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How to Wipe Free Space to Improve Performance
The process takes roughly 30-60 mins
3 min. read
Updated onDecember 15, 2023
updated onDecember 15, 2023
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Of late, we have seen an increasing number of Windows users trying to wipe free space on the PC to improve performance. While there’s nothing wrong with the approach, it often doesn’t serve the intended purpose.
Free space is the storage on a disk which doesn’t hold any active files. It could be a space where no files were ever stored or one where files that now stand deleted were stored at some point. Because, when you delete a file, the OS only removes the reference or link and not the actual file from the drive.
Will wiping free space improve performance?
No, wiping free space doesn’t improve the PC’s performance. The operation simply creates an auto-expanding file, which is then deleted, clearing the storage. The amount of available storage doesn’t change after wiping the free space.
How do I wipe free space on the drive in Windows?
1. Using the Cipher command
Cipher is a multi-step process:
While running theCiphercommand, make sure to close all open programs to wipe up the maximum free space. On our device with a 512 GB SSD and 120 GB free space, Cipher took approximately 40 minutes to complete the wiping process.
2. With a third-party tool
If you want to wipe free space to improve performance, CCleaner is the best option. In CCleaner, you get fourSecuritylevels:
⇒Get CCleaner
What are the benefits of wiping free space?
Wiping free space from the storage drive ensures the deleted data can never be recovered. You should do it before selling the computer.
For those wondering whether wiping free space on a hard disk is safe, it poses no harm. But for SSDs (Solid State Drives), the operation may lead to premature wearing out. So, don’t do it frequently!
Remember that the wiping operation won’t create more storage. For that, you canrun Disk Cleanupor, for regular cleaning,set up Storage Sense!
Now that you know how to wipe free space, check out some quick tips toimprove the performance of the PC.
For any queries or to share which method you choose to wipe the free space, drop a comment below.
More about the topics:disk drive,storage,Windows 11
Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim has always been fond of technology, be it scrolling through the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC. He’s specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
Long-time Windows user, Kazim is ready to provide a solution for your every software & hardware error on Windows 11, Windows 10 and any previous iteration. He’s also one of our experts in Networking & Security.
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Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim is specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
