Folder Size for Windows Explorer

Latest Update, WinDirStat (6/18/08)
Found a newer and better tool!  WinDirStat is also free and shows a nice graphical chart of the types of files and folders.

Update for Windows Vista
I've been using Vista now for awhile and the tool below does not support Vista.  I've been using TreeSize Free which is working out great.  I've added it to my Send To folder so I can access it by right-clicking any folder.  Cheerio

This is one of the greatest little tools I've found lately!  https://foldersize.sourceforge.net/

It replaces the "Size" column in Windows Explorer, which normally doesn't show anything for folders, with a "Folder Size" column that displays the cumulative size of the folder.  This is incredibly useful for clearing HDD space.  This is definitely one of those apps you wish Windows included as a feature.

Comments

• Anonymous
  February 26, 2007
  For me, "TreeSize" (http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml), the freeware version of, is a great tool to show folder sizes, including a graphical bar. They also do have a commercial version, but I dislike the lot of features in it.

• Anonymous
  February 26, 2007
  I am a bit charry about installing third party shell extensions  mainly because it becomes an integral part of your PC experience and let's say if there is a memory leak that the author has overlooked it, then your overall experience is affected. That being said, this is a nice addon and with Virtual Machines and snapshots, it is easy to try out third party shell extensions.

• Anonymous
  February 27, 2007
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  April 16, 2007
  So it crashes every once in a while, and slows down your computer. That's no reason to uninstall it. Well, if you really want to, use the Add or Remove Programs control panel. You'll have to manually fix the columns in Explorer too.

• Anonymous
  April 16, 2007
  ^^^^That's the bit I don't like on the foldersize site. I agree that's no reason to uninstall it. The uninstall option simply won't be available as that's a very good reason not to install it in the first place.

• Anonymous
  April 26, 2007
  Fujikid, Strange, it's never noticably slowed down my PC or caused any problems.  In fact, I've been quite impressed that it has run so smoothly.  Wish all my apps were that reliable.

• Anonymous
  May 28, 2007
  I would love nothing more than to see this work in Vista.   OK, scratch that.  My preference would be to have this feature built natively into Vista.  But, being as that is not the case, I would LOVE for this to be supported in Vista. The developer posts: "Hey, I am the developer of Folder Size. It brings a tear to my eye to see such lamentation about Folder Size not supporting Vista. Vista removes the API that I used to add the column. F*cking Vista. I don't see why they couldn't have implemented some translation layer from the old interface to their new system." <sigh>

• Anonymous
  July 11, 2007
  This does beg the question: WHY has this not been a feature built into windows for years by now? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

• Anonymous
  October 12, 2007
  It goes to show how lazy Microsoft is ... it seems like such a basic failure in the Windows series, no easily read folder size!

• Anonymous
  October 16, 2007
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  October 29, 2007
  "It goes to show how lazy Microsoft is ... it seems like such a basic failure in the Windows series, no easily read folder size!" I suppose that depends on your point of view: http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2007/10/29/5750353.aspx

• Anonymous
  October 29, 2007
  "It goes to show how lazy Microsoft is ... it seems like such a basic failure in the Windows series, no easily read folder size!" I never felt so put out by just right clicking the folder and choosing properties.  Now who's being lazy?

• Anonymous
  October 31, 2007
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  November 22, 2007
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  December 04, 2007
  It has it's uses, I used to install it when I needed to clean up my drive, and disable all other times. Windows should have it built in for those who want it. It does use up resources though. Right clicking properties is fine but when you are cleaning house it gets old quick. The Treesize works fine in vista though and it's easy, quick, free, and temporary. But it was nice having it incorporated into explorer.

• Anonymous
  December 31, 2007
  FIX!  It is the long way around but it works.  Install the free Microsoft Virtual PC into Vista (you gotta have your legit copy of XP to install into this program).  Then, install folder size.  Then, share your Vista drives with full rights.  Then run the Virtual XP and look into your network workgroup shared Vista hard drive and it works!

• Anonymous
  February 09, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  May 17, 2008
  Want folder size, use a Mac. Apple introduced this long long ago, over 10 years. Think Different..

• Anonymous
  August 16, 2008
  So, till no solution for Vista ? I use http://www.whereisit-soft.com/ to scan my drives. and I have the folder size in it... If someone need it... Cheers Molkin

• Anonymous
  September 07, 2008
  Once this dude finds a work around for the smallest most useful plug in to what Microsoft forgot to put in again. I'm there. Foldersize is for Windows and 3rd praty file manager is for DOS and seems to have a Nag window for upgrades. Over the Years, this utility has helped me find Viruses and extremely hidden files.

• Anonymous
  September 26, 2008
  Windows 3.1 had this function in the file manager, but it was removed in Windows 95.

• Anonymous
  September 26, 2008
  I forgot to mention, I do a lot of HD backups, recovering peoples data from their HDs if their computer is bad, or if it just needs reformatted.  Foldersize is such a valuable tool finding out where the data on a HDD is, I couldn't work without it.  I once found that Norton was keeping 80GB of log files in a normally unused directory.  I would have never right-clicked that folder to find the size.

• Anonymous
  October 08, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  November 27, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  December 23, 2008
  If "Windows 3.1 had this function in the file manager, but it was removed in Windows 95.", then, Micro$oft, you're doing it wrong!... Epic, epic FAIL!

• Anonymous
  January 21, 2009
  For Windows XP: Use ExplorerXP For Windows Vista: Use Directory Opus although ExplorerXP works 2.

• Anonymous
  February 15, 2009
  I use "Idoswin Free" to see where my disk space has got to. The Option "Show Directory Size" in the "View" menu must be checked. In other respects I use Windows Explorer, because Idoswin Free has other lacks, e.g. doesn't show Last Access column.

• Anonymous
  July 17, 2009
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  August 11, 2009
  Here's how you may enable displaying folders size without installation of any additional software: http://www.myhowtoos.com/en/windows-howtoos/91-how-to-display-folder-size-in-windows-explorer  

• Anonymous
  August 23, 2009
  Hey Dawood, I can not get your software to run under Windows 7 Sorry !!

• Anonymous
  August 29, 2009
  I'm surprised that Microsoft hasnt thot of this in Windows 7. Anywayz, for us XP users...Dawood, ur software rocks!!!

• Anonymous
  September 25, 2009
  Hay Dawood, You say that you don't have to install software with your method...  Sorry but step #1 says to download install a dll.... So I must disagree with you about that.

• Anonymous
  March 18, 2014
  Thank you for your recommendations, but I think this FREE tool is way better than the listed above. And yes it can list also backup and system folders!!! www.mindgems.com/.../Folder-Size.html

• Anonymous
  May 29, 2014
  Heres another one to try: www.folder-size-explorer.com

• Anonymous
  November 28, 2014
  "This does beg the question: WHY has this not been a feature built into windows for years by now?" (asked seven years ago.) The reason is (1) lazy excuses and (2) arrogance. Just take a look at the MSDN forums and other microsoft forums. When various EXPERIENCED people ask why they are told "go read my post again" or "it would be too resource intensive." Any programmer with ANY experience knows that a cache or background process can be created for large folder trees. AND the "feature" (really more like a basic function) COULD BE AN OPTION. A detailed view with BLANK folder sizes, for over 15 years now. Microsoft can't seem to implement THE BASICS first.