To check if your system is already compressed, type: compact /compactos:query To begin compression, type: compact /compactos:always 3. Pros and Cons of Compressing Your C Drive
A popup will ask if you want to apply changes to the drive, subfolders, and files. Select and click OK. compress c drive
While modern SSDs handle compression well, constant writing/rewriting during the compression process technically contributes to drive wear. To check if your system is already compressed,
Disk Cleanup and select "Clean up system files". Microsoft Support 3. Moving Files If your drive is full of photos, videos, or games, move those files to a secondary drive (HDD or external SSD) or cloud storage rather than compressing them. Is it Worth It in 2026? Yes: If you are running a laptop with a small, 128GB/256GB SSD and have no room for Windows updates, or if you have a very fast processor but a slow hard drive. No: If you have a decent amount of free space, or if you do heavy gaming/video editing where CPU load is already high. AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses Copy Creating a public link... You can now share this thread with others Good response Bad response 14 sites Free up drive space in Windows - Microsoft Support If you don't want to use Storage Sense, Cleanup recommendations can help you identify and clean up temporary files and system file... Microsoft Support Free up drive space in Windows - Microsoft Support Important: * You can also compress your OS drive (the drive on which Windows is installed), helping you gain extra space to instal... Microsoft Support How to Compress Files, Folder, Drive in Windows to save Disk ... May 16, 2025 — Moving Files If your drive is full of