On Windows 7, open the Start menu and type disk cleanup. After it scans your PC a second time, check the files you’d like to remove, then click OK to delete them. When Disk Cleanup opens, click Clean up system files to re-scan for even more files you can delete. The Disk Cleanup tool will scan your PC for files you can remove. Select Free up disk space by deleting unnecessary files from the search results. On Windows 8, click the Windows icon in the lower-left to open the Start menu, then type disk cleanup. Under Storage, click your hard disk and select Temporary files.Ĭheck the types of files you’d like to remove, then click Remove files. Open your Start menu, click the Settings cog, and go to System. You can also find your temporary files in Windows 10 via the Settings. In the Disk Cleanup window, check the types of files you’d like to remove. Click Run as Administrator to open the Disk Cleanup utility. On Windows 10, open the Start menu and type disk cleanup.

Deleting temporary files can quickly free up lots of storage space. These can include old CHKDSK files, Windows Update files, setup logs, and many others. Perform a disk cleanupĮvery PC program creates some form of temporary files - files that the programs only use once, but that don’t always get deleted later. We’ll show you how to clean up your computer and eliminate all that digital junk.įind out how to clean out your hard drive, how to identify and remove useless programs, and how to migrate your files to cloud storage to free up more space on your PC. Over time, your computer collects a wide range of unneeded files, apps, and other data - and this can waste storage space while slowing things down. If anything goes awry, you can return here and revert all settings. In the new window, scroll down and click System protection in the Related settings sections and create a restore point. Open the File Explorer, right-click on This PC, and select Properties. If you can’t back up your device, at least create a system restore point. Before trying any of the suggestions below, back up your system to an external storage device or cloud service. Some of our tips and guides concern critical areas of your system.

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