Friction TamerSee where your space went.
Clean it up with confidence.
Folder Space Detective is a local Windows utility for finding what is using space inside a folder or drive, drilling into large folders, searching recursively, and cleaning selected files or folders with guarded actions.
Planned launch: useful Free edition · 14-day Pro trial · €19.99 one-time Pro licence · up to 3 devices
Start broad. Drill into exactly what matters.
Scan a folder or drive, sort largest-first, switch between current-folder and recursive views, filter by type or size, and see how much each item contributes to its parent.
Largest-first analysis
See file/folder sizes, percentages and counts, then double-click into large folders without losing the overall context.
Recursive views
Switch cleanly between the current folder, all folders below, all files below, or everything below based on the selected type.
Storage Overview
Break storage into stable categories such as video, audio, images, documents, archives, apps/installers, code/data and other.
Fast repeat navigation without turning the app into a permanent service.
Add only folders you want indexed. Saved indexes are stored locally and can make repeat scans and path autocomplete much faster. Background refresh is off by default and only runs while Folder Space Detective is open.
Type the pieces you remember.
The path box can suggest indexed folders as you type, while the main Find field supports AND terms, exclusions, prefixes and wildcards.
Folder autocomplete
Type \Documents, or separate path segments such as \VK \Documents, to find matching indexed folders quickly.
Everything-like Find syntax
Combine terms such as .mkv \test !.lnk, or use name:, path:, ext:, type:file and type:folder.
Keyboard-friendly
Ctrl+L focuses the path box. Arrow keys navigate suggestions and Enter scans the selected result.
Deleting space should never feel accidental.
Recycle Bin first
Delete sends selected items to the Windows Recycle Bin. Permanent deletion requires Shift+Delete and explicit confirmation.
Protected locations
Drive roots and protected Windows/Program Files locations are guarded, while reparse points and junctions are skipped during scanning.
Rules you can review
Cleanup Rules can identify matching folders/files before you act, with rule-only views and selection-aware cleanup workflows.
Useful for free. Pro is €19.99 once.
The public v1.0.0 build will start with a 14-day Pro trial. After the trial, the app keeps working in Free mode.
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Scan folders/drives and largest-first analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| Current + recursive views and basic filters | ✓ | ✓ |
| Storage Overview and drill-down | ✓ | ✓ |
| Safe Recycle Bin cleanup | ✓ | ✓ |
| Persistent saved indexes | — | ✓ |
| Scheduled background index refresh while app is open | — | ✓ |
| Indexed folder autocomplete | — | ✓ |
| Advanced Everything-like search syntax | — | ✓ |
| Cleanup Rules + Rule Matches Only workflow | — | ✓ |
| Advanced/bulk cleanup workflows | — | ✓ |
| Custom size-colour rules | — | ✓ |
Your folder names and indexes stay on your PC.
The current release candidate has no telemetry, analytics, advertising or cloud scanning. Settings, rules and optional indexes are stored under your Windows user profile. Public Pro licensing will require licence activation/validation, but scanned paths and index contents will not be part of that licence request.
Does Folder Space Detective install a permanent background service?
No. Background index refresh is optional, off by default, and only runs while Folder Space Detective itself is open (including while minimized).
Does it follow junctions or reparse points?
No. They are skipped during scanning to reduce the risk of loops and double counting.
What happens when the Pro trial ends?
The planned v1.0.0 model is to fall back to the useful Free edition rather than disabling the application.