I frequently install and uninstall large applications to test photo and video software, so I am constantly monitoring disk space. I think the same can be said for gamers and those who like to try out the latest programs. However, I’ve found that some apps (both Windows 11 and its predecessor Windows 10) consume huge amounts of storage space when used. Here’s an easy way to recover disk space from Microsoft Store apps.
Note that this trick only applies to cloud-connected apps. However, this includes many commonly used apps such as Slack, Spotify, OneNote, email clients, and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Photo and video apps are by nature large in content to handle, so it’s acceptable to require a lot of disk space. But messaging, email, and streaming services don’t necessarily have to take up all the space because most of their content resides online in the cloud.
An easy option to save a lot of disk bits is to use the service’s Progressive Web App (PWA) instead of the service’s installed apps. This is a good option for streaming service apps such as Spotify that don’t have a storage-hogging business. Learn how to install your app as a PWA. It’s very easy and a good PWA works offline. I did it with the default Windows Mail app and switched to the excellent web-based Outlook instead. Outlook can handle Gmail and Microsoft email accounts.
However, for programs without suitable PWA options, there is an alternative. I will explain here. The instructions below are for a Windows 11 PC, but this also works on Windows 10, where the settings are named slightly differently.
1. Open the Settings app and go to the Apps page.
An easy way to get there is[スタート]Right click on the button and the top option is[インストールされたアプリ]is to choose This eliminates the need to perform the following steps. (Note that Windows 10 calls it Apps & Features.)
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
2.[インストールされたアプリ]Click to see a list of all installed apps.
When you get there, I recommend sorting by size. You can also sort by installation date or name. A great way to save disk space is to uninstall anything on this list that you don’t use. But that is separate from our main mission. Forget big media apps like Ableton Live and Adobe Photoshop. They take up a lot of space and there is no way around it. However, be aware that some Microsoft Store apps in the list below are meant to store data in the cloud, so they’re taking up more disk space than you might think: Email , Slack, and Spotify.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
3. Click on the three dots to the right of the app in question.
Here we can see that Slack is taking up 1.44 GB. This isn’t even my primary work computer, which routinely goes over 2 GB. That’s a lot for an app that works primarily in the cloud and stores on your local PC.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
4. Select advanced options.
[リセット]Scroll down to section.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
Five.[修復]When[リセット]Notice that there are two buttons for[リセット]Click.
The first one doesn’t touch the app’s data. that’s not what we want. Because our goal is to reduce the data the app stores. Do not use this option for apps that are not cloud-based.
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Look! We’ve reduced our app’s footprint!
In this case, we reduced Slack’s footprint by over a gigabyte. Allowing apps to accumulate drive space can save you a lot of money. What was deleted was simply cached data, which may make the app open content faster, but can easily be reloaded from the app’s online sources.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
One small drawback to this process is that you may have to sign in again. Honestly, it’s not difficult to sign into the website. Some apps, like Slack, make it even easier by letting you sign in instantly with a “magic link”.
(Credit: Slack)
I hope you found this tip helpful. This seems unaware of many Windows 11 app users, but it often helps reclaim valuable SSD space.
Windows 11 tips to get the most out of Microsoft’s latest desktop operating system, plus lots more tips for saving disk space. To keep up with all the latest OS updates, visit the Windows 11 series page. For an overview of the software in all its glory, read our full Windows 11 review.
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