Delete These Windows Files and Folders to Free Up Disk Space
Need to clear disk space in your Windows laptop? Listed are the Windows files and folders that may be deleted to free up disk space.
Windows comprises plenty of files and folders that you do not need. Between hidden caches and outdated junk that wastes space. And files you may delete to clear up issues. Unfortunately, figuring out what’s secure to remove from Windows may be difficult.
Let’s step by some Home windows information and folders which are entirely secure to take away, together with why you would need to erase them. This may aid you in unlocking the disk house and teach you extra about your PC. Note that a few of these folders are in protected locations, so take care when deleting them.
Also: How to Retrieve Deleted Files on Windows 10
The Best Method to Clear Windows Folders: Disk Cleanup
Before we look at Windows files and folders, you may remove them. However, it’s best to know that deleting them is rarely the easiest way to go about it.
Apart from wasting time doing this yourself when you can automate the method. Let the Disk Cleanup software do these cleanings for you is safer. This avoids accidents deleting information you want or messing with the improper folders.
The Windows Disk Cleanup software helps you reclaim disk space in your laptop and is easy to use. You may open it by trying to find Disk Cleanup within the Begin menu and choosing a drive. Let it scan, and you will see many categories of files you may erase. For more options, select Clean up system files with administrator permissions.
For those who find this interface too clunky. You may browse Settings > System > Storage to attempt Windows 10’s newer storage cleanup software. Click on Temporary files within the list of choices. You then see a list populate that is much like what Disk Cleanup has.
What to Delete From Disk Cleanup
This is not complete information on the Disk Cleanup software, so we’re not going to have a look at each choice it gives. Nonetheless, the following number of options are low-hanging fruit (be sure to pick Clean up system files first to see all of them):
- Windows Update Cleanup: This erases outdated copies of Windows Update files. These are secure to delete, But it’s best to maintain them for troubleshooting those who run into update-related issues.
- Windows upgrade log files: These are data files that Windows Update keeps. That can assist you in digging into issues around upgrades or installations. For example, if you have not had errors associated with upgrading Windows to a brand-new version, you can erase these.
- Language resource files: For those who’ve before downloaded another language or keyboard format. If you do not use it, this may allow you to erase it.
- Recycle Bin: When you can empty the Recycle Bin via its window, you can do it right here. Be sure that there’s nothing inside it that you want.
- Temporary files: As their name suggests, temporary files aren’t used for something within the long term. So you may erase them without fear.
Now, let’s look at what you may delete from Windows 10.
1. The Hibernation File
Location: C:\hiberfil.sys
Hibernation mode in your PC is much like sleep mode. Besides, the system saves all your open work to the storage drive, after which it shuts down. So you can take away the battery from your laptop computer and keep it in hibernation weekly. Then start again up and choose up right the place you left off.
This takes up space, which is what the hibernation file is for. Depending on your hard drive size, the hibernation file is going several gigabytes or more.
For those who do not use hibernation and need to disable it, you may do that using the Command Prompt. Note that you should not delete hiberfil.sys, as Windows will recreate it again.
Proper-click the Start button or press Win + X, then open a Command Prompt (Admin). Or Windows PowerShell (Admin) window from the resulting menu. Kind the following command to disable hibernation:
powercfg.exe /hibernate offThat is all it takes to disable hibernation. Windows ought to delete hiberfil.sys by itself once you do that; feel free to delete it if not. Disabling hibernate mode can even stop your laptop from utilizing quick startup in Windows 10. But, this is not a lot of a loss, as this feature understand to cause slow boot times and different problems.
2. Windows Temp Folder
Location: C:\Windows\Temp
As you’d guess from the name, Windows temporary files aren’t necessary beyond their preliminary use. The files and folders inside include data that Windows used at one time. But does not want it anymore.
You may go to this Folder and delete its contents as an alternative for cleansing by Disk Cleanup. Press Ctrl + A to pick everything inside then hit Delete. Windows would offer you an error about a few items once you do that—ignore these and clear everything else.
3. The Recycle Bin
Location: shell: RecycleBinFolder
The Recycle Bin is a particular folder that seems to be under your C: drive. That protects Windows, and you needn’t enter it that way. Whenever you delete a file, Windows sends it to the Recycle Bin. This can be where deleted files save until you completely delete or restore them.
Whereas this may be obvious to you, we include it in case some aren’t aware. It is easy to forget that gigabytes of outdated data can sit in your Recycle Bin.
You can enter the Recycle Bin by the shortcut on your desktop. For those who do not see that, kind shell: RecycleBinFolder into File Explorer’s navigation bar. As soon as right here, you will see every part you’ve got deleted recently.
Right-click on individual items and select Delete to completely erase them. Or select Restore to send the file again to its original location. On the top Ribbon’s Recycle Bin Tools tab, you will see buttons to Empty Recycle Bin and Restore all items.
To tweak how the Recycle Bin works, click on Recycle Bin properties. On this menu, you may change the largest size of the bin and even select Do not move files to the Recycle Bin.
With this feature, Windows skip the bin and remove objects once you delete them. We do not recommend this because the Recycle Bin offers you a second chance in case of accidental deletion. In addition, the Display deletes confirmation dialog would need an extra step every time you erase a file.
4. Windows.old Folder
Location: C:\Windows.old
Every time you improve your version of Windows. The system retains a copy of your prior files known as Windows.old. This Folder holds every part that made up your outdated installation in case something did not transfer.
If necessary, you should use this Folder to roll back to an earlier version of Windows. It is also possible to open the Folder and grab a few stray files for those who want them.
Windows remove this Folder a short while after upgrading. But, you may can it yourself when you’re crunched for space. However, it will not delete those who attempt to go through File Explorer. So type Disk Cleanup into the Start Menu and launch the software as described earlier.
Click on Clean up system files at the bottom of the window and let the utility do another scan. As soon as that performs, please search for the PreviousWindowsinstallation(s) and delete it utilizing this software.
Removing these files makes it harder to recover data in case of a problem. Therefore, after performing a Windows upgrade (even to the latest version of Windows 10), we tell you to carry on this Folder till you are sure everything is working.
5. Downloaded Program Files
Location: C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files
This Folder’s name is a bit complicated. It holds files utilized by Internet Explorer’s ActiveX controls and Java applets. So, those who use the identical feature on a website do not have to download it twice.
In effect, this Folder is useless at the moment. ActiveX is a particularly outdated technology that fills with security holes. And Java is near-extinct on today’s internet. Internet Explorer is the one browser that helps ActiveX. And you will likely only encounter it on historical company websites (if ever) now.
Most home users do not use IE anymore, not to mention ActiveX. So your Downloaded Program Files folder would already be empty. But feel free to clean out its contents if it is not.
6. LiveKernelReports
Location: C:\Windows\LiveKernelReports
The LiveKernelReports folder is another listing when scanning for large files on your laptop. This Folder is home to dumping files and ongoing info logs that Windows keeps. If your computer runs into a problem, you may analyze the contents of those files to begin troubleshooting your issue.
Any large files ending with the DMP extension on this Folder are secure to delete. Like the above areas, we recommend using Disk Cleanup as an alternative for deleting the file.
Do not delete these dump files when Windows crashes, or you may have different main laptop issues. Instead, you need to use a program like WhoCrashed to get extra data from them.
7. Rempl Folder
Location: C:\Program Files\rempl
Whereas the Rempl Folder is not massive, you may shock whenever you see it appear in your system. This is because it contains many small files, and you will discover a few Task Manager processes connected to it.
This Folder links to Windows 10 update delivery. In addition, it contains “reliability enhancements” to assist make Windows 10 updates go and iron out compatibility issues.
So are you able to delete the Rempl Folder? There are no adverse effects from doing so. But, it only takes up a few megabytes and may make Windows upgrades less irritating. So, it is best to keep it around.
These Windows Folders Can Be Deleted
It takes a little bit of looking around. But Windows holds plenty of files and folders that are not essential. Also, remember that your laptop does an excellent job of keeping itself clean. So you do not have to remove the contents of those folders until you are low on disk space.
Running the Disk Cleanup tool a few times a month ought to do enough to maintain the cruft away. In case you still have to free up a lot of space. Try uninstalling some unnecessary Windows software programs.
