WinDirStat is a free, open-source disk usage analyzer that provides a detailed visual representation of how storage space is allocated on your drives. By scanning local drives, specific folders, or even command-line targets, it presents data through an interactive treemap, directory tree, and file type breakdown, making it easy to identify large files and folders at a glance.
The latest version, WinDirStat 2.8.0, introduces powerful new visualization options including flame graphs, sunburst charts, and alternative treemap layouts (Hilbert and Moore). It also enhances usability with per-user Explorer context menu integration, configurable process priorities, and improved performance for large scans, while addressing numerous stability issues.
In This Post
Expert Tips
Finding Large Files with the Treemap
- Launch WinDirStat and select the drive to scan.
- Wait for the scan to complete.
- In the treemap view, look for the largest rectangles (they represent the largest files/folders
Download WinDirStat
File size: 3.0 MB
OS support: Windows, GitHub
Windows
GitHub
Key Features
- Interactive Treemap Visualization: View disk usage as an interactive treemap where each rectangle represents a file or folder, with size proportional to space used, allowing instant identification of large items.
- Multiple Visualization Views: Switch between treemap, directory tree, extension/type breakdown, and new flame graph or sunburst charts to analyze storage usage from different perspectives.
- Duplicate File Detection: Find exact duplicate files by comparing cryptographic hashes (MD5, SHA-1, etc.) to recover wasted storage space from redundant copies.
- Real-Time File System Monitoring: Watch selected folders for changes in real time with the File Watcher tool, receiving instant notifications when files are created, modified, or deleted.
- Configurable Process Priority: Adjust CPU and I/O priority levels for the scanning process to minimize impact on system performance during analysis of large drives.
- Direct Cleanup Actions: Launch Windows maintenance tools like Disk Cleanup or defragmentation directly from WinDirStat’s interface after identifying targets for optimization.
Technical Specifications
| Software Name | WinDirStat |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.8.0 |
| License | Open Source |
| File Size | 3.0 MB |
| OS Support | Windows, GitHub |
| Language | English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean |
| Developer | Bernhard Seifert |
| Homepage | https://windirstat.net |
| Changelogurl | https://github.com/windirstat/windirstat/releases/tag/release%2Fv2.8.0 |
| Last Updated | August 3, 2026 |
Hardware Requirements
Minimum
- OS: Windows 7
Installation Guide
Installation Steps
- Click the download button above to get the installer for your operating system
- Locate the downloaded file and double-click to run the installer
- Follow the on-screen installation wizard to complete setup
Compatibility: Compatible with Windows 7 and later versions, including Windows Server 2008 R2 through 2025
Fix Common Problems
- Issue: Installation fails → Solution: Run as administrator
Questions & Answers
Is WinDirStat free to use?
Yes, WinDirStat is completely free and open-source software licensed under the GPLv2.
Is it safe to download WinDirStat from the official website?
Yes, downloading WinDirStat from the official website (windirstat.net) or the official GitHub repository is safe and free from malware.
How do I scan a specific folder with WinDirStat?
Launch WinDirStat, click the Select Folder button, choose the folder you want to analyze, and start the scan. The results will show the disk usage of that folder and its subfolders.
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