What is "reserved storage" in Windows and why does it take up space without explanation?

Running out of disk space in Windows is more common than you might think, especially on inexpensive laptops or older computers with 64 or 128 GB hard drives. What many users don't know is that a portion of that space is "hijacked" by a feature called reserved storage in Windows.

This "special" storage can take up between 4 and 10 GB, which you can't use for your files or to install applications, because Windows reserves it for its own internal tasks. The good news is that you can see how much space it uses, understand what it's for, and, if you're really short on space, temporarily disable it in both Windows 10 and Windows 11 using very simple commands. All of this is possible with the option to re-enable it later without compromising your system.

What exactly is reserved storage in Windows?

Reserved storage in Windows is a block of space that Windows sets aside from the disk This ensures there's always enough space to download and install updates, manage temporary files, and allow the system to run smoothly. This feature arrived with the Windows 10 May 2019 Update and has been retained in Windows 11 as well.

Microsoft's idea is avoid the classic problem of "not enough space to install the update"Before this reserve existed, if the team was almost full, Windows Update When trying to download a large patch, it would fail due to lack of space, forcing the user to hastily delete files. With reserved storage, the system saves several gigabytes in advance for use only in these situations.

In practice, those reserved gigabytes aren't used solely for updates. When there are no pending patches, Windows uses that space for... store temporary files, application caches, and other auxiliary data. This reduces the likelihood that the system unit will become completely full and generate strange errors or crashes.

In addition to comfort, this reserved space also provides added stability and securityBecause it separates a portion of the disk from user files and third-party applications. If something goes wrong with a program or a corrupted file, it's less likely to affect that critical area that Windows uses for its own maintenance tasks.

The size of the reserved storage is usually between 4 and 10 GB approximatelyHowever, the exact figure depends on the device, its configuration, and the total available space. To all this, we must add the more than 20 GB that the system already occupies for essential files, so on smaller drives, the usable space is significantly reduced.

Advantages and disadvantages of reserved storage

The main benefits of reserved storage in Windows boil down to two major improvements:

• It increases the likelihood that updates will install smoothly.Windows Update always has a buffer of space to download patches, unpack them, and apply changes without having to ask you to delete things at the last minute.
• It improves the system's performance on a daily basis.This is because that space acts as a workspace for temporary Windows files and files from certain applications. When the system needs space to create logs, caches, or temporary files, it first uses this reserved space. This reduces the risk of the system disk becoming completely full.

The obvious drawback is that this space is not available to the user.On a PC with a 64 GB SSD, losing 5, 6, or 7 GB in an "unseen" reserve can make the difference between being able to install a game, an office suite, or save a few movies and not being able to do so.

That's why Disabling reserved storage in Windows can be tempting on computers with very limited disk space.By doing so, you instantly recover several gigabytes that you can use to install something specific, move files, or finish an urgent task. However, if you then forget to maintain some free space, you might encounter errors again when updating.

How reserved storage works in Windows depending on the device type

The behavior of reserved storage in Windows is not identical across all computers. It depends in part on how the device receives updates and whether it is centrally managed in a professional environment.

En home computers or equipment that connects directly to Windows UpdateReserved storage is usually active by default. The user typically doesn't need to do anything: the system sets aside that space from the start, and it's managed automatically in the background.

En business or educational environments, where equipment is managed with tools such as WSUS or Configuration ManagerThe situation may vary. In these cases, the organization can decide whether or not to enable reserved storage based on its policies and update deployment needs.

Microsoft allows IT administrators to enable or disable reserved storage on demand.For example, you can temporarily disable it before installing a large update, thus freeing up additional space on the system drive, and then re-enable it after the process is complete.

How to see how much space reserved storage is using

Before you consider disabling anything, it's advisable First, check how much space Windows is reserving.It won't always be 7 GB; depending on your device, it might be around 4,5 GB, 5 GB, or a similar amount.

In Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can find this information in the Settings app.Here's how you can do it:

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Go to “Settings”.
3. Access the “System” section.
4. There you will see the "Storage" section, which shows the different types of disk space usage.
5. Select the "Show more categories" option or something similar. Clicking it will display more sections, including "System and reserved." If you enter this section, you'll see a breakdown of the space occupied by "System files," "Virtual memory," and "Reserved storage" itself.

The figure shown next to “Reserved storage” is exactly what you get back when you disable this feature.If you're short on space and see that 5 or 6 GB are being used up, you know you have potential leeway if you decide to tweak this more advanced setting.

In systems with large hard drives, such as 512 GB or 1 TB SSDs, this reserve usually goes unnoticed, because the user doesn't notice the difference. Where it really matters is in lightweight laptops, convertibles, or mini PCs with low-capacity drives, especially if they already have many installed programs and personal data.

Disable reserved storage in Windows 10 with DISM

In Windows 10, especially from version 2004 onwards, Microsoft introduced Specific commands in DISM to control reserved storageDISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a command-line tool designed to manage and repair Windows images, but it also works with the running system.

To use these commands, you need to open a window of the Command Prompt (CMD) with administrator privilegesYou can do this by typing “CMD” in the Start menu search box, right-clicking on “Command Prompt,” and choosing “Run as administrator.” Alternatively, you can press Windows + R, type “CMD,” and then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.

Once the console is open with privileges, the first thing to do is check the current status of reserved storageTo do this, enter the following command and press Enter:

DISM.exe /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState

If the result indicates that “Reserved Storage State” is Enabled, it means that the reservation is active.Otherwise, if it appears as Disabled, it means that it has already been disabled previously or was never activated on that specific computer.

To disable reserved storage and free up the associated space, use this command.:

DISM.exe /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled

After executing it, Windows will automatically release the gigabytes it had reserved.In some cases, if the system is performing maintenance or installation operations in the background, DISM may return an error message indicating that the state cannot be changed while the reserved storage is in use. In such cases, it is advisable to wait until those tasks are complete and try again later.

If later you want to return things to their original state and reactivate the functionSimply run the equivalent command but with the Enabled state:

DISM.exe /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Enabled

Disable reserved storage in Windows 11 using PowerShell

In Windows 11 the approach is similar, but the commands to manage this function are exposed. through PowerShell, the advanced console that Microsoft is promoting as a replacement for the Command Prompt for administrative tasks.

To begin, you need to open Windows PowerShell with administrator privileges. In the Start menu, type “PowerShell”, right-click on “Windows PowerShell”, and select “Run as administrator”. Accept the User Account Control prompt when it appears.

The first thing is Check if reserved storage is enabled or notTo do this, in the PowerShell window type the following command and press Enter:

Get-WindowsReservedStorageState

If the console displays the message “Reserved Storage is Enabled”, it means that the function is working.If it indicates that it is disabled, then space is no longer being reserved for this purpose on your Windows 11 computer.

For disable reserved storage To recover the gigabytes it occupied, enter this command:

Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Disabled

When executing the command, Windows 11 will almost instantly release the gigabytes it had set aside as a bufferIt is not usually necessary to restart, although in some cases it may be helpful to log out or restart to see the change reflected in the storage statistics in Settings.

If in the future you need to have that additional shield again for upgrades, you can Reactivate reserved storage by running the opposite command:

Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Enabled

When does it make sense to disable reserved storage?

As a general rule, The wisest course of action is to leave reserved storage enabled.It's designed to avoid headaches with updates, and on most modern computers with generous hard drives, the impact of losing a few gigabytes is negligible compared to the peace of mind it provides.

However, There are situations where it may be worthwhile to temporarily disable it.For example, if you work with a budget laptop with 64 or 128 GB of internal storage and you only have a few hundred megabytes free, recovering 5 or 7 GB can be the difference between being able to install a critical program or remaining locked out.

It can also be Useful if you need to quickly free up space for a specific task.such as downloading a very large game, editing a video without running out of space for the project, or saving an important backup before moving it to an external drive.

Yes indeed, Disabling this feature should not be seen as a permanent solution to the lack of space problem.As soon as you free up those gigabytes, they'll likely fill up again with files, applications, or games, and you'll be right back where you started. If you're consistently running low on storage, the sensible thing to do is consider expanding your storage with an additional SSD or using external drives.

In short, Reserved storage in Windows is a kind of "emergency buffer" It sacrifices a few gigabytes in exchange for minimizing errors and ensuring space for updates and internal system tasks. Knowing what it is, how much space it occupies, and how to activate or deactivate it gives you extra control over your PC, especially on machines with limited storage, but it's worth using it wisely and first relying on all the cleaning and optimization tools offered by the operating system itself.