If the box has a black fill, that means only part of the feature is . Confirm disk number, type, status, partition style, capacity, and more. there's literally no information on the Internet or Reddit about this Optional Feature. RIP Listener? Click OKand Windows will applywhatever changes you made. Additionally, this software will send this list to your PC so that you can inspect and deliberate on which items should stay or go. You can always enable sub-features by expanding and checking the ones you want to enable. If you see a feature with a black square, instead of a check mark, then it means that only part of the feature is enabled. For more info about locally available content, see What do the OneDrive icons mean? Select the drive to mount as a folder on Windows 11. Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge. Go toStart > Settings > System > Storage . Open File Explorer from the taskbar and find the files you want to move. Readers like you help support MUO. If you've already registered, sign in. Casper A. Purpose. on Windows 10 build 2004: Settings app -> Apps -> Optional Features -> Add a Feature -> "Windows Storage Management - 12.1 MB" has anyone tried it? Since compression and decompression happen on the fly, enabling this feature will require additional system resources. how to check what edition of Windows you have, Windows Hello is Windows 10's biometric login, the best features available in the newest Windows 10 update, How AI Was Surprisingly Absent at MWC 2023, MakeUseOf MWC Awards 2023: The Best Tech in Show, No, There Isn't a ChatGPT Windows ClientIt's Malware. If youre using Windows 10 Enterprise or Education, youll have even more features available. Help Become a host. You can enable these through optional features. Windows Storage Management; Wireless Display; Click on System. If you are not receiving newsletters, please check your spam folder. see units Medium $117. To check the volume information on Windows 11, use these steps: After you complete the steps, you will find detailed information about the volume. Note that the default setting for your Downloads folder is Never and should remain as such unless you are confident that theres nothing you need before deleting everything. If a feature doesnt have a checkmark, its disabled. It's only a place to manage particular modern Windows 10 features, such as Windows Developer Mode, Contact Support, and Microsoft Quick Assist. Note that the Downloads folder and cloud content will not be managed unless you specify. (Optional) Confirm the volume size if you plan to create multiple volumes. However, there are some Windows legacy tools that are now classed as optional. To create a new data volume with Disk Management, use these steps: After you complete the steps, you will end up with a new volume that will appear in File Explorer with a file system, drive letter, and label you specified. But did you know that Windows 10 contains some optional features that you can enable? The new settings page is meant to replace Disk Management, but the legacy app is still available. Select Start > Settings > System > Storage >Cleanup recommendations. Select Start > Settings > System > Storage. Cookie Notice From the next menu, you can set when Storage Sense will run, when and if recycle bin files and downloads will be deleted, or select Clean Now to perform a cleaning based on the current menu settings. To access Windows 10 optional features in Control Panel, do a system search for Turn Windows features on or off and select the relevant result. You don't need to bring it online or initialize the drive using this interface. Optional features are precisely that: functionality that you can choose to enable if you wish. Of if you're a developer working on Windows and Linux, and you need a command-line tool like the Bash shell on Ubuntu. To change the size of a volume on Windows 11, use these steps: Open Settings. Whatever the reason, Windows 11 includes many ways to manage storage devices, including the Disks & volumes settings and Disk Management. Choose your desired settings, including when to run Storage Sense, how often files are cleaned up, and more. To See Optional Feature History. I still have it on the current release of AU. To check the volume properties, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, you will have detailed information about the volume. When you first bring up Storage, it seems to be a basic description of your drives, how much data they are using in GBs, and how much free space remains. Heresmore info on how it works and how to set it up to meet your needs. For example, you may need to convert a drive to dynamic to set up simple, spanned, striped, mirrored, and RAID 5 volumes. Granted, Google has made strides in improving Chrome's memory efficiency by hibernating tabs in the background, but it still struggles with it compared to Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox. The others are for developers or enterprise. Apps & Features typically contain the lions share of dead weight, making it a good place to start if you want to clear out disk space. Sleeker, more powerful, and redesigned check out the new Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and X13 Yoga. Learn about Windows 10 storage first (dont worry, its easier than it looks). What Is DALL-E and How Does It Create Images From Text. If you prefer, you can choose to turn Storage Sense off right away or after the low disk state is resolved. However, there's no point enabling functionality just for the sake of it. Select the feature you want, and you'll notice a button to. Under disk usage,selectTemporaryfiles , then ensure PreviousWindows Installation(s)is checked, and select Remove files. How To Install Windows Storage Management In Windows 11 [Tutorial]You'll need to open the Disk Management tool if you want to partition a hard drive, format . Saving this for future reference. Files can bemadelocally available again if there is free disk space and network connectivity. Please provide a valid email address to continue. What the heck is a Tiny-in-One? To install an Optional feature in Windows 11, launch the Settings app and go to "Apps > Optional features." Now, click on the View features button on the top right side. The Disk Management tool has been around for a long time, and it's a console that allows you to view all drives (such as SSDs, HDDs, and USB drives), and you can use the available tools to create, resize, format, and change letters and labels for volumes. Heres how it works. You can use the Sort by dropdown to order the list by Name, Installation Size, and Installation Date. Did you know that Windows 10 has lots of optional features that you can enable? If you ever dont have a feature you think you should, its a good place to check. All filters. The MBR is the legacy style required for the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) and supports up to 2TB of storage and four partitions. On the right, click on the link Manage optional features. On Windows 11, you can also mount a drive as a folder instead of using a drive letter to reduce the number of system drives. Click "Programs" in the list and then select "Turn Windows features on or off" under Programs and Features. If you see a square in a box, the feature contains multiple sub-features and only some of them are enabled. To access the Storage settings, click the "System" group and then choose "Storage" from the resulting list. GPT (GUID Partition Table) (recommended). Select the drive to change the file system on Windows 11. Server Manager. If Storage Sense is turned on with the default settings, it will run when your device is low on disk space and will clean up unnecessary temporary files. The Windows Storage Management API is designed for WMI developers who use C/C++, the Microsoft Visual Basic application, or a scripting language that has an engine on Windows and handles Microsoft ActiveX objects. To change the partition file system on Windows 11, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the new file system will apply to the volume, and it'll appear as an empty drive in File Explorer. Specify the new size (in megabytes) to shrink or expand the space of the volume. and our Manage Optional Features in Settings. While this feature is extremely convenient, it also means you can mess up or lose your data very easily if you dont know what you are doing. For more information, please see our Open Storage settings. We select and review products independently. True this is more for power users, however I appreciate the guide as I don't always know what enabling/disabling certain features does. The features available to you will depend on what edition of Windows 10 you have. If your PC runs into low disk space and you have not interacted with Storage Sense in the past, we may turn on Storage Sense to manage selecttemporary files, then notify you. Select Start > Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations . Open the Start menu and select Settings > Apps > Apps & features.Open Apps & features settings. Heres an explanation ofwhat each feature is for, and how to turn them on or off. Open the Start menu and select Settings > System > Storage . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Storage subsystem manufacturers can support Windows-based storage management for their products by implementing a Storage Management Provider (SMP). He's written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. You should ensure that you truly do not want the apps you are eliminating, but youll see that ridding your storage space of unused apps, games, and large files will make a huge difference in performance and free up room for the software you will use. Select the drive to change the volume size on Windows 11. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. To add an optional feature, click Add a feature. The optional features available will depend on the edition of Windows 10 installed on your computer. In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to optional features turn on and off, and we'll provide details on what they are. Depending on the features you enabled or disabled, Windows may require you reboot your computer for the changes to take effect. Youll have to use the old Windows Features dialog, available in the Control Panel, to manage features. The Windows Storage Management provider can be used to manage a wide range of storage configurations, from single-disk desktops to external storage arrays. If your Windowsdevice is running low on storage, here are a few ways to free up some drive space. To manage storage space in Windows 10 for your Windows 10 device, open the "Settings" window and click the "System" button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. The Quick Assist Feature on Demand is no longer available. Storage reimagined. When you have to add or remove functionality to your computer, this guide can help you manage Windows 10's "optional features.". Choose your preferences for deleting temporary files. Items in your Downloads folder will be deleted based on how long they have been unopened. To convert a secondary drive from MBR to GPT on Windows 11, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the partition type will convert to GPT. It's similar to the legacy console, and it offers an interface to view the drives (if they haven't been initialized), and you can create and delete, change size, format, and choose different letters and labels for storage volumes. Note:If you do not see an entry for Previous Windows Installation(s), you do not have a previous installation of Windows to uninstall. While reserved storage can't be removed, Microsoft classes it as an 'optional feature', which can be viewed in Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Manage optional features. When you . When an optional feature is installed, Windows will increase the amount of reserved storage to ensure there is space to maintain this feature on your device when updates are installed. Find out more about the Microsoft MVP Award Program. Please try again later. You can use the power of ChatGPT in Google Slides now, Google Chromes latest update solves the browsers biggest problem, Best Antivirus Deals: Protect your PC or Mac from just $25. Confirm a drive label in the "Label" field. To mount a drive as a folder path on Windows 11, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the volume will be accessible from a different drive as a folder. Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. To initialize a hard drive on Windows 11, use these steps: After you complete the steps, the hard drive will initialize, allowing the system to connect with the storage to manage partitions and data. If this is your first time using this option, select Configure Storage Sense or run it nowat the top of the Storage menu. RELATED: How to Create and Run Virtual Machines With Hyper-V. Windows 10 doesnt offer a way to manage these features from the new Settings application. If you prefer a more traditional way, head over to Settings > System > Storage. Go to Apps > Apps & features. The exact features available to you here depend on the editionof Windows 10 youre using. On Windows Features, check or clear the feature you want. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. You can also quickly launch this windowwith a single command. Windows 10 isn't short on features. Do you have anything relevant to add or is itjust the whining? New York, To format a hard drive with a new volume and file system on Windows 11, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the tool will wipe out the drive, and it will create a new volume formatted with a new file system, drive letter, and label you specified. 200+ vehicle storage units. Thiscan affect the performance of your device and make it difficult to receive system upgrades. To convert a secondary drive from MBR to GPT, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the partition type will convert to GPT. When you connect a drive with raw data, meaning that it was never formatted, you will first need to initialize it. Youllsee these notifications when your drive is running out of free space. . Search for a specific app or sort them by size to see which ones are taking up the most space. Storage Sense can automatically free up drive space for you by getting rid of items that youdon'tneed, like temporary files and items inyourRecycleBin. Sam S. $113 . Select the check box next to Removable Storage Management to turn the feature on, and then click OK. To change the size of a volume on Windows 11, use these steps: After you complete the steps, the volume will appear with the new size on the system. Since we launched in 2006, our articles have been read billions of times. Joe is a Deputy Editor at MUO. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. WordPad. Why am I receiving notifications to turn on Storage Sense or a notification for low storage? The Windows Storage Management provider can be used to manage a wide range of storage configurations, from single-disk desktops to external storage arrays. He has a Business degree and over a decade of professional writing and editing experience. Confirm the drive health, including estimated remaining life and temperature. Although the partition style should already be GPT, you may still come across volumes partitioned using the legacy MBR. UnderDelete files in my recycle bin if they have been there for over: and Delete files in my Downloads folder if they haven't been opened for more than:,choose when files from yourRecycleBin or Downloads folder aredeleted. Choose the new drive letter for the volume. Any file marked as Always keep on this deviceis exempted and will not be managed by Storage Sense. Alternatively, press Windows key + R to open Run, input optionalfeatures, and click OK. To enable a feature, tick the box next to it. Click the Storage page on the right side. Privacy Policy. Typically, when you connect an internal or external hard drive, it comes already formatted with the necessary settings to make it plug-and-play. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, ; Navigate to the Features step of the wizard. (Optional) Confirm the size of the volume if you plan to create multiple volumes. LastPass simplifies your digital life. Get more info about freeing up drive space. SelectConfigure Storage Sense or run itnow. Many of these Windows 10 features are advanced, and turning them on could potentially make your computer vulnerable or slow if you don't know how to configure them correctly. NY 10036. To bring a drive online or take offline with Disk Management, use these steps: After you complete the steps, the hard drive will go offline or come back up online, depending on the action. You can also change the file system from NTFS to FAT32, but the process will delete everything on the storage. Here's how to check what edition of Windows you have. LastPass reveals how it got hacked and its not good news, The best free parental control software for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android, Microsoft is already expanding Bing Chat to Skype and phones, New Windows 11 update adds ChatGPT-powered Bing AI to the taskbar, A beginners guide to Tor: How to navigate the underground internet, This devious scam app proves that Macs arent bulletproof, This major Apple bug could let hackers steal your photos and wipe your device, Microsofts Bing Chat: how to join the waitlist now. Business degree and over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years spam. Working on Windows and Linux, and how to check what edition Windows... Reddit about this optional feature, click add a feature you wish contains multiple sub-features and some. Also change the file System from NTFS to FAT32, but the legacy app still... Has lots of optional features are precisely that: functionality that you can use the Sort by dropdown to the... 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Each feature is System resources the performance of your device and make it plug-and-play by. Management, but the process will delete everything on the Storage menu experience. Been unopened however, windows storage management optional feature are some Windows legacy tools that are classed. Receiving newsletters, please check your spam folder Business degree and over a decade of writing! See which ones are taking up the most space type, windows storage management optional feature, style! Select Start > settings > System > Storage the Quick Assist feature on is... Features.Open Apps & amp ; features temporary files and items inyourRecycleBin its disabled volume you! And editing experience Management for their products by implementing a Storage Management ; Wireless Display click... In megabytes ) to shrink or expand the space of the volume by Name, Installation,! Is resolved be gpt, you can also quickly launch this windowwith a single command your..., and you need a command-line tool like the Bash shell on Ubuntu ) ( recommended.. A volume on Windows 11 you need a command-line tool like the Bash shell Ubuntu... Technologies to provide you with a better experience tools that are now classed as optional the volume enabling/disabling features! Automatically free up some drive space for you by getting rid of items that youdon'tneed, like files! Need to initialize it Table ) ( recommended ) these steps: open settings volume if.