If you’ve ever wondered why your 128 GB SSD seems to run out of space faster than expected, a Windows feature called Reserved Storage might be the culprit. Microsoft quietly reserves up to 7 GB of your system drive for updates and temporary files, but with a few supported commands, you can disable it and reclaim that space. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it — and the trade-offs you need to understand before pulling the trigger.
What Is Reserved Storage?
Reserved Storage is a Microsoft-managed feature introduced with Windows 10 and refined in Windows 11. It preallocates a portion of the system volume — typically around 7 GB — for OS updates, temporary files, and system caches. The primary goal? To reduce failed update attempts and make servicing more predictable on devices with limited free space.
By design, the allocation is dynamic. It can expand or contract based on installed optional features, language packs, and available storage. On new installs Microsoft targets a baseline of roughly 7 GB, though on very small drives the system initially reserves a smaller amount — sometimes as low as 3 GB or 2% of the volume — and will grow back when space allows.
Most users never notice the reserve, but on laptops and tablets with 64–128 GB SSDs, the missing gigabytes are painfully visible. IT professionals managing fleets or custom images often prefer manual control over how that space is used.
What Does the Reserve Actually Contain?
Reserved Storage isn't a separate partition. It’s an OS-managed allocation on the system drive that Windows uses for:
- Staging and temporary working space during updates
- System temporary files and caches
- Content tied to optional features and language maintenance
This buffer lets Windows stage files for feature and cumulative updates without forcing users to manually free up large chunks of space first.
Why Would Anyone Disable Reserved Storage?
The feature makes sense on paper, but real-world pain points drive people to turn it off:
- Devices with 64 GB or 128 GB SSDs — common in budget laptops and tablets — benefit immensely from reclaiming 7 GB.
- IT teams that tightly control disk usage or deploy custom images may prefer deterministic management over a background reserve.
- Thin clients, VDI templates, and development VMs often have controlled update schedules that make the reserve unnecessary.
That said, removing the reserve increases your responsibility to ensure adequate free space for future servicing operations.
Checking Whether Reserved Storage Is Enabled
Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell and run one of these commands:
- DISM (Command Prompt):
dism /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState - PowerShell:
Get-WindowsReservedStorageState
Both will return either “Enabled” or “Disabled.” You can also check the size in Settings → System → Storage → Show more categories → System reserved (the exact label varies by build).
How to Disable Reserved Storage — Supported Methods
All methods require Administrator privileges. Here are the three reliable approaches:
1. DISM (Recommended for Single Machines and Imaging)
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Check the current state:
dism /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState - Disable it:
dism /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled - Reboot (recommended) and verify:
dism /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState
If you encounter Error 87 or “operation not supported when reserved storage is in use,” wait for any in-progress updates to finish and try again.
2. PowerShell (Better for Automation and Scripts)
- Open PowerShell as Administrator.
- Check state:
Get-WindowsReservedStorageState - Disable:
Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Disabled - Reboot and verify:
Get-WindowsReservedStorageState
These cmdlets offer the same control as DISM and are easier to integrate into management systems.
3. Registry Edit (Use When Other Methods Don’t Persist)
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager and modify or create the DWORD value ShippedWithReserves. Set it to 0 to disable, then reboot.
Important caveats:
- The registry change alone may not immediately free space; the reserve often releases after the next servicing operation (e.g., a cumulative update) or background housekeeping.
- Some deployment scenarios report that registry-only changes are the only way to keep the feature disabled through image specialization, whereas DISM flags might be reapplied.
What to Expect: How Much Space You’ll Get Back
- Typical reclaimed space: 3–7 GB is the common range. The exact amount depends on your device’s current reserve size, optional features, and installed languages.
- Timing: The free space increase can appear instantly on some systems, but often the pool fully releases only after Windows runs a maintenance task — such as a cumulative update or Storage Sense cleanup. A reboot and some patience are usually required.
- Variability: If optional features or language packs expanded the reserve, you may get back more. If the reserve was already reduced due to a tiny disk, the gain might be smaller.
The Risks: What You Give Up by Disabling Reserved Storage
Disabling Reserved Storage is a trade-off. Understand the risks and their mitigations before proceeding.
Risk 1: Update or Feature Upgrade Failures
Without the reserve, Windows may lack the working space needed to stage update files. If the drive is nearly full, an update could fail or demand manual intervention.
Mitigations:
- Before major feature updates, temporarily re-enable Reserved Storage or ensure at least 10–20 GB of free space on the system volume.
- Use Storage Sense, Disk Cleanup, or external USB drives to free space prior to updates.
- In enterprise environments, schedule updates during maintenance windows and verify sufficient free space beforehand.
Risk 2: Unexpected Reallocation or Background Behavior
Windows may opportunistically re-enlarge the reserve if free space improves or if you install optional features later.
Mitigations:
- Periodically re-check the reserve state with DISM or PowerShell after large system changes.
- For automated deployments, include validation scripts that reconcile the reserve state with your policy.
Risk 3: Registry Mistakes
Editing the registry always carries a system stability risk.
Mitigations:
- Back up the registry before making changes.
- Prefer DISM or PowerShell unless your deployment specifically demands registry-level control.
Safer Alternatives to Fully Disabling Reserved Storage
If you want to reclaim space but retain some update resilience, try these less intrusive steps first:
- Uninstall unused optional features (Settings → Apps → Optional features) — this often reduces the reserve automatically.
- Remove extra language packs you don’t need (Settings → Time & Language → Language).
- Run Storage Sense aggressively to clean temporary files and old update data.
- Move large personal files to an external drive or cloud storage; enable OneDrive Files On-Demand to keep files online without local copies.
- Offload applications to a secondary data drive if available.
Combined, these actions can free up multiple gigabytes while keeping the reserve’s protective benefits.
Enterprise Deployment and Automation Best Practices
For IT pros managing Windows fleets, disabling Reserved Storage should be a documented and automated decision:
- Policy-based enable/disable: Define thresholds based on device storage capacity in your build standards.
- Script it: Use PowerShell or DISM in task sequences, e.g., check state → if Enabled → disable → reboot → verify.
- Integrate with management tools: Incorporate the commands into Intune, SCCM/ConfigMgr, or third-party RMM platforms.
- Gate major updates: Add checks that require a minimum free-space threshold or a temporary re-enable step before feature upgrades.
- Imaging note: Some installers reset the reserve during specialize passes; apply registry tweaks if necessary.
Quick Checklist for Reclaiming Storage Safely
- Confirm current state:
dism /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState - Back up critical data and create a system restore point (recommended).
- Free space proactively: run Disk Cleanup, Storage Sense, uninstall unneeded apps and language packs.
- Disable Reserved Storage using one of the three methods above.
- Reboot and allow Windows to complete background maintenance.
- Verify the new state with the same command.
- In Settings → Storage, check under System & reserved to see the reduced size.
- Before major updates, ensure at least 10–20 GB free or re-enable the reserve temporarily.
Troubleshooting Common Hiccups
- DISM reports “unknown” or Error 87: Your build may not support the reserved storage management parameters. Update to a newer version if possible.
- “Operation not supported when reserved storage is in use”: A servicing operation is active; let it finish and try again.
- Reserve reappears after imaging or OOBE: Apply the registry key during the specialize pass or include the change in your image customization routine.
- Update failures after disabling: Re-enable the reserve with the same commands or manually free up ample space before the next update attempt.
The Bottom Line
Reserved Storage is a sensible, Microsoft-supported mechanism that prevents many update-related headaches. For everyday users, letting it quietly do its job is often the best call. But on a 64 GB or 128 GB SSD, or inside a tightly managed IT environment, those 7 GB can be transformative. Disabling the feature is a documented, supported option — one that reclaims significant space but shifts the update-safety burden onto you.
Approach it as one tool among many: start by stripping unused features and languages, leverage cloud offloading, and only then flip the switch if you’re prepared to guard against update failures. With the right checks and balances, you can enjoy the extra gigabytes without unpleasant surprises during the next Patch Tuesday.