If you own an Xbox console, you know how enjoyable gaming can be. However, one common problem that can disrupt your gaming experience is running out of storage space. Xbox games are often large and require a significant amount of storage. Most Xbox consoles come with either a 512 GB or 1 TB hard drive, which can quickly fill up as games continue to grow in size.
But don’t worry! In this guide, we will provide you with some simple and effective ways to free up space on your Xbox so you can install and play more games. So, let’s dive in!
3 Basic Ways to Free Up Space on Your Xbox
There are several ways you can free up storage on the internal drive of your Microsoft Xbox console. Here are three of the most common and easiest ways to do so.
Method #1: Deleting Unwanted Games and Apps
The most straightforward way to free up storage on your Xbox’s internal storage is by removing games, leftover add-ons, and apps that you no longer use. To proceed, follow these steps:
- From the home screen, navigate to “My games & apps.”
- Select “See all” to view a list of all your installed games and apps.
- Highlight the game or app you want to delete and press the “Menu” button (three horizontal lines on your controller).
- Finally, choose the “Uninstall” button.
That’s how easy it is! With just a few clicks, you can free up a significant amount of space on your Xbox. You can also sort the games based on your usage frequency and delete the ones you use the least.
Method #2: Moving Games to External Storage
Xbox consoles support external storage devices, such as USB or hard drives. You can move games and apps to external storage to free up space on your Xbox. Here’s how:
- Connect your external storage device to your Xbox using a USB or other compatible methods.
- Go to “Settings” > “System” > “Storage.”
- Select your external drive or storage device and choose “Transfer.”
- Select the games or apps you want to move to external storage and follow the on-screen instructions.
Method #3: Clearing Media Files From the Xbox
If you have captured pictures or video clips of the games you play, you can remove them to free up space on your Xbox. Here’s how:
- Press and hold the Xbox button on your Xbox controller to open the guide.
- Press the view button, which provides a shortcut to the “Recent Captures” menu.
- Select the media files you want to wipe off and delete them.
You can also go to Settings to clear the cache for improved performance.
FAQs
How do I free up storage on my Xbox Series S?
While there are other options to free up storage on the Xbox Series S, we recommend you try this one below.
On your controller, press the Xbox button to open the guide
Select Profile & system >>Settings>>System>>Storage
Clear local saved games: it deletes games saved to your hard drive, but you can still access them on the cloud
Clear Local Xbox 360 storage: it deletes Xbox 360 games saved locally but still accessible on the cloud.
What do I do when my Xbox runs out of storage?
Of course, when you run out of storage on Xbox, the first thing is to delete unused games. You can check the process above to delete games and apps saved locally, while they remain in the cloud. Also, you can move games to External Drive since Xbox Series X/S allows storing and running games from an external drive.
Why does the Xbox Series S have so little storage?
The idea has been to make the Xbox Series S affordable. Microsoft limits the onboard storage for the Series X to 1TB, while the Series S has 512GB storage. Meanwhile, the Carbon Black Series S has 1TB of storage. Remember, you can use External Drive to store and run games on Xbox.
Final Words
Running out of storage space on your Xbox can be a headache. If you encounter this issue, try using any of the three methods mentioned above to free up space on your Xbox. This will help you quickly regain some free space. However, if you frequently face this problem, it’s best to consider expanding your storage space with external hard drives.
