Steam Not Enough Disk Space Error [FIXED]

Steam-Not-Enough-Disk-Space-Error

Not enough disk space errors on Steam can ruin your experience. Since Steam exclusively supports some games and offers decent download speeds, almost every other gamer has it installed on the PC. While it optimizes your gaming experience to a very high extent, a bug in the app can be bothersome. One such issue that users are bothered with is the need for more disk space prompts. This message keeps appearing despite having plenty of storage available on the PC. 

Some users suggest that it happens due to using an outdated application version, while some have identified it as a disk error that must be resolved. Either way, it is necessary to fix the Steam not having enough disk space issue; otherwise, it keeps appearing white when you are playing a game, causing issues on your PC. 

How do you fix Steam not having enough disk space error on Windows

Since Steam is, in the end, a third-party application, you must identify if the issue is real or just a glitch. Check your drives to find out the exact storage status. If you feel the disk space is less than Steam requires to download/install/run a game, you might have to delete a few files to finish the process. 

If the error appears out of nowhere despite having ample space available, you must try using the following fixes. 

Fix 1 – Verify the Integrity of Game Files

If you are experiencing Steam not having enough disk space error while launching a particular game, chances are that the files of that particular game are inappropriate for use. There have been several instances where the game files caused the error. To ensure that is not the case with you, simply use the verify integrity of the game files feature embedded in the tool and check if the issue is resolved. 

Step 1 – Launch Steam and go to the game library.
Step 2 – Navigate to game properties by right-clicking on the problematic game.
Step 3 – In the Properties, navigate to the Local Files tab, and you may find the Verify Integrity of the Game Files option.

local file setting

Step 4 – Click on the option and let it run on your PC.
Step 5 – After the process is finished, make it your priority to restart the Steam client and relaunch the game to check if the error appears again. 

Fix 2 – Clear Steam Download Cache

If you get the not enough disk space error on Steam while trying to download a new game, chances are that the download cache has gone corrupt on your PC. The best way to handle and resolve the error is by clearing the download cache. 

Step 1 – Launch Steam and click the Steam button on the top bar to find the settings option. Click on it to open.

Clear Steam Download Cache

Step 2 – in the settings window, click the downloads tab to find the clear cache option. Clear Download Cache

Step 3 – Click on Clear Download Cache and allow it to remove the previous cache. After you have removed the cache, restart the application and try downloading the desired game again. 

Fix 3 – Check the Hard Drive for Errors

In case you do not get the expected results from the above two methods, there is a chance that the issue lies in your drive and not in Steam. Hence, first, you should check the drive for errors and fix them. Fortunately, Windows has dedicated tools to do the same. 

Simply identify the drive where your game files and downloaded games are located. Try the following steps with the drive that has your games. 

Step 1 – Navigate to Windows Explorer and find all your drives.
Step 2 – Right-click on the drive in question and open its properties. 

right click on drive

Step 3 – In Properties, navigate to the Tools tab, and you may find Error Checking and Optimize & Defragment drive options.

drive properties-tools tab
Step 4 – Click on the Error Checking tool’s Check button and let the process run.
Step 5 – Once it finishes running, restart your PC, and the issue should be resolved. 

Fix 4 – Remove Unnecessary Files From Drive

Knowing what files to remove is the best thing to optimize your storage. If the Not Enough Disk space error has popped up on your PC, you may be required to clean the storage and optimize your hard drive. This step helps in clearing the issues related to errors that may pop up due to the unavailability of storage space while downloading or installing the game. 

To remove unnecessary files from the drive, you will need a tool that finishes optimization and ensures that you no longer struggle with insufficient disk space or any other storage-related errors. The best one is the System Cleaner module for Advanced System Optimizer.

Here’s how you use it –

Step 1 – Download and install the application on your computer.

Step 2 – Launch the application, and from the left pane, navigate to Disk Cleaner and Optimizers.disk cleaner and optimizer module - Advanced system optimizer

Step 3 – From the available list of modules, click on System Cleaner, as this will help you get rid of files and make way for game files. Depending on the use case, you can also choose any of the other modules.
Step 4 – After choosing the System Cleaner, click the Start Scan Now button to begin cleaning.

Start Scan Now

Step 5 – Let the scan run and find unnecessary files that can be cleaned from the PC’s storage.
Step 6 – After the scan, it shows you the type of files that can be removed and are unnecessary on your computer. Click on the Clean System button, and the process will move to its second stage, i.e., cleaning. 

system cleaner

Step 7 – After the module runs, close the app and restart your PC for changes to take effect. 

Other than these fixes, you should restart your PC often and launch the Steam app using the run-as-administrator option. This will help you easily resolve the Steam Not Enough Disk Space error. If you find it difficult to finish any method or get stuck on any step, please drop us a line.  Thanks for reading, good luck!

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About The Author

Dishank Sharma
Dishank Sharma

A creative tech-writer who loves to explore latest tech-trends & convey them to his readers in the simplest way possible. He loves to blend the crispness of technology with a pinch of creativity while curating best practices for the readers. In his free time, he likes to scribble poetry, listen to rap & travel.

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