Therein lies one of the problems with the Downloads folder—it’s not specific.
Unless you specifically move something out of it, stuff just sits there forever.
It’s almost like a secondRecycle Bin.
Related:How Do You Change Windows' Default Download Path?
Downloads Add Up
I’m no saint when it comes to keeping a tidy Downloads folder.
Out of curiosity, I took a stroll through my own folder.
They’ve been sitting there for nearly two years untouched.
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These things add up.
My Downloads folder contains 17GB of completely random stuff: everything from PDFs to memes and GIFs.
My Downloads folder accounts for 10GB more storage space than my second largest folder, the Pictures folder.
Without really noticing it, the Downloads folder became the biggest storage space hog on my computer.
How much space is your Downloads folder using?
In File Explorer on Windows, just right-click it and select “Properties” to find out.
In Finder on a Mac, right-click or Ctrl-tap the folder and select “Get Info.”
Slowly but surely, the Download folder gets bigger and bigger.
Clean It Up or Automate It
So, what can you do about it?
Well, there are two options.
For starters, it’s possible for you to simply take some time to regularly purge the Downloads folder.
Do this semi-frequently and it won’t be too much of a chore.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a tool called “Storage Sense.”
One of the features of Storage Sense is called “Automatic User Content Cleanup.”
Essentially, it can automatically delete certain things when they get old.
Windows 11 gives you some extra fine-tune controls over these prefs, letting you choose different lengths of time.
you’ve got the option to find it at options > System > Storage > Storage Sense.
Chances are your Downloads folder doesn’t contain anything super important.
If it did, you probably would have already moved it to a different folder.
And while you’re at it,take care of that email inbox, too.
Related:Why Do You Have So Many Unread Emails?
