Windows 10 will soon let you archive apps to save storage space on your PC

This new Windows 10 feature is similar to Apple's iOS that offloads unused apps but still retains the data.

Microsoft working on new Windows 10 update. (REUTERS)

Microsoft is testing a new feature that lets Windows 10 users archive apps to save storage space on their PCs. This feature is called “Archive apps” and it's currently being tested in the latest build of Windows Insiders.

Windows 10 will detect unused apps and automatically archive them so you don't have to manually do it. Archive apps will be available in the settings menu and users just have to toggle it on or off. If it's turned on then apps which aren't used frequently will be archived automatically. This won't delete the data though as Windows 10 will still preserve your files and other data even if the app is archived.

If you want to restore any archived app then it will connect to the internet and restore it. This however depends on whether that app is still available or not. This feature is similar to what Apple's iOS does with unused apps. It offloads these apps but keeps the data and users can always restore it.

The new archive apps feature is coming with the Windows 21H1 update that's expected to arrive sometime next year. An exact date for the rollout hasn't been fixed but it could be around Spring 2021. It has however been reported that Microsoft might not release it till the second half of next year.

Similar to this feature, Microsoft is also making cleanup recommendations better on Windows 10. “User cleanup recommendations” creates a list of apps, files and personal data that aren't used frequently. The list can be sorted by date and it will be easier to identify what's required and what's not. This feature too is aimed at cleaning up space on your PC.