How to Enable or Disable Reserved Storage in Windows 11
Want to manage your disk space and update performance in Windows 11? You can do that by enabling or disabling Reserved Storage.
Reserved Storage is a dedicated partition on your hard drive that Windows 11 uses to automatically download and prepare important updates, keeping them ready for installation.
Reserved Storage, introduced in Windows 10 version 1903, can use up to 7 GB of disk space. This storage helps ensure Windows updates install without problems and avoids issues caused by little free space during update installations.
Managing Reserved Storage helps you keep your drive optimized and your system updated without any interruptions.
You can enable or disable Reserved Storage in Windows 11 using Command Prompt or PowerShell. Open Windows Terminal as an administrator and use DISM commands for Command Prompt or Set-WindowsReservedStorageState for PowerShell.
What is Reserved Storage?
Reserved Storage in Windows 11 is a dedicated space on your hard drive that Windows uses to keep important updates and temporary files separate from your personal files.
- Keeps temporary files from using up your personal storage
- Lets Windows install updates without asking you to free up space first
- Makes your storage usage more predictable and stable
When a computer's hard drive has little free space, Windows 11 automatically deletes files from its reserved storage. This reserved storage is a special section of the hard drive that Windows 11 uses for important updates and system files, ensuring the computer runs smoothly.
Should You Disable Reserved Storage?
Reserved Storage in Windows 11 uses disk space to ensure important updates install smoothly. You can turn off Reserved Storage to free up disk space. For example, if your hard drive has only 64GB of storage, disabling this feature can recover a noticeable amount of room.
- Windows might need you to manually free up space before updates install
- Updates might not install as smoothly
How Much Space Does Reserved Storage Use?
Reserved Storage in Windows 11 usually takes up about 7 GB of space, but this can change depending on extra features or languages you’ve added to your PC.
- Optional Features: Extra Windows features might make Reserved Storage larger
- Installed Languages: Using multiple languages might increase the reserved space
You can reduce space by removing optional features or languages you don’t use:
- Remove optional features: Settings > Apps > Optional Features
- Remove languages: How Reserved Storage Works in Windows – Microsoft Support How to remove languages in Windows 11
Before You Start
How to Check if Reserved Storage is On or Off
- Right-click the Start button and choose Windows Terminal (Admin)
- If you see a dropdown at the top, pick Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt
- Type one of the following commands and press Enter:
You can easily check if Reserved Storage is on or off in Windows 11 by opening Windows Terminal as an administrator and typing a simple command.
Get-WindowsReservedStorageStateUsing Command Prompt:
DISM /Online /Get-ReservedStorageStateYou will see if Reserved Storage is Enabled or Disabled.
How to Enable or Disable Reserved Storage
Option 1Using Command Prompt
- Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and select Command Prompt
- To enable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
DISM /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Enabled- To disable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
DISM /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled- Close the terminal when done
Option 2Using PowerShell
- Open Windows Terminal (Admin) and select Windows PowerShell
- To enable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Enabled- To disable Reserved Storage, type and press Enter:
Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Disabled- 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
Summary
- 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
Reserved Storage in Windows 11 helps keep your PC stable by managing temporary files, making updates easier, and giving you control over your storage space.
Learn More from Microsoft
Windows 10 and Reserved Storage | Microsoft Community
Managing Reserved Storage in Windows 10 | Microsoft Community
Can I delete reserved storage in 🪟 Windows 11?
While Reserved Storage in Windows 11 is designed to help with updates, you can disable it using tools like DISM or by editing the Registry to free up disk space.
What is 🪟 Windows 11 reserved storage?
To make sure your device can successfully update and perform at its best, Windows reserves a portion of storage space on your device for temporary files, caches, and other files.
Is reserved storage needed?
Reserved Storage keeps some disk space for Windows Update, apps, temporary files, and system caches because without enough disk space, Windows processes can become unstable, causing the OS and applications to stop working properly.
Can you delete reserved storage?
To turn off reserved storage, set `MiscPolicyInfo` to 2 and `PassedPolicy` to 0. When you need to turn on reserved storage, set the values of both `MiscPolicyInfo` and `PassedPolicy` to 1. Close Registry Editor and reboot your computer to see the changes.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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