Guides: clean up Windows and recover files

Step-by-step guides for Windows 11 and Windows 10, first with Windows' built-in tools, then with DiskDetox when you want it faster or more thorough.

Drive C full? The steps that work, from Storage Sense to hidden space hogs.

The Temp folder, %temp% and Settings: what can safely go and what can't.

Clear Windows, Store, DNS and app caches, Microsoft Teams included.

Find identical files and photos byte for byte; one copy is always kept.

See what's using space, show folder sizes and track down the biggest space hogs.

Run cleanmgr, clean up system files and what each option deletes.

Remove the previous Windows installation safely and free many gigabytes.

Shrink the component store safely with DISM, without breaking Windows.

Get several gigabytes back by turning off hibernation, and why pagefile.sys stays.

Even from an emptied Recycle Bin: first steps, built-in options, quick or deep scan.

Get pictures back from a PC, a camera card or an Android phone, WhatsApp photos too.

Restore files from the Recycle Bin, even after it was emptied, with their original names.

Recover deleted or formatted memory cards and USB sticks with a deep scan.

Free alternatives compared, without upsells and without a registry cleaner.

WizTree, TreeSize, WinDirStat and SpaceSniffer compared with DiskDetox.

DiskDetox on the Microsoft StoreClean-up, disk space analysis, duplicate finder and file recovery in one app.

Free · no ads · no account · Windows 11 & 10