Free Up Disk Space Without Losing Your Files
Disk full? Compare local files, on-demand cloud storage and offline copies to free up space with Filarr while keeping your documents accessible.
Mathis Belouar-Pruvot
· founder of Filarr · 6 min read
Short answer
To free up disk space without deleting documents, use on-demand cloud storage for archives and keep working folders available offline. In Filarr on desktop, a local copy is released only after its encrypted upload is confirmed. A file kept only on this computer needs its own backup.
Your computer is running out of space, but deleting random folders is not a solution. Archives fill the drive, current project documents need to work on the train, and some files should stay off the cloud.
To free up disk space without losing files, decide where their content should live. A file can stay only on your computer, be available in the cloud on demand, or be kept in both places. Those choices have different consequences for offline access and recovery after a failure.
This guide explains those three situations in Filarr for desktop, version 3.9.2. The storage choices described apply to desktop and personal profiles; do not assume the same behaviour for shared vaults or mobile.
Which storage mode should you choose for your files?
Keep active documents on the computer and in the cloud, use on-demand cloud storage for rarely opened archives, and choose local-only storage for files whose content you do not want to upload. Keep an independent backup of anything important.
| Choice | Content on this computer | Content in the cloud | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only on this computer | Yes | No | Files to keep on this machine |
| Cloud on demand | Cached according to use | Yes, after syncing | Archives, old projects, large documents |
| On the computer and in the cloud | Yes, kept offline | Yes, after syncing | Working folders, travel documents |
Seeing a filename in a list does not guarantee its content is available without a connection. For a file reserved for one computer in a synced profile, other devices may see its name without being able to open it.
How does on-demand cloud storage work?
On-demand cloud storage lets you browse a library without keeping a full copy of every file on disk. Opening a file requires a connection when its content is not already available locally.
This is a common distinction: Microsoft’s Files On-Demand documentation also distinguishes online files from files kept offline.
In Filarr, choose the mode per profile and computer in Settings › Storage & Data. You set the space reserved for the encrypted cache. Since 3.9.0, supported previews, including video and PDF, read the required chunks from the cloud, decrypted on your device, without waiting for a complete download. A fully read file can stay in the cache; that cache can later be evicted to respect your chosen size.
A cache is not a promise of offline access. For a folder you will need tomorrow, use “Keep on this device”, wait for the download to finish, then test opening it without a network.
How do you free up space without deleting the cloud file?
Use the action designed to release the local copy, rather than moving the file to the trash. In Filarr, that action waits for confirmation of the cloud copy and preserves changes that have not yet been uploaded.
Here is a straightforward approach:
- Group folders by use. Separate active projects from archives. The Folders page helps you find what takes up space.
- Check sync. A pending transfer or a full quota does not mean a remote copy has been confirmed.
- Keep active folders on the device. Include attachments and PDFs you will need while travelling.
- Move archives to on-demand cloud storage. Use “Free up space” in storage settings to remove eligible local copies.
- Check the result. Open an archive with the network available, then a working document without a connection.
Moving a document to the trash requests deletion. Releasing its local copy chooses where it is stored. Check the action before confirming.
When importing a folder, should you copy or move the originals?
Since Filarr 3.9.2, the desktop folder import dialog offers a storage choice for the whole batch: this computer only, cloud on demand, or both. It also lets you copy or move the originals.
For a first import, copying keeps the originals while you check the result. Open a few imported documents, check the folder structure and make sure files intended for the cloud have finished uploading.
If you choose move, Filarr removes each original only after verifying its vault copy and reports originals it could not remove. This confirms the copy in the vault, not an independent backup. On the web, originals stay in place.
Does encrypted cloud storage also protect local copies?
Filarr encrypts content on your device before syncing and keeps its cache encrypted. The server stores encrypted content; reading happens on the device. Choosing between a full local copy and on-demand cloud storage changes content availability without giving up encryption.
There is a practical difference when you choose “Open with” Word, Excel or another application: that application receives a temporary plaintext copy. Filarr shows a banner and a “Finish” button to clean up that copy after use. The external software can also create files of its own; account for those when handling sensitive documents.
Our zero-knowledge sync guide explains the broader mechanism.
Does sync replace a backup?
No. Sync carries changes between devices, including mistakes. History can recover some versions, but it does not replace an independent, tested backup.
The 3-2-1 rule described by CISA recommends three copies, two types of media and one copy offsite. For a practical Filarr workflow, read our guide to backing up encrypted notes.
A file imported with “only on this computer” needs particular care: its content and versions are not uploaded to the cloud. Back it up before deleting its originals or replacing that computer.
Can you open your files without Internet access?
Yes, if their content is present on the device. For important documents, choose to keep them offline and check they open before leaving. A file merely visible in the cloud library may still need a connection.
Can you recover a local file after losing your PC?
Only if another usable copy exists. A file reserved for this computer does not become recoverable because its name appears elsewhere. A recovery phrase restores cryptographic access; it cannot recreate content that was never backed up.
Start with one archive folder, keep active projects offline and check your backup. You can download Filarr, consult the changelog or read the help page on local profiles and cloud accounts before reorganising all your files.