Microsoft Surface Pro is currently available in two models: 64GB and 128GB. As some of you already know, the actual free storage space that you get to use on 64GB model is approximately 29GB, and 89GB on 128GB model.
Windows 8 files, Microsoft Office, and built-in apps take roughly 21GB and the recovery image takes approximately 7GB of storage space on Surface Pro.
Surface Pro owners who need additional storage space have options to use microSD, microSDHC, or microSDXC memory card (supports up to 64GB) and also cloud storage services such as SkyDrive, GoogleDrive, and Dropbox.
Users who would like to free up some serious space on Surface Pro without adding a memory card have no option but to delete the dedicated partition containing Windows 8 recovery image. Since the partition contains recovery image and this recovery image is required to restore your Surface Pro to factory settings, we need to first prepare USB recovery drive containing Surface Pro recovery image before deleting the default recovery partition.
Free up disk space on Microsoft Surface
In this guide, we are going to show you how to create Surface Pro recovery USB flash drive and then delete the recovery partition to free up disk space.
NOTE: We suggest you use a USB flash drive with 8GB or more storage space. Please note that all files on the USB drive will be deleted. So be sure to backup your data before using the drive to prepare recovery USB.
Step 1: Connect your USB flash drive to Surface Pro and backup all data.
Step 2: Switch to the Start screen, start typing Create a recovery drive, switch search filter to Settings, press enter key to open and then click Yes when you see the UAC prompt to open Recovery Drive wizard.
Step 3: Here, check the option named Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive and then click Next button.
Step 4: Select the USB drive that you would like to use to backup the recovery partition and then click Next button to continue.
Step 5: In the following screen, you will see “Everything on the drive will be deleted. If you have personal files on the drive, make sure you have backed up the files” warning. Since you have already moved files to a safe location, click Create button.
Windows will start copying the recovery partition onto the USB drive. This might take a few minutes.
Step 6: Once Windows completes copying files to your USB, you will see an option to delete the recovery partition. Click Delete the recovery partition option and then click then Delete button again when you see the warning message. That’s it!
Please note that you can use the USB recovery drive just like the recovery partition to refresh or reset your PC to factory condition. Always store the USB recovery drive in a safe location.
