{"id":1860,"date":"2024-02-03T18:44:44","date_gmt":"2024-02-03T22:44:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindgems.com\/article\/?p=1860"},"modified":"2026-08-02T18:24:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T22:24:45","slug":"find-list-empty-folders-files-in-windows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindgems.com\/article\/find-list-empty-folders-files-in-windows\/","title":{"rendered":"Find Empty Folders & Files in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7"},"content":{"rendered":"

Find empty folders cluttering your Windows PC using several free and reliable methods, from built-in File Explorer tricks to dedicated scanning tools. This guide walks through each approach so you can choose the one that fits your library size and comfort level. But first, it helps to understand why empty folders pile up in the first place.<\/p>\n

Empty folders and files build up on every Windows PC over time – leftovers from uninstalled programs, half-finished downloads, old backup jobs that never cleaned up after themselves. None of it takes up much space individually, but a drive with thousands of empty folders scattered across it gets slower to search and harder to navigate. Here are six ways to actually find them, from a dedicated free tool to Windows’ own search and command line.<\/p>\n

The fastest of these by a wide margin is Folder Size<\/a>, a free tool that also happens to be good at finding your largest files<\/a> and largest folders<\/a> while you’re at it – so if disk space is the actual problem, it’s worth having installed regardless. But if you’d rather not add another app, File Explorer and the command line can both do this too, just with more clicking.<\/p>\n

\"Folder
Folder Size listing empty folders and files by report type<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here’s what’s covered below:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Find Empty Folders (Zero Size)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Find Empty Folders (Zero Items)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Find Empty Files (Zero Size)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Find Empty Folders Using File Explorer<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Find Zero-Size Files Using File Explorer<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Find Empty Files From the Command Line<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    1. Find Empty Folders (Zero Size)<\/h2>\n

    A folder doesn’t have to be completely empty to be useless – if it only contains other empty folders, or files that are themselves zero bytes, it’s still just dead weight. That’s why searching by size rather than item count catches more than you’d expect.<\/p>\n

    Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Click “Scan folder”<\/mark> or “Scan drive”<\/mark> and pick where to search.<\/li>\n
    2. On the toolbar, click “Report Type”<\/mark> and select “Empty -> Folders (zero size)”<\/mark>.<\/li>\n
    3. Review the results – every zero-size folder in that location shows up in the list.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      This report catches anything with no real content inside it, even if that “content” is technically a subfolder or two. Switching to a different folder or drive on the left updates the list instantly, so you don’t need to re-run the scan every time you want to check somewhere else.<\/p>\n

      2. Find Empty Folders (Zero Items)<\/h2>\n

      This one’s stricter than the report above – it only flags folders with absolutely nothing inside, not even other empty folders. If a folder contains anything at all, even junk, it won’t show up here.<\/p>\n

      Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Choose a folder, drive, or network share to scan.<\/li>\n
      2. On the toolbar, select “Empty -> Folders (zero items)”<\/mark> from the reports menu.<\/li>\n
      3. Check the results for folders with nothing inside them.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Same as above, clicking a different folder in the tree<\/a> refreshes the list without needing another full scan.<\/p>\n

        3. Find Empty Files (Zero Size)<\/h2>\n

        Files are simpler than folders here – there’s no “contains other empty things” nuance, since a file can’t hold subfolders. It’s either zero bytes or it isn’t.<\/p>\n

        Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Pick a folder, drive, or network location and start the scan.<\/li>\n
        2. Select “Empty -> Files (zero sizes)”<\/mark> from the toolbar.<\/li>\n
        3. Review the list of zero-byte files.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Between this and the two folder reports above, Folder Size covers the whole picture in a single scan – you’re just switching which report you’re looking at, not rescanning the drive three separate times.<\/p>\n

          4. Find Empty Folders Using File Explorer<\/h2>\n

          No extra software needed for this one – Windows can do a basic version of the same search on its own, it’s just slower to work with across a large drive.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Open File Explorer<\/strong> – press Win + E<\/mark>, or click the icon in the taskbar.<\/li>\n
          2. Go to the folder you want to check<\/strong> using the sidebar or drive list.<\/li>\n
          3. Search for empty folders<\/strong> – type kind:folder size:empty<\/em><\/strong> into the search bar and hit Enter.<\/li>\n
          4. Review what comes back<\/strong> – every folder matching that filter will be listed.<\/li>\n
          5. Decide what to do with them<\/strong> – delete directly from File Explorer<\/a>, or leave them if you’re not sure.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            5. Find Zero-Size Files Using File Explorer<\/h2>\n

            Same approach, different target – this searches for empty files instead of folders.<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Open File Explorer<\/strong> – Win + E<\/mark> or the taskbar icon.<\/li>\n
            2. Navigate to the folder or drive<\/strong> you want to search.<\/li>\n
            3. Search for zero-byte files<\/strong> – type size:0<\/em><\/strong> in the search bar and press Enter.<\/li>\n
            4. Check the results<\/strong> – anything listed is a 0-byte file.<\/li>\n
            5. Handle them as needed<\/strong> – delete, ignore, or investigate further.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              The size:0<\/em><\/strong> filter is a genuinely useful shortcut worth remembering even outside this specific task – it works anywhere Windows<\/a> search is available, not just in a dedicated empty-files hunt.<\/p>\n

              6. Find Empty Files From the Command Line<\/h2>\n

              If you’re already comfortable in a terminal, this is faster than clicking through File Explorer – though it’s easy to mistype a path, so double-check before running anything.<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Open Command Prompt<\/strong> – press Win + R<\/mark>, type cmd<\/mark>, hit Enter.<\/li>\n
              2. Navigate to the folder you want to search:<\/strong>
                \ncd path\\to\\your\\directory<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
              3. Run this command:<\/strong>
                \ndir \/A:-D \/B \/S | find “0 File(s)”<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                Breaking that down: \/A:-D<\/em><\/strong> leaves out directories so only files show up, \/B<\/em><\/strong> strips the output down to bare file names<\/a>, \/S<\/em><\/strong> pulls in subdirectories too, and find “0 File(s)”<\/em><\/strong> filters everything down to just the zero-byte results. Adjust the path in the cd<\/em><\/strong> command for wherever you actually want to search – the rest stays the same.<\/p>\n

                Is It Safe to Delete Empty Folders and Files?<\/h2>\n

                Usually, yes – an empty folder<\/a> holds no data, so deleting one can’t cost you anything directly. The exception is folders an application created on purpose and expects to still be there – a logs folder that stays empty until the app actually needs to write something to it, for example. Delete it, and some poorly-written programs won’t check whether it exists before trying to use it again, which can throw an error or crash.<\/p>\n

                Most abandoned folders you’ll find are leftovers from software you’ve already uninstalled, and those are safe to clear out. Still worth a quick look at what’s in a folder’s path or name before deleting a large batch at once, just so you’re not guessing.<\/p>\n

                If you’re ready to actually clear these out rather than just find them, see our full guide on how to delete empty folders in Windows<\/a>, which covers Folder Size, Command Prompt, and PowerShell methods in more detail, including how to send deleted folders to the Recycle Bin instead of removing them permanently.<\/p>\n

                Folder Size Reports – Largest Files & Largest Folders<\/h2>\n

                The largest files and largest folders reports used to cap out at 50 items – that’s now been raised to 100, and the same increase applies to the oldest\/newest file reports and the longest paths<\/a> report. The empty folders and files reports aren’t limited at all – they’ll list everything in the scanned location, however many items that turns out to be.<\/p>\n

                This release also cleaned up some code under the hood – startup wasn’t slow before, but it’s a bit faster now.<\/p>\n

                Finding empty folders and files is really just one piece of what Folder Size does – the largest files report<\/a> and largest folders report<\/a> tend to be where people find the bigger space savings. Also, it shows hidden files and folders<\/a> that occupy space. It’s free to download here: Folder Size<\/a><\/p>\n

                \n

                Find Empty Folders Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
                \n

                Does Windows have a built-in way to find empty folders?<\/h3>\n
                Yes, through File Explorer’s search bar. Typing “kind:folder size:empty” into the search field will list every empty folder<\/strong> in the location you’re browsing, though it’s slower across large drives than a dedicated tool.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Why do empty folders accumulate on a PC in the first place?<\/h3>\n
                They’re usually leftovers from uninstalled programs, interrupted downloads, or backup jobs that create folder structures<\/a> but don’t clean up after themselves. None of it happens on purpose<\/strong> – it just builds up quietly over months or years of normal use.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Is it safe to delete empty folders?<\/h3>\n
                Usually, yes – an empty folder holds no data, so removing one can’t cost you anything directly. The one exception is folders an application expects to still exist<\/strong>, like a logs folder the app writes to later; deleting those can occasionally cause an error in poorly-written software.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                What’s the difference between a folder with zero size and a folder with zero items?<\/h3>\n
                A zero-items folder has absolutely nothing inside it – not even other empty folders. A zero-size folder can technically contain something<\/strong>, like nested empty subfolders or files that are themselves 0 bytes, so it still counts as dead weight even though it’s not entirely empty.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Can I find empty folders without installing any software?<\/h3>\n
                Yes – File Explorer’s search bar and the Command Prompt can both do this using tools already built into Windows. A dedicated tool like Folder Size is faster<\/strong>, especially across an entire drive, but it’s not required for a quick check of a single folder.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                How do I find zero-byte files on Windows?<\/h3>\n
                Open File Explorer, navigate to the folder or drive you want to check, and type “size:0” into the search bar. Every file with exactly zero bytes will appear in the results<\/strong> – this filter works anywhere Windows search is available, not just for this specific task.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Can I find empty folders using the command line?<\/h3>\n
                Yes. Open Command Prompt, navigate to the folder you want to search, and run a directory listing<\/a> filtered for zero-byte results. It’s faster than clicking through File Explorer once you’re comfortable with it<\/strong>, though it’s easy to mistype a path, so it’s worth double-checking the command before running it.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Does Folder Size scan network drives for empty folders?<\/h3>\n
                Yes, Folder Size can scan network shares in addition to local drives and folders. Just select the network location the same way you’d select any other folder or drive<\/strong> when starting a scan.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Will finding and removing empty folders actually free up disk space?<\/h3>\n
                Barely, on its own – empty folders take up almost no space individually. The real value is in organization and search speed<\/strong>, not storage. If disk space<\/a> is the actual goal, Folder Size’s largest files and largest folders reports will find far more recoverable space.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Can I find empty folders and empty files in the same scan?<\/h3>\n
                Yes. Folder Size scans a location once and lets you switch between the empty folders (zero size), empty folders (zero items), and empty files reports<\/strong> without rescanning – you’re just changing which report you’re viewing, not repeating the search.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Is there a limit to how many empty folders or files Folder Size can find?<\/h3>\n
                No. Unlike the largest files and largest folders reports, which cap out at 100 items, the empty folders and empty files reports list everything found in the scanned location<\/strong>, regardless of how many items that turns out to be.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Can I undo deleting an empty folder by mistake?<\/h3>\n
                If you delete it through File Explorer, yes – it goes to the Recycle Bin like any other deletion and can be restored. Deletions from the command line typically bypass the Recycle Bin<\/strong>, so there’s no built-in recovery if you remove the wrong folder that way.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Why does my drive feel slower to search with lots of empty folders on it?<\/h3>\n
                File Explorer and Windows search still have to index and traverse every folder, empty or not. Thousands of scattered empty folders add overhead to searches and indexing<\/strong> even though they contain nothing, which is one of the main practical reasons to clean them up.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Which method is fastest for scanning an entire drive for empty folders?<\/h3>\n
                A dedicated tool like Folder Size is the fastest option by a wide margin for a full drive scan. File Explorer’s search and the command line both work<\/strong>, but they’re noticeably slower once you’re checking an entire drive rather than a single folder.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                How often should I check for empty folders and files?<\/h3>\n
                There’s no strict schedule required, since empty folders don’t cause harm sitting unused. A quick scan every few months, or after uninstalling several programs<\/strong>, is usually enough to keep a drive tidy without it becoming a regular chore.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n