Are you seeking approaches on how to get more storage on HP laptops? Wondering why your computer is running out of space? Delve into this article to know why and get corresponding fixes.
Can anyone help with my storage issues? I've only had this laptop for 2 months and I can't receive updates due to lack of storage space. Why is my HP laptop running out of space so quickly? Is there a feasible method that can help me clean my laptop quickly and thoroughly without losing important data?"
- Question from HP Support Community
When too much clutter is stored on your desktop or laptop, you may experience some serious performance issues. If you're experiencing lag, program freezes, disk space running out, or difficulty finding important documents, it might be time to completely clean your computer's hard drive.
Before you learn how to get more storage on HP laptops, you can explore the reasons behind:
✍ Over time, downloads, documents, media files, and applications can accumulate and take up a lot of space.
✍ Temporary files and cache generated by the operating system and applications can consume significant space.
✍ Installed applications and software can consume a significant amount of space, especially if you have large programs or games.
✍ System restore points and temporary files created by the system can also take up space.
✍ Duplicate files, photos, or documents can eat up space unnecessarily.
✍ If you use cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox, files might be synced to your local system, taking up space.
✍ Sometimes, laptops have smaller C drives where the operating system is installed. If most of your files and applications are stored on this drive, it might fill up quickly.
Regularly cleaning your computer not only makes it run more efficiently, it also prevents the hardware from overheating, thereby extending its lifespan. Let's dive into the simple steps to organize your laptop or desktop hard drive, even if it's your first time doing it.
Typically, your programs can occupy significant space on your drive. For instance, a single game can demand 5GBs or more. If your PC harbors numerous applications, many of which have gone untouched for extended periods, it's time for a cleanup.
Here's a simple guide:
Step 1. Press the Windows + I keys to access Windows Settings.
Step 2. Click on Apps.
Step 3. Choose the Apps & features section, listing all installed applications.
Step 4. Identify and select the seldom-used software, then click Uninstall.
Repeat until you've removed all unwanted programs.
Apart from applications and programs taking up too much space on your computer, certain file types may occupy more critical storage than you can afford. To identify the largest files:
Step 1. Open Windows Explorer (File Explorer).
Step 2. Select This PC.
Step 3. Enter size in the search box in the upper right corner.
Step 4. Choose from various file size categories, ranging from Empty to Gigantic.
Step 5. Start with the largest file and verify its necessity.
Step 6. If not needed, move them to Trash to reduce the storage burden on your PC.
Step 7. Repeat this process for larger files until you have reached a reasonable level of hard drive space.
The above two methods apply to file or program-level cleanup. If you want to release storage on an entire partition, you can take advantage of the built-in drive cleaning tool called Disk Cleanup to eliminate unwanted files and further free up space HP laptop. In this order:
Step 1. Start Disk Cleanup by typing disk cleanup in the taskbar search box and selecting Disk Cleanup from the results.
Step 2. Select the drive you want to clean and select OK to confirm.
Step 3. In the Files to deleted section, select the files you want to delete and click OK to continue.
Sincerely speaking, it is rather challenging to manually delete all unwanted data from your computer, especially considering the clutter of files hidden deep within various folders. It turns out that eliminating these files manually is almost impossible. Therefore, you are suggested to pick a third-party cleaner to clean junk or unwanted files on all drives at once.
To deal with these challenges, we highly recommend AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional Edition, an efficient computer system cleaning tool compatible with Windows 11/10/8/8.1/7/XP. It can quickly remove all kinds of junk files on multiple drives at once and provide you with more free disk space.
Here is a detailed guide on how to use this tool to clean your HP laptop hard drive:
Step 1. Download and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional Edition. Click Free up in the top toolbar and select PC Cleaner.
Step 2. In the new pop-up window, click Start Scan to initiate a comprehensive scan of unwanted files on your computer.
Step 3. Wait for some time to complete the scan until the progress bar loads.
Step 4. The tool automatically marks unnecessary data. Click Clear All to remove them. If there are other unwanted files, select the appropriate checkboxes.
Step 5. When you see the correct symbol displayed, click Back to exit the function.
Use this easy method to fix how to get more storage on laptops, regularly giving your computer a complete clean.
The above methods mainly address file, program, or drive-level solutions to free up disk space Windows 10/11. However, for a comprehensive and efficient approach, upgrading the internal drive becomes one of the most recommended solutions. You can significantly expand the storage capacity of your HP laptop by replacing your current drive with a larger HDD/SSD.
If you wish to perform this process without reinstalling Windows or other applications, consider using the "Clone Disk" feature of AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional as described in Method 4. This cloning feature helps copy your hard drive to a different size disk—whether larger, equal, or smaller—with secure boot support.
The "Migrate OS" feature in the tool can specifically clone system-related partitions without affecting the data partition. It's worth noting that if cloning to an SSD, the tool performs a 4K alignment, improving overall performance.
Let's dive into the detailed steps on how to clone a hard drive to a larger one.
Before starting the cloning process, please note the following considerations:
✌ Make sure the storage space of the second drive is equal to or larger than the storage space of the source drive to accommodate all cloned data and allow for future files. ✌ Back up all data on the second drive as it will be erased during the cloning process. ✌ Clean your original drive by removing unnecessary applications, temporary files, or redundant records. ✌ If the second drive is not installed on the PC, connect the second drive using an adapter or external docking station. ✌ Ensure continuous power supply, especially for laptops, to prevent data loss caused by sudden power outages. ✌ Check your computer's boot mode compatibility and adjust BIOS settings if necessary.
Here are the steps for cloning process using AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional:
Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional Edition, and navigate to Clone > Clone Disk.
Step 2. Select the recommended method to clone to a larger drive. If you clone drive with bad sectors, please select the second way.
Step 3. Select the smaller hard drive as the source disk.
Step 4. Select the larger drive as the target disk. Optimize SSD performance by checking the appropriate boxes.
Step 5. If necessary, resize the partition on the destination drive.
Step 6. Read and retain the instructions on how to boot from the cloned disk after cloning.
Step 7. Return to the main interface, click Apply, and then click Proceed to operate.
Rather than embark on the more complicated process of replacing an internal drive, many people opt for simpler external storage solutions. If you prefer this approach, there are several options:
1. External Drives: When you buy an external drive, you get an impressive amount of storage capacity, sometimes even more than an internal drive. The only caveat is that it needs to be connected to a USB port, which may limit port availability for other devices. Once the external drive is plugged in, the operating system will automatically detect it and assign it a drive letter in File Explorer.
2. Thumb Drive (Flash Drive): A very convenient option for extra storage is to use a thumb drive, also known as a flash drive. Once connected, these compact sticks function like an external drive. However, they usually offer smaller storage sizes.
3. Micro-SD Card: Another fix to how to get more storage on laptop is to use a Micro-SD card (if your laptop is equipped with this card slot). No wider than two fingers wide, these small cards slot seamlessly into a Micro-SD slot and are virtually unnoticeable. Once inserted, they will appear as another drive letter in File Explorer.
Ultimately, in some cases, your desktop or laptop may have trouble holding all the data you need. To combat this challenge, experts strongly advocate regular backup of important files to a preferred cloud storage service. Not only does this effectively free up valuable space on your hard drive, but it also protects your data from potential risks.
What makes cloud storage stand out is that it provides users with considerably more storage capacity than the local drives found in most computers. Adopting cloud services allows you to store large amounts of data without having to worry about running out of space on your computer's hard drive.
When you store files, documents, photos, and other data on a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, you are transferring that data from your computer's local storage to a remote server maintained by the cloud service provider.
In summary, using cloud storage provides a scalable and accessible alternative for file and data storage that helps free up space on your computer. It enables efficient data management and collaboration and ensures your important files are securely stored and backed up offsite.
This comprehensive guide covers 7 methods on how to get more storage on HP laptops, including cleaning up files, replacing or adding storage drives, and backing up to the cloud. Among all those approaches, you are suggested to choose AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional as it can be used to free up your laptop or desktop storage in an all-inclusive manner.
Apart from cleaning PCs/laptops and cloning drives to larger HDD/SSD, this versatile tool also supports recovering lost partitions, fixing laptop OS errors, formatting laptops, wiping laptops, and more. Don't hesitate and have a try!
