Fix "There is not enough space on QuickBooks Desktop" error

Learn what to do if you see errors or messages about not enough disk space on your hard drive.

You might see the following messages about more hard drive space in QuickBooks Desktop:

• There is not enough space on drive C:\ to extract this package
• Free some hard drive space. QuickBooks is running slowly
• Error: There is not enough free space

If you see one of these messages, don't worry. Just make some space on your computer.

Step 1: Check your hard drive

Before you make any changes, check how much free space you have. QuickBooks needs at least 1 GB of space to run the install process and 2.5 GB to work at peak performance.

1. Select the Windows Start menu.
2. Enter File Explorer into the search and open File Explorer.
3. Select My Computer from the navigation bar. This is sometimes called This PC.
4. Right-click the icon for your hard drive. This is usually Windows (C:).
5. Select Properties. You'll see how much free space you have.
   

Step 2: Make space on your hard drive

Use any of the following solutions to free up hard drive space. Once you have enough space, you can go back to your original task. Remember, it's best to have at least 2.5 GB free for QuickBooks to run optimally.

Clean up your disk

If you have lots of files in your downloads folder or recycling bin, follow these steps to run disc clean up.

Clear your Temp folder

You can delete the files in your Temp folder to free up some hard drive space. Before you start, make sure you sign in to Windows as an admin.

Remove programs you don't use

Before deleting more files, see if you can uninstall programs you don't need or don't use anymore.

Clean up your photos and documents

If you already removed temporary files and unused programs and still need space, consider moving photos and documents to an external hard drive. Photo and media files tend to take up a lot of space.

Important: Don't move any of your QuickBooks files. Keep them on your local hard drive. QuickBooks can't access files on external hard drives.

Follow the steps in the "Delete personal files or move them to an external storage device" section of the Microsoft guide.

Refresh your install file

If you're trying to install QuickBooks and still see an error after freeing up space, use the QuickBooks Tool Hub. Go to the Install Issues section and follow the steps. Then start the install over again.

If you need some more help, Microsoft has several more suggestions for how to free up hard drive space.