So, you’re about to jump into that new Steam game you’ve been hyped about, but then it throws up this annoying “not enough disk space” message. Yeah, it’s been a recurring pain for ages, and honestly, sometimes it feels like Steam’s cache just loves to fill up way faster than expected. Plus, if you’ve got multiple drives, it’s super easy for Steam to get confused and install in the wrong spot without you realizing. It’s kind of weird, but fixing this stuff isn’t always obvious, especially if the cache is bloated or if Steam is sneaking past your main drive. So, here’s a collection of tried-and-true methods to clear things up — hopefully, one of these helps you get back to gaming without that nagging space warning blocking your way.
How to Fix “Not Enough Free Disk Space” Error on Steam
Clear the Steam download cache — Because of course, Steam’s cache can become a digital trash pile over time.
This one’s usually the first thing to try when Steam throws a space error. The cache stores installation files, updates, and all sorts of temporary data. When it gets too stuffed, it can mess with disk space readings.
- Go to Steam in the top menu bar, then pick Settings.
- Click on Downloads in the sidebar.
- Scroll down to the Clear Download Cache button at the bottom. Sometimes, it’s in the middle, but it’s always there.
- Click it, confirm if prompted, and Steam will restart itself. On some setups, you might need to restart manually to see effect.
This tends to help because it forces Steam to rebuild its cache and sometimes frees up hidden storage or corrects wrong space estimations. On some machines, it’s a hit-or-miss, but it’s worth trying first since it’s quick and easy.
Fix 2: Check if Steam is installing on the right drive — Because, surprise surprise, Steam might just be installing your game on the wrong drive.
If syncing your drives feels like a chore, it’s also easy to accidentally install new games on a drive with zero space left. This fix is for when you’re sure enough space exists, but Steam still gives you grief.
- Open Steam, then click Steam in the menu bar, and go to Settings.
- Select Storage from the sidebar. You’ll see a list of your drives and their available space.
- Next, if you want to change default installation drive, click the Add Drive button. Choose the drive with enough space from the list and set it as default.
- The cool part? You can also move existing game files between drives right here. Just right-click a game in your library, select Properties, go to Local Files, and pick Move Install Folder to transfer it.
Bonus: You can uninstall unnecessary games or programs directly from here to free up space. Just click on the game, then hit Uninstall. Not sure what to keep? Just use Disk Cleanup in Windows for a quick purge of temp files — you can find that by searching “Disk Cleanup” in the Start Menu.
Fix 3: Leave some extra space — Because games love to grow beyond their initial download size.
This is more of a general advice thing — Steam games tend to eat more space over time due to updates, patches, and DLCs. If you’re constantly running tight on space, you might want to keep about 50GB free as a buffer. Otherwise, you’ll keep hitting errors even if you think there’s enough room for the original install.
It’s not a bad idea to double-check your drive’s free space from File Explorer or by running diskpart commands in PowerShell, just to see what’s actually available. Often, the reported space is inaccurate because of temporary files or system restore points, so keeping that buffer is a good habit to avoid surprises.
Fix 4: Remove unwanted stuff — Because if your drive is full, something has to go.
First, compare the size of your game installations with your available space. If it’s a mismatch, here’s what usually works:
- Uninstall old or unused games and programs via Add or Remove Programs or by right-clicking on a game in your Library and selecting Uninstall.
- Run Disk Cleanup. Search for it from the Start Menu, then select the drive in question. Check off temporary files, system files, and other junk that’s safe to delete.
- If you’re on a Mac, go to System Settings → Storage. Here, you can optimize storage, delete old files, and even manage iCloud data if needed.
Sometimes it’s just bad luck — a game or app might fill the drive faster than expected. Clearing space is the reliable fallback, especially on machines with small SSDs or when the drive has a lot of clutter.
By the way, don’t be surprised if some of these fixes don’t work instantly or if Steam acts a little quirky afterward. Sometimes a quick reboot helps, and other times, just waiting a bit or rechecking installation folders does the trick. Windows has its quirks too, so don’t expect everything to be perfect at first go.