How to Remove pagefile.sys & hiberfil.sys Reclaiming 20GB+ of SSD Space (No Apps Needed!)
Ever wondered where all your storage goes? First of all, I was shocked when I realized my C-drive was full for no apparent reason. Specifically, I found two "ghost" files called pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys taking up massive space.
Wait, what are they? In simple terms, Windows uses them for backup memory and hibernation. However, if you’re like me and have plenty of RAM (16GB or more), these files are often just sitting there doing nothing. Similarly, if you never use the "Hibernate" button, that's just wasted gigabytes!
Here’s how I fixed it (Step-by-Step):
How to Delete hiberfil.sys & Save Space
First, search for Windows PowerShell (or CMD) and run it as Administrator.
Next, type the following command and press Enter:
powercfg -h off
As a result, the hiberfil.sys file will disappear immediately, and your space will be freed. Alternatively, if you ever need the feature back, simply use the command powercfg -h on. Consequently, Windows will recreate the file and enable Hibernation again.
How to Manage pagefile.sys & Free Up Space
First of all, pagefile.sys acts as your Virtual Memory. However, if your SSD is nearly full, you can manually adjust its size to save space. Specifically, follow these steps:
First, search for "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" in the Start menu and select it.
Next, go to the Advanced tab and click Settings.
Then, go to the Advanced tab again and click Change.
The Final Step: After that, uncheck "Automatically manage paging file size." Consequently, you can now select "No paging file" or set a "Custom size" to limit it.
2. Why do this? If you have 16GB or 32GB of RAM, then your system rarely needs a massive pagefile. Therefore, reducing it can instantly give you 5GB to 10GB of extra storage.
In conclusion, managing these hidden files is the best way to optimize a small SSD. As a result, your C-Drive will finally have some breathing room!