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Windows 11’s Disks & volumes settings can show an SSD’s estimated remaining life, available spare capacity and temperature without CrystalDiskInfo. Those readings offer a useful overview, but Windows does not expose every warning or error metric, so a dedicated tool may still help when a drive shows problems.
A guide published by XDA Developers on Oct. 24, 2026, explains how Windows users can check an SSD’s estimated remaining life, available spare capacity and temperature in Settings without installing CrystalDiskInfo. The built-in page provides a quick view of several drive indicators, though it does not show all the error details that can help identify a failing SSD.
To view the readings, open Settings > System > Storage > Disks & volumes, select the SSD and choose Properties. The page lists estimated remaining life, available spare and temperature. These are drawn from the drive’s S.M.A.R.T. data, which stores information about a drive’s condition and is queried by operating systems or monitoring software.
Estimated remaining life is a rough measure of wear, not a guarantee of how long the SSD will continue working. The guide describes it as an estimate based on NAND flash wear and rated write capacity. Available spare indicates reserve NAND blocks; readings of 95% to 100% are common, according to the guide. Temperature shows the drive’s current temperature.
The Windows page does not provide every diagnostic metric. XDA says Media and Data Integrity Errors and Critical Warning are among the attributes CrystalDiskInfo can show that are not exposed in the described Windows settings. These can help users investigate reported storage problems, but a health percentage alone cannot establish whether a drive is free of faults.
Check SSD Health Without CrystalDiskInfo
Windows 11 can show an SSD’s estimated remaining life, available spare capacity, and temperature in Settings. These readings offer a quick overview, not a complete diagnosis.
Five clicks to a quick drive overview
Open the selected SSD’s properties to see the indicators Windows exposes for that drive.
Open Settings
Start in Windows Settings.
Choose System
Open the system settings area.
Open Storage
Find storage and drive controls.
Select Disks & volumes
Choose the SSD you want to inspect.
Open Properties
Review the available health readings.
Three useful signals, each with limits
Windows queries selected S.M.A.R.T. attributes. Their precise meaning can depend on the SSD’s implementation.
Estimated remaining life
A rough indication based on NAND flash wear and rated write capacity. It does not predict exactly how long the drive will work.
Available spare
Shows reserve NAND capacity. The guide says readings from 95% to 100% are common.
Temperature
Displays the drive’s current temperature. Consider it alongside symptoms and the SSD maker’s guidance.
Routine check or deeper investigation?
Use the built-in view for a quick status check. If the PC reports storage errors or behaves erratically, inspect more information.
Windows Settings
- +Estimated remaining life
- +Available spare capacity
- +Current temperature
- ~Selected S.M.A.R.T. readings only
CrystalDiskInfo
- +Collects multiple drive readings on one screen
- +Can show Media and Data Integrity Errors
- +Can show Critical Warning
- ~A non-zero value needs context; it alone does not prove imminent failure
Reading a healthy percentage: A normal-looking estimate cannot rule out power, thermal, firmware, or other faults. A health percentage alone cannot prove a drive is fault-free.
What the estimate can’t promise
The guide gives no replacement threshold based on remaining life alone, and reporting can vary by SSD model and Windows configuration.
Wear is only one factor
NAND wear and rated write capacity inform the estimate, but unexpected power, thermal, or firmware faults can affect a drive before its rated write limit.
Backups protect your files
Do not rely on a single status reading to establish that data is safe. Keep important files backed up to a healthy drive, especially when symptoms appear.
Respond in this order
Symptoms and data protection matter as much as the displayed health estimate.
Back up important files
Copy data to a healthy drive before attempting repairs if failure is possible.
Investigate further
Review additional attributes with a dedicated utility when errors or erratic behavior occur.
Consider repair or replacement
The guide mentions CHKDSK for minor faults. Repair is not a substitute for a backup.
SSD health questions
Use the built-in page for a basic check; choose the next step based on both readings and drive behavior.
Where can I check SSD health in Windows?
Go to Settings > System > Storage > Disks & volumes, select the SSD, then choose Properties.
Does 100% remaining life guarantee the SSD will work?
No. It is a rough wear estimate and does not rule out power, thermal, firmware, or other faults.
Do I need CrystalDiskInfo for a basic check?
No. Windows can show basic indicators. A dedicated utility can expose additional attributes, including error and warning details.
What if the drive shows errors or acts unreliably?
Back up important data to a healthy drive first, then investigate symptoms and additional metrics. Repair tools may help with minor faults.
What Windows’ SSD Readings Can Tell You
For routine checks, the built-in page gives users a way to see basic SSD indicators without downloading another utility. That can be enough for someone who wants a quick look at wear, reserve capacity and temperature. It also clarifies what an SSD health percentage does—and does not—mean: it is an estimate of wear, not a promise that the drive will operate reliably until the estimate reaches zero.
The distinction matters because NAND wear is not the only cause of failure. The guide says unexpected power, thermal or firmware faults can affect a drive before it reaches its rated write limit. A normal-looking estimate should not be treated as proof that files are safe, particularly if a PC is experiencing storage errors or other drive-related symptoms. Users should keep important data backed up rather than relying on a single status reading.
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Windows Settings and Drive Diagnostics
SSD and hard disk drives store S.M.A.R.T. data in a reserved area on the drive. The operating system or monitoring software can query that information and present selected attributes to the user. CrystalDiskInfo is a free utility known for collecting multiple drive readings on one screen; Windows Settings offers a smaller set of indicators through the Disks & volumes properties page.
The XDA guide recommends the Windows view for most users seeking a basic check, while describing CrystalDiskInfo as useful for deeper investigation. It says a non-zero Media and Data Integrity Errors or Critical Warning reading, especially alongside symptoms, warrants attention. The guide suggests trying software repair such as CHKDSK for minor faults, then backing up data to a healthy drive if problems persist. A repair attempt should not replace a backup.
“Windows’ built-in storage settings are more than enough for that.”
— XDA Developers guide, published Oct. 24, 2026
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Limits of the Built-In Health Estimate
The Windows readings do not establish that an SSD will remain reliable, and the guide does not give a threshold at which estimated remaining life alone should trigger replacement. It also does not specify how every SSD model or Windows configuration reports these attributes. The precise meaning of individual readings can depend on the drive’s implementation.
The guide identifies additional diagnostic attributes available through CrystalDiskInfo but does not establish that a non-zero entry by itself proves imminent failure. It advises treating such a result alongside symptoms and other information. The article’s discussion of current SSD prices is not necessary to interpret the health readings, and prices can change rapidly.
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When to Run a Deeper Drive Check
Users can start by checking the SSD’s Properties page in Windows Settings. If the computer is reporting storage errors or the drive behaves erratically, the guide recommends examining additional attributes with CrystalDiskInfo. If a drive appears faulty, prioritize backing up important files to a healthy drive; the guide says users can then consider repair options or replacement.
Windows’ basic view can help with routine monitoring, but it is not a complete diagnostic. The next step depends on the readings, the drive’s symptoms and whether data is already protected. No specific Windows update or new diagnostic feature is announced in the source.
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Key Questions
Where can I check SSD health in Windows?
Open Settings > System > Storage > Disks & volumes, choose the SSD and select Properties. The page can show estimated remaining life, available spare capacity and temperature.
Does 100% estimated remaining life mean my SSD is guaranteed to work?
No. The reading is a rough wear estimate, not a guarantee against faults. Power, thermal or firmware problems can affect a drive independently of NAND wear.
Do I need CrystalDiskInfo to check an SSD?
Not for the basic indicators available in Windows Settings. A separate utility can show additional attributes, including Media and Data Integrity Errors and Critical Warning, which the guide says Windows does not expose on that page.
What should I do if my SSD shows errors or acts unreliably?
Back up important data to a healthy drive and investigate the symptoms. The guide suggests checking deeper metrics with CrystalDiskInfo and says software repair tools such as CHKDSK may help with minor faults, but a backup should come first if the drive may be failing.
Source: XDA Developers
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