It is always undesirable to completely fill up your SSD on a computer, as this can lead to poor performance. So, how much free space should you maintain on an SSD? And what steps can you take to free up SSD space if it's already full? All the answers you seek can be found in this guide.

Why Maintain Free Space on SSD

How much free space should you leave on an SSD? This topic has sparked numerous discussions in various online forums. Before diving into the answer, let’s first understand some of the negative consequences of having a fully occupied SSD.

SSDs can quickly fill up with a variety of data, including programs, files, videos, Windows files, and more. When this happens, you won't be able to install new Windows updates to address known issues or add new data. More seriously, your PC's performance will degrade significantly.

Specifically, you may experience a sluggish system, frequent crashes and errors, malfunctioning programs, longer boot times, and persistent low disk space warnings.

Therefore, it's advisable to keep some available space on your SSD to avoid these issues and ensure smooth operation.

How Much Free Space Should You Leave on SSD

How much space should you leave on your SSD? The answer depends on various factors and isn't fixed. After reviewing many forums and posts, here are our recommendations.

For SSDs, some use leftover space for caching purposes. Once the SSD is full, this caching capability is lost. Generally, it's best to follow the traditional guideline—maintain at least 20% free space on an SSD to ensure stable performance. For instance, a 1TB SSD should ideally have around 200GB of free space.

Some modern SSDs utilize over-provisioning technology, which means they have additional storage capacity. This is why some users believe that 10% free space is sufficient.

In practice, the exact amount of free space to leave on an SSD depends on the SSD's architecture, whether it has a DRAM or SLC cache, and your personal preference regarding acceptable drive speed.

Also read: How Much Free Space Should You Leave on a PC?

How to Free Up Space on SSD

If your SSD lacks sufficient free space, consider taking the following steps to create some breathing room and adhere to the recommended guidelines. Here are some practical tips for maintaining free space on an SSD.

Use MiniTool System Booster

Designed specifically to enhance system performance, MiniTool System Booster plays a vital role in optimizing your entire computer. Through various features, it significantly improves your PC by removing junk files, defragmenting HDDs, uninstalling applications, freeing up RAM, and boosting CPU performance.

To free up SSD space, download and install it for free, then proceed as follows:

Step 1: Launch MiniTool System Booster and navigate to the Performance page.

Step 2: Its Deepclean feature thoroughly scans your computer for hidden clutter and deletes unnecessary files to free up significant disk space. Select it from the dropdown menu and click START CLEAN to initiate seven cleanup tasks.

We recommend running these two tasks:

Internet Cleanup — deletes browsing cookies, temporary files, and other internet-related data.

Windows Cleanup — removes Windows temporary files, log files, broken shortcuts, and other junk files.

Avoid running Program Accelerator (disk defragmentation) for your SSD.

Step 3: You may have installed many unnecessary applications on your SSD, consuming valuable storage space. To reclaim space, go to Toolbox > Advanced Uninstaller > Uninstall.

Utilize Disk Cleanup

In addition to MiniTool System Booster, Windows includes a built-in cleaning tool called Disk Cleanup. It helps remove downloaded program files, temporary internet files, DirectX Shader Cache, delivery optimization files, Recycle Bin contents, temporary files, thumbnails, Windows update data, log files, and Windows installation files. After using this tool, you might recover several gigabytes of available disk space.

Step 1: Open Disk Cleanup by searching for it in Windows Search.

Step 2: Select the drive you wish to clean, such as the C drive.

Step 3: Check all the items you wish to delete and click OK > Delete Files.

Step 4: Additionally, click Clean up system files, select the C drive, check the files you wish to delete, and execute the task.

Delete Large Files on Your SSD

Avoid storing large files like videos and pictures on your SSD to ensure adequate disk space. You can open a drive, type size:gigantic into the search box, press Enter to find all files larger than 4GB, and delete them if feasible.

Final Thoughts

How much free space should you leave on an SSD? What actions should you take if your SSD is full? All these questions are addressed in this comprehensive guide. Ensure you maintain at least 20% free space on a solid-state drive. If your SSD lacks sufficient free space, follow the provided instructions to free up some storage capacity.

When cleaning up the system for more space, MiniTool System Booster proves highly effective. Obtain it to delete temporary files, free up RAM, and uninstall unnecessary programs.

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