3 Ways to Find Large Files on Windows 10 and 11

Quick Tips

• You can easily find files larger than 128 MB by typing the “size: gigantic” command in the File Explorer search box.
• Command Prompt can generate a list of large files with a single command.
• If you prefer a more visual approach, consider using a third-party app like TreeSize to locate large files easily.

Method 1: Use File Explorer

One of the simplest ways to find large files on your PC is by using File Explorer. It allows you to quickly search for large files in a specific drive or folder and offers a few sorting options. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Press Windows key + E to open the File Explorer. Navigate to This PC to search your entire PC for large files. You can also go to a specific folder or drive to narrow down your search.

Step 2: To include the hidden files in your search results, go to the View menu, and select Show > Hidden items option.

Step 3: Click the search bar in the top right corner, type in size: gigantic and hit Enter. This will show you files larger than 128 MB in size.

Tip: You can replace gigantic in the above command with other options such as Empty (0 KB), Tiny (0 – 10 KB), Small (10 – 100 KB), Medium (100 KB – 1 MB), Large (1 – 16 MB), and Huge (16 – 128 MB) to filter your search accordingly. Alternatively, you can also type in a command like size:>250MB in the search box to look for files less than or more than a specific size.

Step 4: To view additional information about each item, go to the View menu at the top and select Details.

Step 5: Use the Search options menu to find large files based on their type, date modified, and other properties.

Note: While searching for large files, if you come across a file or folder that you don’t recognize, do not delete it without knowledge as it may be an integral part of the Windows operating system.

Method 2: Use the Command Prompt

Another way to find large files on Windows is through Command Prompt. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type in cmd and hit Enter.

Step 2: Type the command mentioned below and press Enter.

FORFILES /S /C "cmd /c if @fsize GTR 1048576 echo @path"

Note: In the above command, 1048576 stands for 1MB (1024 * 1024 = 1048576 bytes). You can modify that number accordingly to search for files greater than the mentioned number.

As seen in the image, the command prompt will show you the locations of files larger than 1MB in size.

Method 3: Use a Third-Party Tool

While the built-in options for finding large files work well, dedicated third-party software can provide a more detailed analysis of your storage. One popular tool is TreeSize, which lets you view the space occupied by files and folders at a glance. It also offers various file management options to help you organize and manage your storage more efficiently.

Download the TreeSize app on your PC. After it downloads, open the TreeSizeFreeSetup.exe file and follow the on-screen instructions to install TreeSize on your PC. Make sure to give TreeSize admin permission to scan all folders to find large files.

In the TreeSize app, you can view detailed information about each folder, including the space occupied by each file or folder. At the top of the interface, you’ll find options to switch modes, change size units, and sort files and folders. Additionally, TreeSize allows you to delete or compress files directly from the home screen, making it a convenient tool for managing your storage.

TreeSize also offers a couple of paid versions for personal and professional use, which unlock additional features such as versatile file search, duplicate finder, deduplication, and more. These advanced tools can be particularly useful for thorough storage management and optimizing disk space.