Windows 11 looked like it was stealing storage from your PC — we now know what’s going on
A buggy Windows 11 update falsely eats up 8.63GB of your storage but affected users need not to worry
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
What you need to know
Windows 11 users had a bit of a shock last week after upgrading PCs to theWindows 11 2024 Update(Windows 11 version 24H2). Following the installation of the latest major update to Windows, some systems showed 8.63GB of files that could not be deleted. Running the Windows Disk Cleanup application left the files untouched, or so it seemed. Now, we have confirmation from Microsoft that an issue can cause Windows 11 to show an incorrect amount of storage space that can be freed.
“After using the Windows Disk Cleanup application, it may display an incorrect amount of disk space that can be freed up in the ‘Windows Update Cleanup’ category,” states aMicrosoft support page.
“Please note this is a reporting error. When ‘Windows Update Cleanup’ is selected and Disk Cleanup is run for the first time, some or all files in that category (for example, 15 GB) are cleaned up correctly and the related disk space is freed as expected. However, after this initial run, the tool may inaccurately report an amount of space still available for cleanup (for example, 88 GB) in the ‘Windows Update Cleanup’ category. This inaccurate amount of disk space is reported even though the space was already freed in the initial run.”
🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃
What’s next for the Windows 11 storage issue?
Now that Microsoft has confirmed the issue causing the Windows 11 storage bug, the tech giant will get to work on a solution. Microsoft promises more information when a resolution is available. How long that process will take can vary, since some fixes roll out quickly while others require more time to fine tune.
Windows 11 version 24H2 has several known issues. Microsoft lists all of them on a support page:
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
