As the name suggests, Temporary files are those files that apps store on your computer to hold information temporarily. Apart from that, Windows 11 and 10 also save many other temporary file types, including leftover files after installing a new version of Windows, upgrade logs, error reporting, temporary Windows installation files, and much more.
Usually, these files don’t cause any issues on your computer. However, they can overgrow and may take up a lot of space on your hard drive, resulting in your PC running out of space.
You can save your valuable hard disk space by removing these temporary files from your Windows 11 and 10 devices. It is safe to erase these files. You can safely remove temporary files using the Settings app or Disk Cleanup tool.
In this gearupwindows article, we’ll guide you on quickly deleting temporary files from Windows 11 and 10 to reclaim storage space.
How to Remove Temporary Files Using the Settings app on Windows 10?
To erase temporary files on Windows 10, do the following:-
Step 1. First, open the Settings app.
Step 2. Then, select the System category.
Step 3. After that, click the Storage tab under System.
Step 4. On the right side pane, you can turn the toggle to On next to “Storage Sense can automatically free up space by getting rid of files you don’t need, like temporary files and content in your recycle bin.” So that Windows will automatically clean the temporary files as well as Recycle Bin files.
To manually erase the temporary files from your PC, click the Temporary files option.
Step 5. Then, select the temporary files you want to remove from the “Temporary files” settings page.
You can choose the following types of Temporary files:-
- Downloads,
- Windows Update Cleanup,
- Delivery Optimization Files,
- Thumbnails,
- Microsoft Defender Antivirus,
- Temporary files,
- Windows error reports and feedback diagnostics,
- DirectX Shader Cache,
- Temporary Windows installation files, and
- Temporary Internet Files.
Step 6. Finally, click the Remove files button.
That’s it. Windows will now purge the selected files on your PC.
How to Remove Temporary Files Using Disk Cleanup on Windows 11 and 10?
Using the Disk Cleanup tool, you can also remove temporary files on Windows 11 or 10.
Step 1. At first, open File Explorer by pressing the Windows + E keys on the keyboard.
Step 2. Then, right-click on the Windows installation drive (usually “C“) and select the Properties option.
Step 3. In the drive properties dialog, select the General tab.
Step 4. Then, click the Disk Cleanup button.
Step 5. On the “Disk Cleanup” window, click on the Clean up system files button.
Step 6. Then, check the items you want to delete. For instance, Temporary Windows Installation Files, Windows upgrade log files, Recycle Bin, Temporary Files, and System created Windows Error Reporting. After that, click the OK button.
Step 7. On the pop-up window, click the Delete Files button.
Once you complete the above steps, temporary files will be permanently deleted from your computer.
How to Erase Temporary Files Using the Settings app on Windows 11?
Similar to Windows 10, you can also erase temporary files using the Settings app on Windows 11. Here are the steps.
Step 1. Launch the Settings app by pressing the Windows + I keys on the keyboard.
Step 2. After that, on the Settings window, click on the System category from the left side pane.
Step 3. On the right sidebar, click on the Storage tab.
Step 4. Then, click on the Temporary files tiles.
Here, you can also turn on the “Storage Sense” toggle on the Storage settings page to clean the temporary files automatically.
Step 5. On the “Temporary files” settings page, select the files you want to delete and then hit the Remove files button.
Quick Tips: To quickly delete temporary files from your PC, press the Windows + R keys on the keyboard to open the Run box. Then type %temp% and hit the Enter key on the keyboard. Now, select all temporary files by pressing Ctrl + A keys on the keyboard and then pressing the Delete key.
How to Delete Temporary Files on Windows 11 or 10 using Run Dialog?
To remove temporary files on Windows 11 or 10 through the Run dialog, follow these steps:-
Step 1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2. Type `%temp%` and press Enter.
Step 3. Inside the Temp folder, select everything by pressing CTRL + A keyboard shortcut.
Step 4. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
Step 5. Confirm the deletion by checking the “Do this for all current items” option.
If you encounter an access denied error, click Continue. Again, check “Do this for all current items” and click Skip for any files that can’t be deleted.
Quick Tip: You can skip files with access denied errors, as some applications or processes might be actively using them.
How to Erase Temporary Files on Windows 11 or 10 using Command Prompt?
To delete temporary files on Windows 11 or 10 through Command Prompt, follow these steps:-
Step 1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Step 2. Type the following and press Enter:-
del /q /f /s %TEMP%\*
– `/q`: Quiet mode, which doesn’t ask for confirmation.
– `/f`: Force deletion of read-only files.
– `/s`: Delete specified files from all subdirectories.
Once the command execution is complete, the Temp folder will be cleared of temporary files.
By following these steps, you can efficiently manage and delete temporary files on Windows 11 using both File Explorer and Command Prompt.
Conclusion
In conclusion, temporary files may accumulate on your Windows 11 or 10 devices over time and take up a significant amount of storage space, causing your computer to run slower. Deleting these files can help to free up space on your hard drive and improve system performance. This article has outlined various methods to quickly remove temporary files from your computer, including using the Settings app and Disk Cleanup tool. You can choose to manually delete specific types of temporary files or set up automatic cleanup through the Storage Sense feature. Remember to exercise caution when deleting files, and ensure that you only delete files that are safe to remove.
