This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Storage Sense to automatically free up system drive space for your account in Windows 11.
Storage Sense can automatically free up drive space for you by getting rid of items that you don't need, like temporary files and items in your Recycle Bin.
Storage Sense is off by default. If your PC runs into low disk space and you have not interacted with Storage Sense in the past, Windows may turn on Storage Sense to manage select temporary files, then notify you. If you prefer, you can choose to turn Storage Sense off right away or after the low disk state is resolved.
If Storage Sense is turned on with the default settings, it will run when your device is low on disk space and will clean up unnecessary temporary files. Content from the Recycle Bin will be deleted by default after some time, but items in your Downloads folder and OneDrive (or any other cloud provider) will not be touched unless you set up Storage Sense to do so.
Reference:
Manage drive space with Storage Sense - Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com
Storage Sense works on your system drive ("C:") only, which contains the Windows operating system.
- Option One: Turn On or Off Storage Sense in Settings
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Storage Sense using REG file
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on Storage on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Yes if prompted by UAC.
Starting with Windows 11 build 26100.7705 (24H2) and build 26200.7705 (25H2), to help ensure that only authorized Windows users can access system files, Windows now displays a User Account Control (UAC) prompt when you open Storage settings (Settings > System > Storage).
Starting with Windows 11 build 26100.8514 (RP 24H2), and build 26200.8514 (RP 25H2), Microsoft updated Settings > System > Storage, so rather than seeing a UAC prompt immediately when you go to the page, you’ll only see it when going to view temporary files.
4 Do step 5 (on) or step 6 (off) below for what you would like to do.
This setting is saved to the DWORD in the registry key below:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy
04 DWORD
0 = Off
1 = On
This setting is the same as Option Two.
This setting is saved to the DWORD in the registry key below:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy
2048 DWORD
0 = During low free disk space
1 = Every day
7 = Every week
30 (decimal) = Every month
This setting is saved to the DWORD in the registry key below:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy
256 DWORD
0 = Never
1 = 1 day
14 (decimal) = 14 days
30 (decimal) = 30 days
60 (decimal) = 60 days
This setting is saved to the DWORD in the registry key below:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy
512 DWORD
0 = Never
1 = 1 day
14 (decimal) = 14 days
30 (decimal) = 30 days
60 (decimal) = 60 days
This setting is saved to the DWORDs in the registry key below:
(The path in red will vary per account SID and phone device ID number)
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy\CrossDevice!!SID!CrossDeviceRootd8183d7c-820d-4366-aef9-63429fae3ea3
02 DWORD
0 = (off) Never
1 = (on) 1 day, 14, day, 30 day, or 60 days
128 DWORD
0 = Never
1 = 1 day
14 (decimal) = 14 days
30 (decimal) = 30 days
60 (decimal) = 60 days
This setting is saved to the DWORDs in the registry key below:
(The path in red will vary per account SID and OneDrive ID number)
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy\OneDrive!SID!Personal|4fe9a7d2ea84495fb248efd15d2c879d
02 DWORD
0 = (off) Never
1 = (on) 1 day, 14, day, 30 day, or 60 days
128 DWORD
0 = Never
1 = 1 day
14 (decimal) = 14 days
30 (decimal) = 30 days
60 (decimal) = 60 days
This is the default setting.
7 You can now close Settings if you like.
This is for enabling or disabling all Automatic User content cleanup Storage Sense settings.
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy]
"01"=dword:00000001This is the default setting.
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StorageSense\Parameters\StoragePolicy]
"01"=dword:000000004 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
As always they are very useful 
