Folder Size - Free Disk Space Analyzer

Q: How do I see folder sizes in Windows 11 without opening Properties?

Install the free version of Folder Size, then right-click any folder in Windows Explorer and select Scan with Folder Size. The tool instantly shows the size of that folder and all its subfolders in a sortable table. You can also open Folder Size directly and scan an entire drive to see all folder sizes at once.

Q: How do I find the largest folders on my hard drive in Windows?

Folder Size includes a dedicated Find Largest Folders report that lists the biggest directories on your drive ranked by size. Open Folder Size, scan your drive, and switch to the Largest Folders report in the details panel. You can also sort the main folder tree by size to see the same information in a hierarchical view.

Q: Why is my actual folder size different from the Size on disk in Windows?

Windows shows two figures - Size and Size on disk. Size is the actual total of all file data. Size on disk is larger because files are stored in fixed-size allocation units called clusters - even a 1 KB file occupies a full cluster which may be 4 KB or larger. The difference represents wasted space caused by cluster alignment. Folder Size shows the actual size of every folder so you can make informed decisions about what to clean up.

Q: How do I find out which folder is growing and filling up my drive?

Folder Size includes a Save and Load feature that lets you store scan results as a project file. Scan your drive today, save the project, then scan again next week or next month and compare the results. Folders that have grown significantly between scans are immediately visible when you sort by size.

Q: What is the best free software to see folder sizes visually in Windows?

MindGems Folder Size is one of the most capable free disk space analyzers available for Windows. It combines a sortable folder size table with bar and pie charts, integrates with Windows File Explorer through a right-click context menu, and supports local drives, external storage, NAS devices, and network shares - all without installing services or shell extensions that could slow down your system. It is completely free with no trial period or feature lockouts.

Show Folder Sizes and Visualize Disk Usage on Windows

Folder Size - free disk space analyzer and folder size viewer for Windows

Featured on

Folder Size is a free disk space analyzer for Windows that shows folder sizes, lists the largest files and folders on any drive, and visualizes disk usage with bar and pie charts. Windows Explorer does not display folder sizes by default - Folder Size fills that gap instantly, with no impact on system performance.

Sort folders by size to find exactly what is consuming your disk space. View the size of every folder and file as a percentage of the total drive, scan your entire hard drive in minutes, and use the results to clean up storage, organize files, or free up space. Folder Size works with local drives, external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, NAS devices, SAN storage, and network shares.

Folder Size integrates directly with Windows File Explorer through a right-click context menu, letting you show folder sizes for any directory and all its subfolders instantly. It does not install services, file hooks, or shell extensions - it uses system resources only when you run it and has no performance impact when idle.

Folder Size can display the sizes of backup folders, system folders, hidden folders, and the System Volume Information folder - revealing all the missing disk space that Windows hides from view.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Compatible with Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 (Both 32 & 64 Bit)

Our tools are trusted by governments, space agencies, international banks, libraries, game studios, laboratories, photographers, DJs, and more than 50 million users worldwide.

EV
Certified
Top-Rated

Why You Need a Folder Size Analyzer

Windows shows you the size of individual files but deliberately hides folder sizes. Open File Explorer, navigate to any folder, and you will see the sizes of files inside - but not the total size of the folder itself. To check a folder size in Windows without a tool, you have to right-click it, select Properties, and wait while Windows calculates the total - one folder at a time, with no way to compare or sort results. On a drive with thousands of folders that approach is completely impractical.

You cannot see what is filling your drive. Windows does not show folder sizes in Explorer by default. Without a disk space analyzer like Folder Size, finding which folders are consuming the most storage requires manual effort that scales badly with library size. Folder Size shows the size of every folder on your drive simultaneously in a sortable list - in minutes.
Finding large files without a tool means navigating blindly. When a drive fills up, most users start randomly opening folders looking for large files to delete. Folder Size replaces that process with a sortable report of the largest files and folders on your system - you can see exactly what is consuming your storage at a glance and act on it immediately.
Storage problems compound silently. Drives fill up gradually - a few gigabytes from an old backup here, a few more from a downloaded installer there. By the time Windows warns you that disk space is low, the problem has been building for months. Regular disk space analysis with Folder Size takes minutes and keeps you ahead of storage issues before they affect performance.
Network and external storage is invisible without scanning. Windows Explorer shows folder sizes inconsistently across network shares, NAS devices, and external drives. Folder Size scans all of these the same way it scans local drives - giving you a complete picture of your storage distribution across every connected location.

Folder Size Features

Folder Size is a free disk space analyzer that shows folder sizes and file sizes across all your drives and network locations. Unlike Windows Explorer, which hides folder sizes by default, Folder Size displays them instantly alongside detailed disk usage charts and sortable file reports.

Folder Size is extremely fast and does not affect the performance of your system. It does not install services, file hooks, or shell extensions. This means it will not slow down your computer or cause any issues - something that cannot be said for many similar disk space tools.

Folder Size has the following features:

Show folder sizes and file sizes - instantly identify which folders and files occupy the most space on any drive.
Show local and network folder sizes - display folder sizes on your Windows PC, HDD, SSD, external USB and flash drives, NAS, SAN, and network shares.
Disk usage charts - visualize drive space distribution with bar and pie charts to clearly understand how your storage is being used.
Detailed folder and file information:
- Name
- Folder size or file size
- Size as a percentage of the parent folder
- File count inside the folder
- Subfolder count
- Creation time
- Last modification time
- Last access time
- Folder owner and group
Detailed file and folder reports:
- Find Largest Files
- Find Largest Folders
- Largest Files and Folders
- Oldest Files
- Oldest Folders
- Newest Files
- Newest Folders
- Longest Paths and File Names
- Find Empty Folders and Files
Sort folders and files - sort by size, name, dates, owner, subfolder count, and all other listed properties.
Windows Explorer context menu - right-click any folder in Windows Explorer and select "Scan with Folder Size" to show its size and all subfolders instantly.
Customize columns - hide or rearrange columns to display folder sizes and file properties the way you want.
Flexible size display - show folder sizes and file sizes in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, or let the tool choose the most appropriate format automatically.
Full file management - cut, copy, paste, delete, and move folders or files directly from within Folder Size.
Remove items from the list without deleting - see how removing a folder or file would affect the folder size before committing to deletion.
Windows Explorer-style interface - familiar navigation with Back, Forward, and Folder Up buttons, keyboard shortcuts, and drag and drop folder scanning.
Full Windows Explorer context menu - access all your installed apps and Explorer features directly from within Folder Size.
Drive information - view total disk size, used space, and free space for every connected drive.
Export to Excel, CSV, or XML - export folder sizes, file sizes, and all reports to Excel, CSV, or XML for further analysis or sharing.
Print folder sizes and disk usage reports - print the folder tree or details list to paper, PDF, TIFF, or PPV files.
Save and load scan data - store scanned folder sizes and file sizes to compare with future scans and track changes over time.
Command line support - automate disk space analysis and schedule scans using command line options and the Windows Task Scheduler.
Fast progressive scan - if a scan is interrupted it resumes from where it stopped. Subsequent scans only update changed items, making regular disk analysis fast and efficient.
Completely offline - all scanning is done locally on your device. No folder sizes, file names, or any other data are ever uploaded or transmitted.
Native 64-bit and 32-bit support for all modern Windows desktop and server operating systems.
Lifetime license - one-time purchase with no subscription fees.

How to Show Folder Sizes in Windows 11 and 10

Windows Explorer is the primary file management tool in Windows but it does not show folder sizes by default. This is a long-standing limitation that surprises many users - you can see individual file sizes in Explorer, but not the total size of a folder and everything inside it. If you want to understand why this is the case and what built-in options Windows provides, read our article on folder sizes in Windows 11 and 10. The short answer is that the built-in options are slow, inconvenient, and cannot show all folder sizes simultaneously - which is exactly the problem Folder Size solves.

Steps to show folder sizes in Windows:

Download and install Folder Size - download the free version and run the installer. No services or shell extensions are installed - the tool has no performance impact when not in use.
Scan a drive or folder - open Folder Size and select a drive, folder, or network location to scan. Alternatively, right-click any folder in Windows Explorer and select Scan with Folder Size to show its size and all subfolders instantly without scanning the entire drive.
View and sort folder sizes - results appear in a sortable table showing the size of every folder and file, their percentage of the total drive, file counts, and dates. Sort by size to find the largest folders immediately. Switch to the chart view to visualize disk usage distribution at a glance.

The right-click context menu is the fastest way to show folder sizes in Windows Explorer for a specific folder. For a full disk cleanup or a complete picture of your storage distribution, scanning the entire drive gives you a sortable list of every folder size on the system in minutes.

Folder Size Testimonials

Ian Harac - PCWorld.com

Rating:

MindGems’s Folder Size “does what it says on the tin.” It will scan your hard disk (it took about 2-3 minutes for it to finish my 1 TB “C” drive), and display the consumption of used space. Using an easy Explorer-style interface, it shows the space breakdown of the current folder as either a pie or bar chart in one pane, and a detailed listing by file or directory name in another.

On the up side, Folder Size allows you to view, execute, or delete files from within itself, a feature SpaceSniffer lacks–this makes it superior for fixing space problems, as opposed to just finding them.

Read full review on PCWorld.com

Editorial - CNET.com

Rating:

Managing files is straightforward with Folder Size. You can sort files and folders by size, name, date, and other properties. This makes it easy to identify which ones are using the most space. You can also customize how these details are displayed by choosing which columns to show or hide. This customization extends to Windows Explorer. With a simple right-click, you can see the size of any folder right away.

The software is designed to be quick and lightweight, ensuring that it doesn’t slow down your system. This is crucial for keeping your computer running efficiently, especially when handling large amounts of data.

Read full review on CNET.com

Editorial - Gigazine.net

Rating:

If you've ever tried to clean up your PC's HDD or SSD, you know how difficult it can be to determine which files and folders are consuming the most disk space. Folder Size is a free Windows utility that instantly calculates the size of any folder with a single click, sorts folders by size, and displays the results in intuitive charts and graphs. You can even open or delete files directly from the results, making it one of the fastest and easiest ways to analyze disk usage and reclaim valuable storage space.

Read full review on Gigazine.net

Ian Harac - PCWorld.com

Rating:

Using Folder Size to perform these spelunking expeditions into the depths of your hard disk is much more efficient than using File Explorer.

A short time of exploring using Folder Size let me find, and remove, about a hundred gig of files I didn’t need. Even with the small feature set, that’s useful enough that I can recommend the free version as-is, though users who need more sophisticated analysis and reporting will probably want to upgrade to a paid version after they’ve experimented a bit.

Read full review on PCWorld.com

Editorial - MajorGeeks.com

Rating:

Folder Size is designed to analyze your hard drives and then display file/folder sizes for easy checking of disk space distribution.

Folder Size can scan your entire hard drive in minutes due to the optimized scan algorithms and then list details on the tree size. It uses a progressive scan, which will allow you to continue the scan from the point of any interruption. You also have the option to scan a single folder so you can save some time.

Read full review on MajorGeeks.com

Austin Krause - GroovyPost.com

Rating:

The program features a simple yet effective graphical user interface. It looks similar to Windows File Explorer and anyone used to Windows should be able to figure out how to use it right away. Best of all, it’s available in a portable version that doesn’t require installation.

Overall Folder Size is a groovy app that does what it advertises. If you’re cleaning up old junk off of your hard drive, there’s no doubt it’s useful.

Read full review on GroovyPost.com

Who Is Folder Size For?

Folder Size is designed for anyone who needs to quickly analyze disk usage and identify folders consuming valuable storage space. Whether you're cleaning up a home PC, managing workstations, or maintaining file servers, Folder Size provides an instant overview of where your disk space is being used.

User	How Folder Size Helps
Home Users	Quickly find large folders, clean up disk space, and keep Windows running smoothly.
Gamers	Locate oversized Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net, and other game folders that consume hundreds of gigabytes.
Photographers	Identify large photo collections, RAW image folders, and archived projects occupying valuable storage.
Video Editors	Find massive video projects, render caches, and temporary files that can quickly fill SSDs.
Software Developers	Analyze source code repositories, build output, package caches, virtual machines, and development environments.
IT Professionals	Analyze workstations, servers, network drives, and shared folders to identify storage hotspots.
Businesses	Monitor disk usage across company computers and identify folders consuming excessive storage.
Anyone Running Out of Disk Space	Instantly discover which folders are using the most storage instead of searching manually through Windows Explorer.

Whether you need to free up disk space, identify storage-hungry folders, or simply understand how your storage is being used, Folder Size provides a fast and visual way to analyze your drives.

Folder Size Command Line Parameters

Folder Size Professional supports command-line automation, making it possible to run scheduled disk space scans and export folder sizes and file reports without opening the user interface. This is useful for system administrators managing storage across multiple machines or large networks.

Command-Line Parameters: (available only in the Professional version)

FolderSize -scan "F:\mp3" -exp "d:\mp3_{DATE} {TIME}.xml;d:\mp3_{DATE} {TIME}.fsp;d:\mp3_{DATE} {TIME}.csv" -s

Parameters:

-scan <path> - specifies the folder or drive path to scan.
-exp <semicolon delimited list of export formats> - exports results to one or more file formats simultaneously. The file format is determined by the extension. The variables {DATE} and {TIME} are replaced with the current date and time.
-s - silent mode. The application runs without displaying the user interface and exits automatically after processing is complete.

Supported export formats include CSV for Excel-compatible table output, XML for hierarchical folder tree output viewable in any web browser, and FSP for the native Folder Size project format. If any parameter value contains spaces, enclose it in double quotes.

For the full list of command line options and export customization settings, refer to the application help file or read the article: Export Folder Structure or Folder List to Excel, CSV or XML.

Folder Size System Requirements

Operating system: Windows 11 / Windows 10 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 8 / Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008 and newer
CPU: Any modern processor - Intel, AMD, or ARM64
2 GB RAM recommended (1 GB minimum)
10 MB free hard disk space

Folder Size Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Windows Explorer show folder sizes by default?

This is a deliberate design decision by Microsoft. Windows File Explorer shows the size of individual files in the Details view but does not calculate or display folder sizes because doing so would require Windows to recursively scan every subfolder in real time - which would slow down browsing significantly on large drives. The result is that you can see file sizes but have no way to compare folder sizes or identify which directories are consuming the most storage without an external tool. Folder Size solves this by scanning your drive once and displaying all folder sizes simultaneously in a sortable list, without affecting system performance while you browse.

How do I see folder sizes in Windows 11 without opening Properties?

The standard Windows method - right-clicking a folder and selecting Properties - calculates the size of one folder at a time and cannot sort or compare results. Folder Size gives you a faster alternative. After installing the free version, right-click any folder in Windows Explorer and select Scan with Folder Size. The tool instantly shows the size of that folder and all its subfolders in a sortable table. You can also open Folder Size directly and scan an entire drive to see all folder sizes at once - something Windows Properties cannot do.

How do I view the folder sizes of all subfolders at the same time?

Windows has no built-in way to show all subfolder sizes simultaneously. Folder Size is designed specifically for this - open the application, add a drive or folder to scan, and click Start. Within minutes you will see every subfolder and its size listed in a sortable table, including the percentage each folder occupies of the total drive. You can expand any folder to see its subfolders, sort by size to find the largest directories instantly, and switch to a pie or bar chart to visualize the disk space distribution at a glance.

Is there a way to sort folders by size in Windows 10 and 11?

Not natively - Windows File Explorer does not support sorting by folder size because it does not calculate folder sizes in the Details view. You can sort by file size for individual files, but folders always show as blank in the Size column. Folder Size adds this capability - once you scan a drive or directory, results are displayed in a fully sortable table where you can sort all folders and files by size, name, date, file count, subfolder count, or any other property. This makes it straightforward to identify which folders are consuming the most disk space and prioritize what to clean up.

How do I find the largest folders on my hard drive in Windows?

Folder Size includes a dedicated Find Largest Folders report that lists the biggest directories on your drive ranked by size. Open Folder Size, scan your drive, and switch to the Largest Folders report in the details panel. You can also sort the main folder tree by size to see the same information in a hierarchical view. This makes finding the largest folders on any drive - local, external, or network - a matter of seconds rather than manually navigating through hundreds of directories.

Why is my actual folder size different from the "Size on disk" in Windows?

Windows shows two different figures in the Properties dialog - Size and Size on disk - and they are almost always different. Size is the actual total of all the file data inside the folder. Size on disk is larger because files are stored in fixed-size allocation units called clusters - even a 1 KB file occupies a full cluster, which may be 4 KB or larger depending on your drive and file system. The difference between the two figures represents wasted space caused by cluster alignment. Folder Size shows you the actual size of every folder so you can make informed decisions about what to keep, move, or delete during a disk cleanup.

How do I find out which folder is growing and filling up my drive?

Folder Size includes a Save and Load feature that lets you store scan results as a project file. Scan your drive today, save the project, then scan again next week or next month and compare the results. Folders that have grown significantly between scans are immediately visible when you sort by size. This is particularly useful for system administrators monitoring storage across multiple machines, or home users who want to understand why their drive keeps filling up. The largest folders report combined with saved scan history gives you a clear picture of which directories are growing and at what rate.

How do I check the size of hidden and system folders in Windows?

Folder Size can scan and display the sizes of hidden folders, system folders, and the System Volume Information folder - locations that Windows Explorer either hides entirely or reports incorrectly. This is often where significant amounts of missing disk space are found - Windows update caches, shadow copies, hibernation files, and other system data that Windows does not surface in normal Explorer browsing. Run Folder Size with administrator privileges to ensure full access to all system directories and get an accurate picture of your total disk space usage.

Why is my Windows AppData folder so large?

The AppData folder stores application settings, caches, logs, and temporary files for every program installed on your system. It grows silently over time as applications accumulate data - browser caches, game saves, application logs, and update files all end up here. Use Folder Size to scan your AppData directory and sort subfolders by size to identify which applications are consuming the most storage. This makes it straightforward to find and remove oversized caches or logs without blindly deleting files. AppData is a hidden folder by default - Folder Size reveals its full contents and subfolder sizes without requiring you to change Windows Explorer settings.

What is the best free software to see folder sizes visually in Windows?

MindGems Folder Size is one of the most capable free disk space analyzers available for Windows. It combines a sortable folder size table with bar and pie charts for visual disk usage analysis, integrates directly with Windows File Explorer through a right-click context menu, and supports local drives, external storage, NAS devices, and network shares - all without installing services or shell extensions that could slow down your system. It is completely free with no trial period, no feature lockouts, and no subscription. The optional Professional version adds folder printing, PDF export, network scanning, and command line automation for advanced users.

How do I export a list of folder sizes to Excel?

Folder Size can export the complete folder and file size listing to CSV, which opens natively in Microsoft Excel as a formatted table. Use File > Export from within the application to save the current results. You can export the full folder tree, the details view for a specific directory, or any of the specialized reports such as Largest Files, Largest Folders, or Oldest Files. The CSV export preserves all columns including folder size, file count, subfolder count, and dates - making it easy to build your own disk usage reports or share storage analysis results with colleagues. Read more: Export folder sizes to Excel, CSV, or XML.

Can I scan a network drive or NAS device to see folder sizes?

Yes. Folder Size supports scanning of network drives, NAS devices, SAN storage, and UNC network paths in addition to local and external drives. Add a network location to the scan list the same way you would add a local folder - by typing the path or browsing to it. This makes Folder Size particularly useful for IT administrators and system administrators who need to monitor and analyze disk space usage across shared storage, file servers, and network attached storage from a single interface. The Professional version includes additional features for network scanning and reporting.

How do I analyze disk space usage without slowing down my PC?

Folder Size is specifically designed to have no performance impact on your system. Unlike many disk space analyzers that install background services, file system hooks, or shell extensions that run continuously, Folder Size only uses system resources when you actively run it. When you close the application, nothing continues running in the background. The scanning engine uses optimized algorithms and progressive scanning - if you stop a scan partway through it resumes from where it left off, and subsequent scans of the same drive only process changed items rather than rescanning everything from scratch.

How do I check folder sizes on an external hard drive in Windows?

Connect your external hard drive and open Folder Size. Select the external drive from the drive list or browse to it using the folder tree, then click Start to scan. Folder Size will display the folder sizes and file sizes on the external drive in exactly the same format as a local drive - sortable by size, with disk usage charts and detailed file reports. This is useful when auditing old backup drives, preparing to archive or delete data from an external drive, or comparing the contents of two drives before consolidating storage.

How do I schedule automatic disk space scans on Windows?

Folder Size Professional supports command line parameters that allow you to automate disk space scans and exports using the Windows Task Scheduler. Use the -scan parameter to specify the path, -exp to define the export format and destination, and -s for silent mode so the scan runs without displaying the user interface. For example, you can schedule a weekly scan of a specific drive that automatically exports folder sizes to a dated CSV file - giving you a historical record of storage changes over time. Full details are in the Command Line Parameters section above.