Not Enough Free Disk Space on Steam: Fix It Quickly!

What causes not enough free disk space on Steam?

If Steam keeps saying there’s not enough free disk space when you clearly have plenty of storage left, you’re not alone. This frustrating error can pop up when downloading, updating, or even reinstalling games.

The root cause isn’t always literal “no space left” — it often comes down to how Steam handles file management and temporary data. Here are the most common reasons behind it:

• Permission errors
• Insufficient free space on target drive
• Corrupted or incomplete game files
• Corrupted download cache or temporary files
• Disk or file system errors

How to fix Steam not enough disk space on Windows

This part offers 6 quick fixes to the error Steam not enough disk space to update/download/reinstall. Try them one by one.

Fix 1: Run Steam as Administrator

When Steam doesn’t have the right permissions, it can fail to write, update, or move game files — especially if your library is stored in protected system folders or on another drive. Running Steam with administrator privileges can fix the error.

1. Right-click the Steam icon in your system tray and choose Exit to close Steam completely.

2. Right-click the Steam shortcut on your desktop or Start menu and choose Run as administrator.

3. Click Yes when prompted by User Account Control (UAC). Try downloading or updating your game again.

Fix 2: Run Disk Cleanup

If Steam still reports “not enough free disk space”, your drive might simply be cluttered with unnecessary system junk, temporary files, or leftover update data. Running Disk Cleanup is a quick and safe way to free up real storage space.

1. Press Windows + S and type Disk Cleanup, then open it.

2. Select the drive where Steam is installed (usually C: or D:) and click OK. Wait for Windows to calculate how much space you can free up.

3. In the list, check boxes for:

• Temporary files
• Recycle Bin
• System cache
• Delivery Optimization Files

4. Click OK, then Delete Files to confirm.

Note: For a deeper clean, click “Clean up system files” in Disk Cleanup. This will remove older Windows updates and hidden logs that can take up several gigabytes.

Fix 3: Change Steam Library Folder Location

If you keep seeing the “not enough free disk space Steam” message even after freeing up storage, your current Steam Library folder might simply be full. Moving your game installs to a different drive can fix this instantly.

1. Open Steam and go to Steam > Settings from the top left client menu.

2. Select the Storage section and you’ll see your default Steam Library folder location.

3. Expand the drop-down to get other local drives in your system. Select a drive as a new location for your game installs.

Note: If you want to store your Steam files to an external drive, click Add Drive to add it.

4. Click the three dots next to the chosen drive and choose Make Default. The selected drive will now have a star next to it, indicating it's the new default installation path.

Fix 4: Verify Game File Integrity

Sometimes, the “not enough free disk space Steam” error appears because a game’s installation files are incomplete or corrupted. Steam may try to re-download or patch these files but fail. Running the Verify Integrity of Game Files tool can quickly fix this.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library tab.

2. Right-click the game showing the disk space error and choose Properties.

3. Select Installed Files (or Local Files on older versions).

4. Click Verify integrity of game files. Wait for Steam to finish scanning and repairing any corrupted data.

Fix 5: Clear Steam Download Cache

Steam temporarily stores game data and update files in a cache folder while downloading. If those temporary files become damaged or take up too much space, Steam can misread the available disk space and block new downloads or updates. Follow the steps below to fix it:

1. Open Steam and go to Steam > Settings from the top left client menu.

2. Select the Downloads section and you'll find the "Clear Download Cache" option at the bottom. Click Clear Cache.

3. Steam will ask for confirmation—click Confirm.

4. The client will restart automatically. Log back into your account afterward. Check if the disk space error disappears.

Fix 6: Check and Repair Drive Errors

If Steam still shows the “not enough free disk space” message even though your drive has plenty of storage, you may be dealing with hidden disk or file system errors. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Press Windows + S, type cmd, then right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.

2. Type chkdsk C: /f /r /x and press Enter. Replace C: with the drive letter where Steam is installed.

3. If prompted, type Y and restart your computer to let Windows repair the drive. Then try the game download or update again.

Bonus: Move Steam games to a larger drive without reinstalling

If you’re constantly running into the “not enough free disk space Steam” error because your drive is simply too small, the best long-term fix is to move your Steam games to a larger drive. Instead of reinstalling every game, you can migrate everything safely using a reliable disk cloning tool - AOMEI Cloner Free.

Download AOMEI Cloner now to try it out! To copy the Steam Library partition to a new SSD or HDD, click Clone > Partition Clone and follow the wizard to complete the process.

Note: The free edition can only clone non-system partitions. If your Steam library is on the system drive, please upgrade to AOMEI Cloner Professional to unlock the System Clone feature.

Summary

The “not enough free disk space Steam” error can strike even when your drive looks far from full — but most of the time, it’s caused by temporary cache issues, corrupted files, or incorrect library settings rather than a real lack of storage. You can fix it easily with the solutions offered in this article.

If your drive is truly running out of space, the best long-term solution is to move your Steam games to a larger drive with AOMEI Cloner. It lets you migrate all your games safely — no reinstalling and no more low-space warnings. You can also use it to clone Steam Deck SSD. Download it now to explore it by yourself!