrect Size Display File system error Run chkdsk /f in Command Prompt
Multiple Recovery Partitions OS reinstalled multiple times Use Disk Management to delete extra partitions (advanced users only)

15. FAQs

1. How can I check my hard disk size without opening the PC?

Use File Explorer or Disk Management — both show your total disk capacity and partitions.

2. What’s the easiest way to check disk space in Windows 10?

Open File Explorer → This PC. It instantly shows used and available space for each drive.

3. How do I check free space on my C drive only?

Right-click Local Disk (C:) → Properties to view total, used, and free space.

4. Why is my total space smaller than advertised (e.g., 500 GB shows as 465 GB)?

Manufacturers calculate 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes, while Windows uses 1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes — causing the displayed size to appear smaller.

5. Can I increase my hard disk space without replacing it?

Yes. You can:

  • Delete unnecessary files

  • Use cloud storage

  • Add an external drive

  • Upgrade to an SSD with higher capacity

16. Key Takeaways

  • 💽 Checking disk space helps prevent performance issues and storage errors.

  • ⚙️ Use File Explorer, Settings, or Disk Management for total and free space details.

  • 🧹 Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup help free up unnecessary files.

  • 💡 For detailed analysis, tools like WinDirStat visualize what’s using space.

  • 🚀 Regularly monitoring disk space keeps your PC fast and organized.

17. Conclusion

Knowing how to check total hard disk space in Windows 10 is a basic but essential computer skill. Whether you’re managing files, troubleshooting low storage, or preparing for an upgrade, Windows provides plenty of built-in tools to help you monitor your disk usage.

From File Explorer to PowerShell, each method offers a different level of detail — so you can choose what fits your needs best.

Keeping an eye on your available space not only improves system performance but also helps you plan ahead for upgrades or cleanups.

So, take a few minutes today, check your disk space, and keep your PC running smoothly.

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