5 Ways to Delete Temporary Files on Windows 11
Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.
Method 1: Clear Temporary Files Using the Settings App
TheSettings app on Windowsgives you a complete breakdown of different temporary files stored on your PC. Here’s how you can use it to get rid of temporary files.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Ito open the Settings app and head toSystem > Storage.
Step 2:Click onTemporary files.
Step 3:Windows will present you with a list of different temporary files along with the amount of storage occupied.
Step 4:Use the checkboxes to select the files that you want to delete. Once selected, you’ll see the amount of storage occupied by the selected files at the top.
Warning:This list also includes files you’ve downloaded from the internet. If you want to keep those files, make sure you uncheckDownloads.
Step 5:Finally, click theRemove filesbutton.
Method 2: Clear Temporary Files With Disk Cleanup
Another way to clear temporary files on Windows is via theDisk Cleanup utility. Unlike the Settings app, Disk Cleanup lets you clear temporary files for each drive partition separately. Here’s how to use it.
Step 1:Click the search icon on the taskbar, type indisk cleanup, and select the first result that appears.
Step 2:Use the drop-down menu to select a drive from which you wish to clear temporary files. Then, clickOK.
Step 3:Under Files to delete, use the checkboxes to select the temporary files you want to remove. You can select a file type to view its description.
Step 4:After you select relevant options, you’ll see how much total storage those files occupy. Then, clickOKto proceed.
Step 5:When a confirmation prompt appears, click theDelete Filesbutton.
Method 3: Clear Temporary Files Manually From the Temp Folder
On Windows, the Temp folder serves as the storage location for all temporary files. Emptying this folder is another way to delete temporary files on Windows 11. Here’s how you can go about it.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rto open the Run dialog. Type%temp%in the Open field and pressEnter.
Step 2:PressCtrl + Ato select all the files and folders within the Temp folder and click thetrash iconat the top to delete them.
Method 4: Clear Temporary Files Using the Command Prompt
If you’re an avid Windows user who is familiar with Command Prompt, you can also clear temporary files on Windows with a single command. Here’s how:
Step 1:Right-click on theStart iconand selectTerminal (Admin)from the list.
Step 3:Paste the following command in the console and pressEnterto clear all the temporary files.
Method 5: Clear Temporary Files Automatically Using Storage Sense
Although cleaning temporary files is quite easy, repeating this task manually every few weeks can be tedious. Thankfully, Windows 11 also lets you automate this entire process using Storage Sense. Here’s how:
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Ito open the Settings app and head toSystem > Storage.
Step 2:Under Storage management, enable the switch next toStorage Sense.
Step 3:Click onStorage Senseto view additional settings.
Step 4:Under Cleanup of temporary files, check the box that readsKeep Windows running smoothly by automatically cleaning up temporary system and app files.
Step 5:Turn on theAutomatic User content cleanupoption to configure cleanup schedules.
Step 6:Use the drop-down menu under Run Storage Sense to select from the available options:Every day,Every week,Every month, orDuring low free disk space.
You can also configure Storage Sense to delete files from the Recycle Bin and the Downloads folder at regular intervals.
Windows will automatically run storage sense based on the selected configuration and delete temporary files from your PC. Alternatively, you can run the Storage Sense manually by hitting theRun Storage Sense nowbutton.
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Last updated on 08 August, 2024
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