How to retrieve lost space after installing Windows 10 Anniversary Update

Know how to free up disk space after the Windows 10 Anniversary Update

Finally, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update was released on August 2, 2o16. The Windows 10 Anniversary Update was rolled out to the users via Windows Update and the Media Creation Toolkit. The new update includes a number of UI improvements to the Start menu, notification center, taskbar, and overall dark theme. Windows has also added a new Ink feature, changes to Cortana, extension support for Edge browser and many more.

While all the new features and improvements look fine, did you know when you update it might end up losing anywhere between 5GB and 20GB of storage space, based on how big your existing Windows installation currently is. Thatโ€™s right!

When you upgrade your Windows 10 to Anniversary Update (version 1607), Windows 10 automatically creates a backup of your previous build of Windows 10 to a folder called Windows.old so that users can uninstall Windows 10 Anniversary Update and revert to the previous build if required. However, it also downloads needed data to set up the new version, while also leaving behind some temporary files that were used during the process.

So, be very sure before you follow the steps to recover lost space after installing the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. It is also important to note that you wonโ€™t be able to downgrade back to your existing Windows version, if you remove these files. In other words, the only way to downgrade will be to clean-install whatever version of Windows you are running.

How to regain disk space after installing Windows 10 Anniversary Update

First, open โ€œThis PCโ€ and right-click the C: drive to open the โ€œPropertiesโ€ screen. By following this path, you will reach the window that allows you to delete files that are utilizing your space:

Disk Cleanup > Clean up system files (admin rights needed) > Previous Windows installations

This โ€œPrevious Windows installationsโ€ section in several cases has more than just a few gigabytes of data, so verify this option and hit the โ€œOKโ€ button. Based on the size, it may take a while to complete. However, once it is completed, you will be able to regain all this space. The cleanup should also get rid of your Windows.old folder from your C: drive, along with the option to downgrade to a previous Windows version.

Source: Softpedia

Kavita Iyer
Kavita Iyerhttps://www.techworm.net
An individual, optimist, homemaker, foodie, a die hard cricket fan and most importantly one who believes in Being Human!!!

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