Windows users can run out of space sometimes, resulting in performance problems. You can get rid of unwanted large files on your computer by searching for them. If you know how to find large files in Windows 10, you can move them or delete them whenever you want.

Windows 10 provides all the features one needs to use the system smoothly. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about installing third-party software to find large files in Windows. Instead, you can simply rely on File Explorer. If you are using the Windows Explorer alternative, you can use third-party software or a Command Prompt terminal to find an enormous file on your computer.

3 Ways To Find Large Files In Windows 10

As mentioned above, there are three ways to find large files in Windows 10; one is to use Windows File Explorer, the other is Command Prompt, and lastly, any safe third-party application. You can move, delete, or edit the file after you find it. Check out the different ways below before proceeding.

1. Use File Explorer

The simplest way to find a large file on Windows 10 computer is to use Windows File Explorer. If you are comfortable with File Explorer, you can follow this method by following the steps given below. However, if you are using other file managers, you can opt for different ways mentioned below.

Step 1: Press Windows key + E to launch File Explorer on your computer and go to This PC from the left pane.  

Step 2: Click on the File from the File Explorer ribbon and select Change folder and search options from the menu.

Click on the Change folder and search options
Click on the Change folder and search options

Step 3: In the Folder Options dialog box, go to the View tab and select ‘Show hidden files, folders, and drives’ under Hidden files and folders.

Step 4: Click on Apply and OK to reflect the changes in your File Explorer window.

Enable hidden files and folders in File Explorer
Enable hidden files and folders in File Explorer

Step 5: You can now go to the drive or folder to find large files in Windows 10 from This PC drive list. In the search box located in the upper right corner of the window, type size: gigantic command and click on the arrow next to it.

Search for large files in the selected drive
Search for large files in the selected drive

You will see all the files above 4GB with this command.

If you wish to change the size of the file and have a specific size in mind, you can use the below command in the search field.

size:>1GB

You can change 1GB with another number to search for files larger than that number.

Step 6: For more size options, click on the Search tab and then on the Size button. You will see different options in the drop-down menu with the file size mentioned next to it.

Check out different file sizes for search
Check out different file sizes for search

You can only find the Search tab when you do one particular search in that drive or directory. So, make sure you run at least one of the commands mentioned above to access the Search tab.

Step 7: Once satisfied with the search, right-click on the empty space and select Sort by ➜ Size. You can select Ascending or Descending as per your preference.

 Sort the result as per size
Sort the result as per size

If you wish to see the details of all the files that showed up on the search result, you can either right-click and select View ➜ Details or go to the View tab and click on the Details button.

See details of the files
See details of the files

The list of files will be displayed on your screen. You can now delete, move or edit the big files on your computer easily and make some disk space by getting rid of unnecessary files.

2. Use Command Prompt

If you are more comfortable using command-line arguments, you can use Command Prompt terminal to find large files in Windows 10. It is easy to find files in this way, as all you need to do is execute one single command

Type cmd in the Start menu search bar and open Command Prompt from the search result.

Open Command Prompt
Open Command Prompt

Once the Command Prompt terminal launches, you can type the below command and press Enter key to execute it.

forfiles /S /C "cmd /c if @fsize GTR 1073741824 echo @path"

This command will list all the files greater than 1GB on your computer. You can change the number in the command as per your size preference. Make sure you convert the number into bytes. For example, 1 GB is 1073741824 B.

Execute command to find large files
Execute command to find large files

If you use this way, you will have to find the files based on the file location shown in the command. And it can be a lengthy process to move a number of files. However, in the case of one specific file, this way of finding large files is convenient.  

3. Use Third-party Application

You can opt for a third-party program if you are not using File Explorer to manage files and are not comfortable with Command Prompt. In other words, if built-in tools are not feasible, you can use the tools mentioned below.

There are various freeware available in the market that can help you find large files in Windows 10.

Largest Files Finder

Largest File Finder is a freeware that can help you find the largest file from multiple directories at once. You can simply download this tool from the official source and start using it. It does not require any installation to use it.

Although it is free, it is not adware. You can use this tool on Windows 10,8,7, Vista, and XP. The largest File Finder is only 650KB; you won’t need more space to use this tool. The storage space can then be made by deleting the files directly from the tool.

Download Largest File Finder

TreeSize Free

TreeSize Free comes in free and paid versions. You can scan and find the large files using the free version of the tool. For extra features and benefits, you can use the paid version of the software starting from 2195 €.

The context menu option of this tool is similar to Windows File Explorer, making it easier to use without any learning curve. In addition, the paid version can help you separate the search results based on file type.

Download TreeSize Free

Note: The above sources are the official source of the tools. Make sure you scan the files before using them on your computer.

Final Thoughts On HowTo Find Large Files In Windows 10

At times, there is a need to delete large unwanted files from your hard disk drive to make space for wanted apps and files. Also, computers can start lagging if the system drive is full. You can find large files in Windows 10 and move them to an external drive to make space.

Now, the question arises on how to find large files. Well, you can do so using three different ways. If you want a user interface, you can use File Explorer or a third-party app. And if you are more comfortable with commands, using Command Prompt is recommended.

FAQs

How can I see the size of files on a Windows 10 computer?

If you want to see the file size of all the files in a folder, you can right-click on the empty space and select View ➜ Details. To find the file size of a specific file, right-click on the file and select Properties’; you will find all the details of that file.

What files can be deleted?

You can delete temp files, previous update files, application files of uninstalled software, downloaded program files, temporary Internet files, cache files, and the files from the Recycle Bin.

How can I view a file’s full name on Windows 10?

In the File Explorer window, go to the View tab and check the checkbox next to File name extensions. This will show all the files with a full name along with an extension.

How can I find large files in a specific folder?

You can navigate to the folder you wish to find the large files and type size: gigantic command in the search box there. All the files above 4 GB will show up. You can also use the size:>1GB command to find the files greater than 1 GB.

How can I find large files in Windows 10 with a command?

You can use the forfiles /S /C “cmd /c if @fsize GTR 1073741824 echo @path” command to find large files in Windows 10. The number in the command can be changed as per the size you want.