It is usual for computer users to reach their storage capacity limit. This may cause the laptop to run slower than usual and negatively impact its overall performance.
If so, you will want additional storage space for your data.
This article will demonstrate how to increase the storage capacity of a laptop without deleting vital files.
How to Add More Laptop Storage
Either erase files to free up space or add SSDs or HDDs to a laptop to increase its storage.
In addition to storing your data locally on your laptop, you may also use external storage such as flash drives or the cloud.
Increasing Storage
The majority of laptops already have SSD storage, which saves data on microchips. SSDs (Solid-state drives) have a quicker read/write speed than HDDs (hard disk drives).
HDDs (Hard disk drives) are slower and louder due to their spinning metal disks, although they are currently substantially less expensive than SSDs.
In most laptops, you may choose between solid-state drives, hard storage drives, or a mix of the two. Let’s examine this in further depth below.
SSDs Alone
If you recently purchased a laptop, it presumably contains an SSD disk.
As a result, your computer will seem more responsive, as programs will launch faster than if they were
stored on a slower mechanical hard disk drive.
In addition, SSDs require less physical space, offer higher IOPS (input-output operations per second), and are extremely shock-resistant compared to HDDs.
SSD does not require as much physical space, since its 2.5-inch size was designed to allow the same slot size and connector as regular hard drives.
Therefore, to reduce clutter, NVMe M.2 SSDs that require substantially less space are available now.
Modern laptops include one or two PCI Express slots for inserting the NVMe M.2 drive. They resemble
RAM chips.
Hard Disk Drives Only
Nearly every laptop on the market supports 2.5-inch HDD disk slots. If yours is insufficient, you may easily exchange it for one with a bigger capacity.
As previously indicated, hard disk drives are less expensive than SSDs with similar storage capacity.
HDDs have a significant disadvantage compared to SSDs in that they consume more power. HDDs read and write data using mechanical elements, whereas SSDs do the same operations electrically.
Due to the complicated mechanical components, a hard disk drive is also more susceptible to failure if it is dropped or treated violently.
HDD and SSD
The combination of SSDs and HDDs offers the advantages of both storage types. SSDs provide quicker boot and load times, whereas HDDs are significantly less expensive.
Combining the two types of drives is simple if your computer has a slot for an NVMe SSD and a standard 2.5-inch storage space for the HDD. Typically, modern computers offer this ease.
If you have an older laptop without NVMe SSD slots, there is a solution available. This technique requires an HDD Caddy, an SSD, and an HDD.
The Hard Disk Drive caddy is a casing that fits precisely in the bay where your optical (DVD/CD) drive would ordinarily reside. This device enables the transmission of data from the HDD to the optical drive bay.
Thankfully, older computers prominently contain an optical drive. Now, you must place the solid-state drive into the 2.5-inch slot formerly occupied by your laptop’s hard disk.
With this configuration, it is optimal to make the SSD the master drive and the HDD the slave.
This terminology (master/slave) indicates that the operating system of your laptop is installed on the SSD, while the HDD is utilized for storage. Additionally, install
commonly used applications on the SSD to take advantage of the drive’s quicker read/write rates.
How can I expand my laptop’s storage capacity?
When purchasing a laptop for the first time, consider how much space you will need for your files.
This, however, is easier said than done, and you will ultimately run out of
storage space, regardless of whether you have enormous media files or Word pages.
With online storage, physical drives might soon become obsolete. Obtain more storage space from Google Drive and Microsoft’s One Drive if you have a steady Internet connection.
These cloud storage options are reasonably priced, and you can access your information from virtually any location or device.
Delete unused applications and bloatware to free up space. To free up critical storage
space on your laptop, transfer files to an external device.
Additionally, use disk cleanup applications to erase temporary files, clear the cache, and empty the recycle bin on a laptop to get additional storage space.
What is consuming so much disk space on my computer?
The first vital step in figuring out how to gain extra space on a laptop is to determine
what’s occupying your hard disk.
If you are using Windows 10, it is simple to make use of the Storage Sense function, which enables automated storage optimization.
We are going to demonstrate how to utilize Storage Sense to determine what is consuming your laptop’s storage space.
The procedure for determining what’s occupying space on a laptop may differ based on the version of Windows 10 installed.
To solve the storage conundrum, we will quickly cover how to browse version 1903 or later and version 1809 or older.
How to Locate Files Consuming Space in Windows 10 Version 1903 and Later
- On Windows 10, go to Settings
- Select System followed by Storage
- Examine Local Disk (C:) to see which files are consuming space on the primary disk.
- To view other file types, click Show more categories.
- To learn more, select View storage utilization on additional disks in the Additional Storage Options section.
- Under this option, you may pick several hard disks to view their contents.
How to Determine Which Files Are Consuming Space on Windows 10 Version 1809 or Earlier
Follow the instructions below if you are running Windows 10 version 1809 or earlier to determine which files are eating up space on your laptop.
- Access Settings then System
- Select Storage
- Click on your disk under Local Storage to examine how you’re utilizing your storage
- Click on each item under Storage Use if you wish to take more actions from this page.
- For example, if you observe that Temporary files are consuming an excessive amount of space, you can click on that item and take extra steps to release space.
How can I obtain more free storage space on my laptop?
Now that you are aware of what is consuming your laptop’s storage space, we will demonstrate how to effortlessly clear up space and generate extra storage for new files at no cost.
This section will focus on Storage Sense in Windows 10 and how to utilize it to
save up space on your laptop.
We recommend that Windows 10 users utilize Storage Sense instead of Disk Cleanup
since it is far more efficient.
You may use Storage Sense manually or configure it to run automatically and perform all of the laborious tasks for you.
How to use Storage Sense Manually
If you do not want Storage Sense to clean your hard drives regularly or if you wish to have control over which items are destroyed, you may opt to utilize it on-demand.
Using Storage Sense, you may manually free up storage on your laptop.
- Click the Windows icon on the taskbar followed by Settings
- Select System followed by Storage
- Under Storage Sense, choose Free Space Now.
- The computer will search for temporary files that may be erased to free up space.
- After the scan is complete, a list of files that are suggested for deletion will be displayed.
- Mark the files you wish to delete and then click Remove files.
- All temporary files will be erased permanently.
How to Configure Storage Sense to Run Automatically
If you believe in Storage Sense Here’s how to arrange it to run automatically so that your disks are effectively cleaned.
- Click the Windows icon, then click Settings.
- Left-click System and pick Storage from the menu that appears.
- Under Storage Sense, click Change how we automatically clear up space
- Next, pick how you wish to clean your disks. Specifically, when Storage Sense should run, for how long, and what should be deleted.
- After making your options, toggle Storage Sense by clicking its button.
- If you wish to initiate the scan immediately, click Clean Now.
- Storage Sense will help you clear up space on your laptop and generate more free storage. However, this is not a dependable method for adding storage capacity to a laptop.
If your laptop includes PCIe slots for extra storage, you should still consider purchasing a contemporary hard drive.
How can I increase the storage space on my HP laptop?
To increase the amount of storage on your HP laptop, you may choose between free and paid storage solutions.
The free solution includes Storage Sense in Windows 10 performing the majority of the heavy labor. Additionally, you may make extra space by deleting unnecessary files and multimedia.
In addition, you may utilize free online storage like Google Drive to reduce space on your HP laptop.
The paid option entails the purchase of a hard disk. This might be either a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), depending on which is more compatible with your HP laptop.
You may also invest in cloud storage services such as Dropbox.
How to upgrade your Gaming Laptop’s Storage
Conclusion on How to Get More Storage on a Laptop?
We require storage space on our laptops for files, images, movies, and other types of data.
When your laptop’s storage is nearly full, it will function more slowly and you won’t be able to install new data or apps.
This article provides plausible solutions for increasing a laptop’s storage capacity.
Read more: How to speed up your Windows laptop
