How to Turn On or Off Compact OS in Windows 11

Step 1Check if Compact OS is On or Off

Checking if Compact OS is currently on or off in Windows 11 is a straightforward process. Knowing Compact OS’s status helps you decide if you need to turn Compact OS on to save disk space or turn Compact OS off if Compact OS is causing problems. This status check is the first step before you change anything.

What happens: A message will appear, letting you know if Compact OS is on or off.

1. Click the ⊞ Start button.
2. Type Windows Terminal.
3. Right-click it and choose Run as administrator. ⚠️ Admin privileges required
4. In the window that opens, copy and paste this command, then press Enter:
   
   compact /compactos:query
5. Read the message:

   • If it says “Compact OS is enabled.” — it’s turned on.
   • If it says “Compact OS is disabled.” — it’s turned off.
6. Close Windows Terminal when done.

Step 2How to Turn On Compact OS

Compact OS in Windows 11 frees up storage space by compressing system files, making them smaller and saving gigabytes on your hard drive. This is a useful option if you have low disk space.

What happens: Windows will compress your system files, which takes some time.

1. Open Windows Terminal as an administrator (follow Step 1 above). ⚠️ Admin privileges required
2. Copy and paste this command, then press Enter:
   
   compact /compactos:always
3. Wait while Windows compresses your files. This may take several minutes.
4. Close the window when finished.

Step 3How to Turn Off Compact OS

Compact OS, a Windows 11 feature that compresses system files to save space, can be turned off if you experience performance issues. Turning off Compact OS uncompresses all system files, returning the files to their original size. Windows requires a small amount of time to complete this uncompression task.

1. Open Windows Terminal as an administrator. ⚠️ Admin privileges required
2. Copy and paste this command, then press Enter:
   
   compact /compactos:never
3. Wait while Windows uncompresses the files. This can take several minutes.
4. Close the window when done.

Summary

• You must have administrator access to use Compact OS.
• Compact OS saves disk space by squeezing Windows system files smaller.
• Use these simple commands in Windows Terminal:
  • Check status: compact /compactos:query
  • Turn on : compact /compactos:always
  • Turn off : compact /compactos:never
• Be patient — compressing or uncompressing files takes time.
• Always check the status after running a command to make sure it worked.

Compact OS in Windows 11 saves disk space by compressing system files. Administrator rights are required to manage Compact OS. You can check Compact OS status with ‘compact /compactos:query’. To turn Compact OS on, use ‘compact /compactos:always’. To turn Compact OS off, use ‘compact /compactos:never’ in Windows Terminal. These operations may take time.