This article provides various methods that can be used to clean your Windows 10 or 11 system disk.
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Cleaning your drive on a regular basis can help keep Windows 10 or 11 running smoothly and free up valuable storage space. As we all know, a Windows 10 or 11 system drive that is comparatively clear and simple might contain thousands or even more files and folders. A system disk with a high application density and complexity could have anywhere from half a million to a million files on it.
Maintaining a clean system disk is essential for optimal performance and efficiency. For that, most people get help from different Windows Junk File Cleaners available online. However, to help you out, we will take you through the entire process of efficiently cleaning your Windows 10 or 11 system disk in this detailed article. So, without further ado, let’s dive into these methods.
How to Clean Your Windows System Disk?
We provide some efficient solutions in case the storage on your Windows device is low. Continue reading to learn more.
1. Delete Temporary Files
One of the very first things you should do is clean up the temporary files. Here’s how you can do it:
Press Windows + R to launch the Run window.
Type in %temp% and hit Enter.
You will get a folder with temporary files in a few seconds.
Select all files with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A, then hit the Delete key.
2. Clear out the Recycle Bin.
Another common way to get rid of unwanted files is to empty the recycle bin. All of the files you delete from the computer end up in the Recycle Bin. They stay in this location until the recycle bin is totally emptied. The steps for cleaning it are as follows:
Look for the Windows desktop Recycle Bin.
You can double-click it to open it.
Before emptying the Recycle Bin, double-check each file within because there will not be any more manual file restoration options available. To retrieve them back, data recovery software will be required.
Click the Delete button after you have chosen the files and folders to get rid of.
Just confirm that the activity is all that is required.
3. Run Disk Cleanup
Integrated into every version of Windows is Disk Cleanup, which assists you in removing unnecessary data, temporary files, and garbage files. With its help, you may remove caches, temporary internet files, and thumbnails. Here’s how to accomplish it:
Enter disk clean or cleanmgr.exe into the search bar to start Disk Cleanup.
Click OK to start scanning the drive after selecting your choice.
There will not be a never-ending list of unwanted files for you to remove. Click OK when you have finished selecting your files.
When you pick up the drive again after selecting Clean up system files, Windows will take a moment to calculate the amount of space that can be recovered by deleting these unnecessary items.
To use the Delete Files option, choose the files you want to remove, then click OK.
You can also remove other files and outdated Windows installations when you use Disk Cleanup as Administrator.
4. Manage Drive Space with Storage Sense
With the use of Storage Sense, a Microsoft application, you can automatically clear up unnecessary files and stuff from your recycle bin to save room on your device. The following are detailed steps for utilizing Storage Sense to declutter the storage on your computer:
Type and search for Turn on Storage Sense in the Windows search bar, then click Open.
Choose Storage Sense.
Check the box with the option labeled “Cleanup of Temporary Files.”
Enable automatic user content cleanup.
Establish schedules for cleanup:
Select the time to launch Storage Sense. Select the frequency of the automatic, periodic cleanups using the drop-down menu. Choose how often files from your downloads folder or recycle bin will be erased under Delete files from my downloads folder and Delete files from my recycle bin if they have not been opened in more than that amount of time.
Choose how often your inactive files will become online only if your machine is linked to a cloud account. Note that accessing cloud content settings requires logging into your cloud account.
Alternatively, you can click Run Storage Sense now to launch Storage Sense with the previously chosen parameters right away.
Wrapping Up
By following these simple yet effective methods, you can keep your Windows system disk clean and organized, allowing you to make the most of your computer’s performance and storage capacity.
