Depending on the type of storage used, there is a known VMware issue where free space on datastores does not return to the original amount of space after you delete a VM. You can manually delete files from the datastore after you delete a VM.
Important: Do not delete files in the datastore that are not associated with the deleted VM. If you accidentally do, those files cannot be recovered which can be destructive to your system. You can use third-party tools to help detect and delete orphaned VM files.
- Open the vCenter Server or Virtual Infrastructure Client and log in.
- Select a VM in your host inventory, located in the left panel.
- Click the Datastores tab.
- Click a datastore from the list.
- Click the Manage tab and click Files.
- Highlight the files associated with the deleted VM, and click
, located in the upper right corner.
The free space on the associated datastore is returned to the original amount prior to deleting the VM.