{"id":1512,"date":"2006-07-16T20:10:27","date_gmt":"2006-07-16T14:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/"},"modified":"2026-10-11T11:43:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T06:13:49","slug":"folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/","title":{"rendered":"How to See Folder Size in Windows 11 (Free Tools &#038; Tips)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Why does Windows not show folder size in File Explorer? I have wondered this since 2006. Explorer shows the size of every file and lets you sort by it, but the Size column stays empty for folders. Back then I used a free SourceForge add-on called Folder Size for Windows to add a folder size column. In 2026, Windows 11 still does not show folder size in Details view, but there are easy built-in ways and free tools to find what is eating your storage.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-63816\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/folder-size-windows-11-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"How to see folder size in Windows 11\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/folder-size-windows-11-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/folder-size-windows-11-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/folder-size-windows-11-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/folder-size-windows-11-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/folder-size-windows-11.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> To see a folder size in Windows 11, right-click the folder and choose Properties, or hover over it to see the size tooltip. To compare many folders at once, use a free disk analyser such as TreeSize Free, WizTree or WinDirStat, or check Settings &gt; System &gt; Storage.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aea4e8652280\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aea4e8652280\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#How_to_see_folder_size_in_Windows_11_built-in\" >How to see folder size in Windows 11 (built-in)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#1_Folder_Properties\" >1. Folder Properties<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#2_Hover_tooltip\" >2. Hover tooltip<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#3_Storage_settings\" >3. Storage settings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#4_PowerShell\" >4. PowerShell<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#Best_free_tools_to_view_folder_sizes\" >Best free tools to view folder sizes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#What_happened_to_Folder_Size_for_Windows\" >What happened to Folder Size for Windows?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#Tips_to_free_up_space_once_you_find_big_folders\" >Tips to free up space once you find big folders<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#Why_does_Windows_not_show_folder_size_in_File_Explorer\" >Why does Windows not show folder size in File Explorer?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#Can_I_add_a_folder_size_column_in_Windows_11\" >Can I add a folder size column in Windows 11?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#What_is_the_difference_between_Size_and_Size_on_disk\" >What is the difference between Size and Size on disk?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2006\/07\/folder-size-for-windows-view-size-of-folders\/#How_do_I_find_the_largest_files_on_my_PC\" >How do I find the largest files on my PC?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_see_folder_size_in_Windows_11_built-in\"><\/span>How to see folder size in Windows 11 (built-in)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Folder_Properties\"><\/span>1. Folder Properties<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Right-click the folder in File Explorer.<\/li>\n<li>Choose <strong>Properties<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The General tab shows Size and Size on disk, plus the number of files and folders inside.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>You can select several folders, right-click and choose Properties to see their combined size.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Hover_tooltip\"><\/span>2. Hover tooltip<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Hover the mouse over a folder in File Explorer. If folder tips are enabled, a tooltip shows the folder size (for smaller folders) and some of the files inside.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Storage_settings\"><\/span>3. Storage settings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Open <strong>Settings &gt; System &gt; Storage<\/strong>. Windows groups space into Apps, Temporary files, Documents, Pictures and more. Click <strong>Show more categories<\/strong> for details, and use <strong>Cleanup recommendations<\/strong> to free space.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_PowerShell\"><\/span>4. PowerShell<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For a quick number, open Terminal in the folder and run:<\/p>\n<pre><code>\"{0:N2} GB\" -f ((Get-ChildItem -Recurse -File -Force | Measure-Object Length -Sum).Sum \/ 1GB)<\/code><\/pre>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_free_tools_to_view_folder_sizes\"><\/span>Best free tools to view folder sizes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>These tools show all folder sizes side by side, which is what I really wanted in 2006.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jam-software.com\/treesize_free\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TreeSize Free<\/a>:<\/strong> adds a folder tree sorted by size, and can be opened from the right-click menu on any folder.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.diskanalyzer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WizTree<\/a>:<\/strong> very fast scanning of whole drives, with a list of the largest files and a visual map.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/windirstat.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WinDirStat<\/a>:<\/strong> a classic open-source disk usage viewer with a colourful treemap.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_Folder_Size_for_Windows\"><\/span>What happened to Folder Size for Windows?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Folder Size for Windows added a Folder Size column to the Details view in Windows Explorer and calculated the size of each folder including subfolders. It was free under the GNU GPL and worked on Windows 2000 and XP, but it did not work on Vista and later, and the project is no longer developed. File Explorer has changed a lot since then, so a separate disk analyser is the reliable option today.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_to_free_up_space_once_you_find_big_folders\"><\/span>Tips to free up space once you find big folders<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Empty Downloads and the Recycle Bin regularly.<\/li>\n<li>Turn on Storage Sense to clean temporary files automatically.<\/li>\n<li>Move photos and videos to an external drive or cloud storage.<\/li>\n<li>Uninstall apps and games you no longer use.<\/li>\n<li>If you still run out of space, consider a bigger SSD. See my guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2022\/12\/upgrade-old-desktop-pc\/\">upgrading an old desktop PC<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_does_Windows_not_show_folder_size_in_File_Explorer\"><\/span>Why does Windows not show folder size in File Explorer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Calculating folder size means scanning every file inside, which can be slow on large drives, so Explorer only shows it in Properties.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_add_a_folder_size_column_in_Windows_11\"><\/span>Can I add a folder size column in Windows 11?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not natively. Use a disk analyser like TreeSize Free or WizTree to see all folder sizes at once.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_difference_between_Size_and_Size_on_disk\"><\/span>What is the difference between Size and Size on disk?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Size is the actual data size. Size on disk is the space used on the drive, which can be larger because files use whole storage blocks, or smaller if files are compressed.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_find_the_largest_files_on_my_PC\"><\/span>How do I find the largest files on my PC?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In File Explorer, search for <code>size:gigantic<\/code> in a drive, or use WizTree to list the biggest files.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why does Windows not show folder size in File Explorer? I have wondered this since 2006. Explorer shows the size&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":63816,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-computers","category-downloads"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1512"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63818,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512\/revisions\/63818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}