While Windows 11 is definitely a huge upgrade over Windows 10 in terms of performance, you still need to do some basic computing work to keep it fast and responsive. We already have a dedicated guide on how to speed up Windows 11, but in this guide we will only focus on removing Temp files from Windows 11. All these methods have been tried and tested and you should not face any problem starting your computer. computer. Without any delay, let’s go ahead and explore five ways to delete Temp files in Windows 11.
Delete Temporary Files in Windows 11 (2022)
We’ve included five different ways to delete Temp files in Windows 11 in this guide. All methods are completely safe to use and you will not face any booting issues by deleting temporary files and folders. In addition, we recommend that you review all the sections to have comprehensive information about cleaning junk files from your computer.
What are Temp Files in Windows 11?
Temporary files or temporary files in Windows 11 are actually data stored by applications and operating system to give you a hassle-free experience. For example, when you download a file using IDM, a popular download manager for Windows, it stores parts of the file in the Windows Temp folder. When the download is complete, these file fragments are collected and moved to the Downloads folders.
Similarly, if you haven’t saved a Word or TXT document, these files are temporarily saved in the Temp folder. The temp folder is located at: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Temp.
In essence, Temp files are not bad on their own for the smooth running of your system. It contains logs, system cache, and other disposable items. Here is a short list of temporary file types you will find in the Temp folder on your Windows 11 PC:
- Windows Update Cleanup
- Upgrade Log Files
- Windows ESD Setup Files
- Temporary files
- temporary internet files
- Device Driver Packages
- thumbnails
- Downloads
- Microsoft Defender Antivirus
However, after using the computer for a long time, temporary files start to accumulate in large numbers and data size. A third-party app you no longer use It may have held GBs of data in the Temp folder. Or a program may not be cleaning the Windows Temp folder after the job is complete. In such cases, it becomes important to remove the Temp files from Windows 11. And in this tutorial, we’ll show you exactly how to do that.
Best Ways to Delete Temp Files in Windows 11
Method 1: Delete Temp Files from Windows 11 Settings Page
First, let’s look at the easiest method to delete temporary files in Windows 11. You can select different temporary files listed above in Windows 11 settings and delete them as you wish. Here’s how it works:
1. Press the Windows key and search for “storage”. open now”Storage settings” from search results.
2. Here you will find a section called “.Temporary files”under storage dump. Click to open.
3. Your Windows 11 PC will now scan all temporary files and display removable files. We recommend that you check everything Except “Downloads”“. If you don’t want to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11, you can also check the “Windows Update Cleanup” and “Previous Windows Installation” options. This will remove a significant amount of temporary update files.
4. Finally, “remove files” and you’re done. With this action, almost all temporary files will be removed from your Windows 11 PC.
Method 2: Use Disk Cleanup in Windows 11
Although Windows 11 has integrated most of the Disk Cleanup options into Windows Settings, if you’re old-fashioned and want to remove all temporary files from the Control Panel, here’s how to do it.
1. Press “Windows + R” keys to open the Run prompt. Next, type cleanmgr and press Enter or click OK.
2. After that, Select the “C:” drive and click “OK”.
3. In the next window “Clean up system files“. Scans all temporary files. You may need to select drive C again at the next prompt.
4. Now scroll down and review all temporary files and folders. Activate the checkbox and click “OK” if you want to remove these specific files. Again we recommend keep everything under control. This is how you can remove temporary files via Disk Cleanup on your Windows 11 PC.
Method 3: Manually Remove Temp Files in Windows 11
Now, if you are an experienced Windows user, you may know how to access the Temp folder manually. However, if you are new to Windows 11 and want to learn how to access Temp files manually, here is how to do it:
1. First, press the Windows 11 keyboard shortcut “Win + RTo open the Run prompt. here, type %temp% and press Enter.
2. It will open Windows temporary folder location in your user directory.
3. Now, select all files Delete them using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A. This is another easy way to delete Temp files in Windows 11. You may encounter some errors saying that some files cannot be deleted. You can safely skip such prompts. The error usually occurs if a program is still using the temporary file in question.
Method 4: Deleting Temp Files from Windows 11 with Command Prompt
1. Another way to completely delete temporary files from Windows 11 is Command Prompt. Press the Windows key once and type “cmd” and a command prompt Open the window by clicking the “Run as administrator” option in the right pane of the search results. By the way, you can also open Command Prompt within Windows Terminal (largely customize it to your liking).
2. Next, copy the command below and right-click on the CMD window. paste command.
del /q/f/s %TEMP%\*
3. Now, simply press enterand all Temp files will be deleted from Windows 11.
Method 5: Automatically Delete Windows 11 Temp Files Using Storage Sense
If you find the whole process tedious, you can enable a setting in Windows 11 that will automatically clean up temporary files. Here’s how to do it.
1. Press the Windows key, type “storage detection” and “Open Storage Sense” system setting.
2. Next, enable toggle For “Storage Sense” in Windows 11 settings.
3. After that, open the Storage Sense menu and here you can configure everything. You can choose when to run Storage Sense, configure it not to delete your downloaded files, and more. That way, you don’t have to follow any of the manual methods listed above.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. How do I delete junk files in Windows 11?
There are several ways to delete junk files in Windows 11. Open Storage menu in Windows Setting and delete temporary files. You can also run Disk Cleanup or use Command Prompt to delete all junk files with one command. Follow our tutorial for detailed steps.
Q. Where is the temporary folder located in Windows 11?
The temp folder is located at: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Temp. You can copy and paste this folder location directly into the File Explorer address bar. Or, you can use the Windows 11 keyboard shortcut Win+R to open the Run Window and type %temp% to access this folder.
Q. How do I delete Microsoft temporary files in Windows 11?
Open Windows Settings by pressing the “Windows +I” shortcut and then go to System -> Storage -> Temporary files. Here you can delete Microsoft temporary files in Windows 11.
Q. Is it safe to delete temporary files in Windows 11?
Yes, it is safe to delete temporary files in Windows 11. If the operating system needs a file, it will automatically prevent you from deleting it. Also, there are a few things to keep in mind when deleting temporary files. For example, if you want to revert to an older version of Windows 11, do not delete the “Windows Update Cleanup” or “Previous Windows Installation”. You should deselect the Downloads folder when removing junk files.
Q. How do I perform disk cleanup in Windows 11?
Press “Windows + R” keys to open the Run prompt. here, type cleanmgr and press Enter. Select the C drive and you can clean disk easily in Windows 11.
Get Rid of Temporary Files in Windows 11
So, these are the five best ways to safely delete Temp files from Windows 11. In this tutorial, as you may notice, I have not included any third-party tools to clean your PC. Increasingly, third-party removal tools are now full of adware and malware, so it’s better to use built-in system tools. Plus, Windows 11 has all the features to keep your PC fast and responsive. Anyway, that’s it for us. If you want to learn how to free up disk space in Windows 11, follow our linked guide. And if you have any questions, feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
