"Windows needs more space" error during upgrade to Windows 10

Table of Contents:

1. "Windows needs more space" error during upgrade to Windows 10
   1. Method 1: Free up space on the primary hard drive
   2. Method 2: Use an external USB storage device
2. Low disk space after upgrade to Windows 10

This article describes an error on devices with small free storage space upgrading to Windows 10, how to use an external storage device to perform the upgrade, and how to remove temporary files after an upgrade.

"Windows needs more space" error during upgrade to Windows 10

Computers that have smaller hard drives (32GB or less) or very full hard drives may encounter an error during upgrade to Windows 10. The Windows 10 upgrade wizard requires a large block of storage to create a backup of the previous operating system and to install Windows 10.
Use one of the following methods to complete your upgrade to Windows 10:

Note: For additional information, refer to Dell Knowledge Base article "Windows 10 Needs More Space for Update on 32GB Storage Devices.

Method 1: Free up space on the primary hard drive

Freeing up space on the primary hard drive is the easiest way to create room to install the Windows 10 upgrade. Consider the following options:

• Perform disk cleanup
• Move data such as pictures or videos to the cloud or other storage device

Method 2: Use an external USB storage device

If you cannot free up enough space on the primary drive to upgrade to Windows 10, you can attach a USB key (16GB or greater) or an external USB hard drive to the computer to finish the upgrade. Once you have attached a USB storage device, when the "Windows needs more space" screen appears, select the drive letter for the USB key or USB hard drive to continue with the installation.

Low disk space after upgrade to Windows 10

After a successful upgrade to Windows 10, Windows preserves the option to remove Windows 10 and go back to your previous version of Windows. These files are automatically deleted a month after you upgrade. You may easily remove the temporary files used during the upgrade process to free up disk space. To delete these files now, follow these steps:

1. Click Start , then type "storage".
2. Select the Storage (System settings) option at the top of the search window.
3. Select your system drive (e.g. C:).
4. Select Temporary files.
5. Under Previous version of Windows, click Delete previous versions.