Over fourth dimension, every Windows installation builds up junk that takes up space and wastes resources. It's easy to neglect regular maintenance, so often the trouble comes from erstwhile files and programs.

If you don't clean your computer, before long you lot'll run across depression disk infinite warnings and notice it slowing down. Permit'southward walk through how to clean Windows 10 (and Windows eleven) using a variety of tools for different situations.

The Best Way to Clean Windows 10 A Step-by-Step Guide

Footstep 1: Erase Temporary Junk

Windows x and 11 include a pair of similar tools for clearing out erstwhile temporary files from your disk, meaning yous don't need a dedicated Windows cleaner app. They're a not bad first stop on your Windows cleanup journey.

Disk Cleanup

If yous don't mind an old-schoolhouse interface, the classic Disk Cleanup tool gets the cleaning job done. Admission it by typing Deejay Cleanup into the Showtime carte du jour and selecting the disk you desire to clean.

After a moment, you'll see a list of unnecessary files that Windows can clean up. Assuming you're an administrator, you should first click the Clean upwardly organisation files button to scan again for additional types of data.

Windows 10 Disk Cleanup

Experience free to delete pretty much every category of data available here, with a few exceptions. On older versions of Windows 10, watch out for Downloads, which volition delete everything in that folder. You may also want to avert cleaning the Recycle Bin unless you're sure that y'all won't need to restore anything from information technology.

If y'all've recently updated to a new major version of Windows, you'll see a Previous Windows installation(due south) entry. Deleting this will remove the former files Windows keeps for 10 days—those allow you to hands go back to an earlier version. You should also avoid removing the Windows ESD installation files choice, as this is used for resetting your PC via Settings.

Check out Windows folders you can delete to save space for more info on the specific items you can remove with disk Cleanup.

Storage Sense

Windows ten and Windows eleven both include much of this same functionality of Disk Cleanup, with a nicer interface, at Settings > System > Storage. You can use the Storage Sense characteristic plant in that location to automatically clean upward files when your deejay space is low, or every so often. Click Configure Storage Sense or run it at present to alter these options.

Windows 10 Storage Menu

In the listing of what's using space on your PC, click Temporary files and yous can delete the same types of data as in Disk Cleanup. Evidence more categories provides more info about types of information that aren't using equally much space.

Step 2: Delete Big Files

You've removed unnecessary files; the next step to cleaning up Windows x is to find one-time data taking up a lot of infinite on your calculator. To help with this, download TreeSize Gratis, which will scan your storage and testify you lot where the biggest files are.

Once installed, search for TreeSize on the Start Bill of fare and launch it using the (Administrator) link so yous can scan everywhere. To starting time, cull Select Directory in the peak-left and select your main storage disk.

TreeSize Free Windows 10

Later a few moments, you'll see a visual breakdown of your PC'south storage, with the largest files at the acme. Click the dropdown arrow on whatever binder to expand past one level.

The largest folders will probably be Users, Windows, and Program Files (or Program Files (x86)). There'due south not much you tin do in the Windows directory without causing problems (exist aware of Windows folders yous should never bear on), so let'due south look at the others.

Uninstall Big Programs

Nether Program Files (and/or Program Files (x86) on 64-bit Windows), you'll notice files for almost of the apps you have installed. If you don't employ some of these anymore, head to Settings > Apps > Apps & features to uninstall them.

Windows 10 Uninstall Store App

Eliminate Big Items From Your User Binder

The majority of space-hogging files will likely be in your account folder under Users. This contains your documents, pictures, videos, and like.

Yous'll probably see a lot of infinite taken in the AppData binder, which is where many apps store data and preferences. For instance, Chrome and Spotify's caches can take up several gigabytes here.

Accept a look at these files and see if annihilation is low-hanging fruit. You can delete files you no longer apply or move some data to an external difficult drive. If you have lots of files in Dropbox or other cloud storage, use their preference panels to de-sync cloud files you don't need. You can always access them through the web interface.

You might meet some other enormous files in TreeSize, such as WinSxS. See our guide to managing a large WinSxS folder if you have this issue.

Stride 3: Make clean Windows 10 Bloatware

Most store-bought computers come loaded with worthless manufacturer bloatware that wastes space and duplicates functionality already in Windows. In add-on, Windows 10 itself includes some junk apps you probably never utilise.

If you oasis't taken the fourth dimension to remove bloatware from your arrangement, y'all should. It's an important role of Windows 10 cleanup. See our guide to removing bloatware from Windows 10 for instructions.

Windows 10 Uninstall Start Menu Apps

Stride 4: Tidy Your Desktop

Even after you lot've cleaned up your figurer's files and apps, a messy desktop tin still misfile you lot and brand it harder to work efficiently. Many people use their desktop as a temporary storage space, leading to all sorts of files getting scattered across it.

You should try "resetting" your desktop to a make clean land to make it neater. Start past moving all the files from your desktop to some other location. Next, y'all can create shortcuts to files you need all the time on your desktop.

If you have so many files that you don't call back this will work, the Fences app is definitely worth a look. Information technology includes powerful tools that let you automatically combine similar desktop icons, hide or show all icons with a few clicks, and much more.

Later you've cleaned upwardly Windows 10 and your desktop, you'll feel like you have a whole new machine. Nosotros have a deeper guide on cleaning upward your Windows desktop if you're interested.

If Necessary: Refresh Windows x

Maybe you've ended your PC is such a mess that you don't want to have the endeavour to clean upwards Windows ten. In that example, you lot can use a built-in option to reinstall a fresh re-create of Windows.

Yous might know about the Reset this PC choice bachelor in the Recovery settings. Notwithstanding, using this with certain options will restore your PC to how it was out of the box, including the preinstalled manufacturer bloatware. To avoid this, you can employ another method.

Windows 10 Recovery Refresh

To employ it, hit the same Become started push in the Recovery card. Pick Keep my files, choose whether to download or reinstall locally, pick settings, and then make certain you pick No for Restore preinstalled apps?

This is equivalent to the Fresh Showtime choice plant in the Device performance & health section of the Windows Security app in older Windows ten versions. It reinstalls Windows 10 and updates it to the latest version, plus it removes all installed apps. Only your personal files and "some Windows settings" are kept.

Even though Windows promises to keep them rubber, make sure y'all back upwards your files before doing this, in instance something goes wrong. Y'all should too make a note of any license keys you'll need to reactivate software subsequently the refresh.

Having to reinstall all your programs past manus will take some time. But if your reckoner is a mess, it might still be worth information technology to get a clean system.

Avoid Fake Cleaning Apps

While we're discussing Windows 10 and 11 cleanups, it bears mentioning that you should be careful what cleaning software y'all download. While the above tools are all legitimate ways to clean your PC, you lot'll find many scammy "PC cleaners" online that are totally worthless (such as the one in the higher up video).

These tools provide a "free scan" that finds thousands of "issues," which absurdly count every cookie on your computer equally a "privacy run a risk." Then they need you pay a good amount of money to actually "clean" annihilation upwardly.

Don't bother with this nonsense. The above tools should be plenty to clean up unnecessary files. If you lot feel the need to practice more, follow our ultimate Windows cleaning checklist.

Now Windows 10 Is Cleaner Than Ever!

That'due south how to clean your computer without any frills. You now know the big steps to clean upwardly large and unnecessary files in Windows x. These methods should be sufficient to clean up a skillful chunk of space on your computer and arrive experience fresh. Go on up with them every so often, and yous shouldn't have to worry about depression disk space warnings any longer.

Just brand sure you don't become overboard and make mutual Windows maintenance mistakes.

5 Windows PC Maintenance Mistakes That Can Intermission Your Computer

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