Short answer
Scan the drive and wait for its results to appear. Open Filter and choose Videos, Games or Archives. Open the item's folder and find the app that owns it. The category tells you what to inspect, not what is safe to delete.
This guide covers Osenpa Disk Analyzer. Check requirements and download options before you begin.
On this page
When to use this method
Use this guide when you want to see whether games, recordings or archives are filling a drive. Start with one category and one recognizable file. Scanning and filtering do not require removing it.
Before you start
Let downloads, recordings and archive jobs finish before comparing sizes. Keep original work backed up before moving or removing it. A category filter uses file and path clues; it cannot tell whether an item is the only copy.
Category filters and deletion safety What the filters can identify and what you must verify before deletion.
- How filters work
- Category filters operate on the local inventory and reduce the visible candidate set. They cannot determine whether an item is the only copy or required by another application.
- Important limit
- Treat a 40 GB package beneath a game library as active content until the launcher identifies it as removable. Let the launcher move or uninstall it instead of deleting the folder directly.
One example for each category
- Game package: find the game in its launcher before choosing Move or Uninstall.
- Coastal Walk.mp4: play the recording and check whether a video project still uses that path.
- Project backup.zip: inspect its contents and confirm another usable copy before considering removal.
These names are examples. Use the same checks on the files you recognize in your own results.
Find out what each large item belongs to
-
Scan the drive
Choose Scan on the drive that holds the game, media or archive. Keep it connected until the results appear automatically. The largest known items appear first; read any access or partial-coverage messages.
-
Choose one filter
Clear any name search left in Search scanned names. Open Filter and select Videos, Games or Archives. Review that list before switching filters. You should still see each item's size and path.
-
Find the owner
Open the containing folder and check Properties. Match the item to the game, recording or backup you recognize. A category name alone is not enough to decide what the file does.
-
Use the owner's removal path
Uninstall a game through its launcher. Move or remove managed video through its editor or library. Delete an archive only after confirming its contents and another usable copy.
-
Scan again
After one change, scan the same drive again and compare its free space. Open the remaining files in their usual app. Moving within the same drive does not free capacity, and files in the Recycle Bin can still use space.
If you do not recognize a file
Leave it in place while you inspect the containing folder and its app. Use the unknown-file guide if its purpose is unclear. Do not run an unknown executable to find out what it is.
Checkpoint: confirm each item before acting
- Record the candidate's folder owner.
- Inspect Properties or open the containing folder; do not run an unknown executable.
- Prefer uninstall, library move or Recycle Bin.
- Rescan and test the owning application.
If a known item is missing from its category
Clear the name search and minimum-size restriction, then choose All in Filter and search for the file's name. Categories use extension and folder clues, so a file can exist outside the category you expected.
If it is still absent, confirm the selected drive and read the scan's access or partial-coverage messages. Keep the file where it is until you know its owner; a missing category match does not mean it is unused.