Windows might be hiding some of your PC's storage by default - here's how to reclaim it

📰 ZDNet

Windows 11 may be hiding some of your PC's storage by default, but you can reclaim it using the DISM command

intermediate Published 1 Apr 2026

Action Steps

Open Command Prompt as administrator
Run the command 'dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup'
Run the command 'dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth'
Check for available updates and install them

Who Needs to Know This

IT professionals and system administrators can benefit from this knowledge to optimize storage on Windows 11 systems, while developers may also find it useful for debugging and testing purposes

Key Insight

💡 The DISM command can help reclaim storage space on Windows 11 systems by cleaning up unnecessary files and components