Cleaning Out Temporary Files and Junk Safely

Why Your PC Fills Up with Junk

Windows accumulates temporary files constantly. Every program you run, every website you visit, every update you install—they all leave behind files that are supposed to be temporary but often stick around forever.

Over time, this junk can consume tens of gigabytes. The good news? Windows has built-in tools to clean it safely. You don't need third-party "PC cleaner" software (which is often worse than the problem).

Quick Fix: Storage Sense

The easiest way to clean your PC is using Storage Sense, Windows' automatic cleanup tool:

1. Open Settings (Windows + I)
2. Go to System > Storage
3. Turn on Storage Sense
4. Click Configure Storage Sense or run it now
5. Choose how often to run (monthly recommended)
6. Click Clean now

Storage Sense will remove temporary files, empty the recycle bin, and clean your Downloads folder (after 60 days by default). This alone can free up 5-20GB.

What Types of Junk Accumulate

Temporary Files

Programs create temp files while running. These should be deleted when the program closes, but often aren't. Examples: %TEMP%, %TMP%, browser cache.

Windows Update Cleanup

After installing updates, Windows keeps the old files so you can uninstall them if needed. After a few months, these are safe to delete and can save 10-20GB.

Previous Windows Installations

When you upgrade Windows versions, the old installation is kept in Windows.old for 10 days. This can be 15-30GB.

Recycle Bin

Deleted files sit in the Recycle Bin until emptied. People forget about this and waste gigabytes.

Downloads Folder

Installation files, PDFs, and other downloads pile up. Most people never clean this folder.

Browser Cache

Chrome, Edge, and Firefox cache web content. This can grow to several gigabytes.

What NOT to Delete

Be careful with these options in Disk Cleanup:

• "System error memory dump files" - Only delete if you're not troubleshooting crashes
• "Windows ESD installation files" - Only delete if you don't plan to reset Windows
• "Delivery Optimization Files" - Safe to delete, but they help with updates

When in doubt, don't check it. The safe ones listed above are enough.

Manually Cleaning Specific Folders

Temp Folders

1. Press Windows + R
2. Type %temp% and press Enter
3. Press Ctrl + A to select all
4. Press Delete
5. Some files may be in use and won't delete—that's fine, skip them

Repeat with temp (no percent signs) to clean the Windows temp folder.

Downloads Folder

1. Open File Explorer
2. Go to your Downloads folder
3. Sort by Date modified
4. Delete old installation files (setup.exe, .msi files you don't need)
5. Delete old PDFs and documents you've already saved elsewhere

Browser Cache

Each browser is different:

Chrome/Edge: Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data > Cached images and files

Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data > Cached Web Content

Advanced: Using WinDirStat to Find Space Hogs

Sometimes junk hides in unexpected places. WinDirStat is a free tool that shows you visually where space is used:

1. Download WinDirStat from windirstat.net
2. Run it and select your C: drive
3. Wait while it scans (5-10 minutes)
4. Look at the visual map—large blocks are large files/folders
5. Right-click suspicious large folders to investigate

Common space hogs WinDirStat reveals:

• Old game installations in Program Files
• Log files in AppData
• Virtual machine files
• Forgotten backups

Settings to Prevent Junk Buildup

Enable Storage Sense

Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense ON. Configure it to run monthly and clean Downloads after 60 days.

Change Where New Content Is Saved

If you have a second drive, store downloads and documents there:

1. Settings > System > Storage
2. Click Change where new content is saved
3. Set Downloads, Documents, etc. to your D: drive

Clear Browser Cache Automatically

In Chrome/Edge: Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data > "Clear cookies and site data when you close all windows"

Limit Recycle Bin Size

1. Right-click Recycle Bin on desktop
2. Choose Properties
3. Set Maximum size to 5000 MB (5GB)
4. Or choose "Don't move files to Recycle Bin" if you're confident with deletions

Third-Party Cleaners: Do You Need Them?

Short answer: No.

Tools like CCleaner were useful 15 years ago, but Windows' built-in tools now do everything you need. Many third-party cleaners:

• Nag you to buy the "Pro" version
• Install browser toolbars or adware
• Delete registry entries that don't actually free space or improve performance
• Sometimes delete things they shouldn't

Stick with Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup. If you need more power, use WinDirStat to manually identify what to delete.

How Much Free Space Should You Keep?

For best performance, keep at least:

• 15-20% free on HDDs (hard drives)
• 10-15% free on SSDs

On a 500GB drive, that's 50-100GB free. If you're below this, Windows slows down because it can't efficiently manage the page file and temporary files.

When to Consider Upgrading Storage

If you're constantly running out of space even after cleaning, you may need more storage:

• Add a second drive for files and programs
• Upgrade to a larger SSD
• Use external drives for media libraries
• Use cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive) for documents

A 1TB SSD now costs less than $100—often cheaper than constantly managing a too-small drive.

Still Running Out of Space?