How to Enable or Disable Reserved Storage in Windows 11

What is Reserved Storage?

Windows saves about 7 GB of your hard drive space for things like temporary files, system updates, and caches. This helps your computer:

• Run better by keeping temporary files from using up your personal storage.
• 🔃 Install updates without needing extra free space.
• Keep storage space usage more predictable and stable.

If you run low on space, Windows will try to clear some of this reserved storage automatically.

Should You Disable Reserved Storage?

You can turn off Reserved Storage if you want to free up disk space. But keep in mind:

• Disabling it means Windows might need you to free up space manually before updates.
• It might affect how smoothly updates install.

How Much Space Does Reserved Storage Use?

Usually, it starts at about 7 GB, but it can change depending on:

• Optional Features: If you have extra Windows features installed, Reserved Storage might grow to support them.
• Installed Languages: If you use multiple languages, Reserved Storage might increase.

You can reduce space used by removing optional features or languages you don’t need:

• Remove optional features: Settings > Apps > Optional Features
• Remove languages: How to remove languages in Windows 11

Before You Start

You need to be signed in as an Administrator to change Reserved Storage settings. Check if you have admin rights.

How to Check if Reserved Storage is On or Off

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. If you see a dropdown at the top, pick Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt.
3. Type one of the following commands and press Enter:

Using PowerShell:

Get-WindowsReservedStorageState

Using Command Prompt:

DISM /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState

You will see if Reserved Storage is Enabled or Disabled.

How to Enable or Disable Reserved Storage

Option 1Using Command Prompt

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and select Command Prompt.
2. To enable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
   

   💻Code

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   DISM /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Enabled

3. To disable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
   

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   DISM /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled

4. Close the terminal when done.

Option 2Using PowerShell

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and select Windows PowerShell.
2. To enable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
   

   ⬛PowerShell

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   Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Enabled

3. To disable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
   

   ⬛PowerShell

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   Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Disabled

4. Close the terminal when done.

Option 3Using Registry Files

To Enable Reserved Storage (default):

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v ActiveScenario /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v MiscPolicyInfo /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v PassedPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v ShippedWithReserves /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

To Disable Reserved Storage:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v ActiveScenario /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v MiscPolicyInfo /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v PassedPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager" /v ShippedWithReserves /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Save the text above as a .reg file and double-click to apply it, then 🔄 restart your PC.

Summary

Here’s what you should remember about Reserved Storage in Windows 11:

• Keeps your PC stable: Temporary files don’t fill up your personal storage.
• Makes updates easier: Windows uses reserved space first for updates.
• You control it: You can turn Reserved Storage on or off if you want.
• Requires admin rights: Only administrators can change these settings.

Managing Reserved Storage well can help your Windows run smoothly and keep your updates hassle-free.

Learn More from Microsoft

• How Reserved Storage Works in Windows – Microsoft Support
• Windows 10 and Reserved Storage | Microsoft Community
• Managing Reserved Storage in Windows 10 | Microsoft Community