Windows 10 stores a lot of temporary files in order to make sure that the operating system and its features work flawlessly. In addition to the operating system itself, applications installed on it also make use of temporary files that will no longer be needed after a certain period of time. So once in a while, it is a good idea to clear these temporary files in order to save up some space. If you are seeing unusual disk usage without any significantly bigger files or frequent actions, you might want to check your temp folder size and clear it.
While the size of the temporary files can be anywhere from a few bytes to several GBs, clearing the temp files may not always help you to save a lot of space. However, we have had users saying there were even several gigabytes of temporary files stored on their computer created by various programs. So be sure to clear your Windows 10 temporary folder every once in awhile in order to make sure that your valuable disk space is not being used to by some unnecessary temporary files.
Clear Temporary Files on Windows
Programs often store temporary files on your hard drive. Over time, these files can start to take up a lot of space. If you are running low on hard drive space, clearing temporary files is a good way to reclaim additional disk storage space.
- Press the Windows Button + R to open the "Run" dialog box.
- Enter this text: %temp%
- Click "OK." This will open your temp folder.
- Press Ctrl + A to select all.
- Press "Delete" on your keyboard and click "Yes" to confirm.
- All temporary files will now be deleted.
- Note: Some files may not be able to be deleted. If you are prompted about files that are missing or in use, click the check box next to "Do this for all current items" and click "Skip."
Steps to Clear Temp Files in Windows 10
- Press Win + R to open the Run prompt.
- Type %temp% in the window.
- Press Enter. It will take you to the temp folder where Windows stores temporary files.
- Select all the files by pressing Ctrl + A.
- Then press the Delete button on your keyboard.
- Confirm the action by clicking Yes. Now Windows will start deleting the temporary files.
- During the process, it might tell you that some files are being used, your can Skip them.
- Once you have deleted the unnecessary temp files, you will see some disk space has been freed on Windows 10.
Your temp folder is located at C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Local\Temp.
Do not worry because we are deleting some files. Temporary folders and files inside the temp folder are safe to be deleted. So there is no need to worry about any data loss. Repeat the same steps mentioned above every once in a while, especially if you actively work with your computer and programs.