To find the largest files on Windows 11 without third-party apps, open File Explorer, go to This PC › C:, click the search box, type size:gigantic (files over 128 MB), press Enter, then sort by Size. File Explorer has a built-in size: search filter that works on any folder and can scan the whole C: drive, so no TreeSize or other install is required.

TL;DR

  • Use File Explorer's size: search keyword — it is native to Windows 11.
  • size:gigantic finds files over 128 MB; size:>1GB sets an exact threshold.
  • Sort results by the Size column to surface the biggest files first.
  • Combine with ext: to target file types, e.g. size:>500MB ext:.mp4.
  • Always check the file path before deleting — some giants like hiberfil.sys are normal system files.

How do I search by file size in Windows 11?

File Explorer's search box accepts a size: keyword that takes either named ranges or numeric thresholds. Named ranges are the quickest way to cast a wide net, while numeric thresholds let you set an exact cutoff.

Search term Matches files that are Best for
size:tiny 0 – 10 KB Tiny config files
size:small 10 – 100 KB Small documents
size:medium 100 KB – 1 MB Photos, docs
size:large 1 – 16 MB Music, RAW images
size:huge 16 – 128 MB Short videos, installers
size:gigantic over 128 MB The real space hogs
size:>1GB over 1 GB (custom) Disk images, games, backups

Numeric thresholds also support ranges, for example size:>100MB AND <1GB to isolate mid-size files.

How do I find the biggest files on the C: drive?

To scan the entire system drive and list its heaviest files:

  1. open File Explorer (Windows key + E)
  2. navigate to This PC › C:
  3. click inside the Search box (top right)
  4. type size:>1GB and press Enter
  5. wait — the first scan takes several minutes; indexing status shows in the address bar
  6. click the Size column header to sort largest-first
  7. right-click a result › Open file location to see where it lives before deciding what to do

Expect hibernation files, page files, game installs, virtual-machine disk images, and old backups to dominate the results.

How do I filter the search by file type?

Combine the size: filter with the ext: keyword to target specific formats, which is the fastest way to hunt down, say, forgotten video exports or downloaded ISO files:

  • size:>500MB ext:.mp4 — big video files
  • size:>200MB ext:.zip OR ext:.7z — big archives
  • size:>1GB ext:.iso OR ext:.vhdx OR ext:.vhd — disk images

You can run these from any folder, not just C:, to narrow a search to your Downloads or Videos folder.

Is it safe to delete the largest files you find?

Not always — some of the biggest files on Windows are normal system files, so note the path before deleting anything. A 10 GB hiberfil.sys in C:\ is the hibernation file and is expected system state; a 10 GB .vhdx in a forgotten folder probably is not. Right-click and **Open file location** first. Personal media, old downloads, and leftover installers are generally safe to remove, but anything inside C:\Windows, C:\Program Files, or system root files should be left alone unless you know exactly what it does.

FAQ

What is the size: search filter in Windows 11?

The size: filter is a built-in File Explorer search keyword that finds files within a size range, such as size:gigantic for files over 128 MB or size:>1GB for a custom threshold. It needs no third-party software.

Can I find large files on Windows 11 without installing software?

Yes. File Explorer's native size: and ext: search filters can scan the whole C: drive and sort results by Size, so you do not need TreeSize, WinDirStat, or any other tool to locate large files.

Why is the first File Explorer size search so slow?

The first scan of a large drive takes several minutes because Windows is still indexing the contents; the indexing status appears in the address bar. Repeat searches on indexed locations are much faster.

Is it safe to delete hiberfil.sys or pagefile.sys?

Those are managed Windows system files — hiberfil.sys (hibernation) and pagefile.sys (virtual memory). Do not delete them manually in File Explorer; disable hibernation or adjust the page file through system settings instead.

Once you have cleared the desktop, the same storage pressure usually shows up on your phone too. If your iPhone or Android is filling up, see how to find the largest files on Android, how to find the largest videos on iPhone, and why videos take so much space. For the bigger picture, read what should I delete first when storage is full and visit the clean up phone storage hub. To shrink large videos before they pile up, the free video compressor runs right in your browser, and Cleanor for iPhone finds your space hogs automatically.