How to clear all cache and junk files from Windows 11

Over time, Windows 11 gathers gigabytes of temporary data: upgrade remnants, browser caches, thumbnail databases, and application temp files. Clearing these out frees up hard drive space and eliminates mysterious system sluggishness.

Set aside about 15 to 20 minutes to complete the full cleanup. Before you begin, collect and prepare the following:

• Administrator Access: You need an account with administrative permissions to clear system-level temporary files and system restore caches.
• Saved Work: Save all open documents and close your programs. You will be clearing active temporary caches and restarting your PC at the end.
• Your Web Browser Passwords: Clearing web caches can log you out of websites if you accidentally clear cookies along with cached images and files. Keep your login details handy.
• A System Restore Point: Creating a quick restore point gives you a safety net before deleting system-level files.

Step 1: Create a Safety System Restore Point

1. Press the Windows Key, type restore point, and select Create a restore point from the search results. What to look for: A window titled System Properties will open with the System Protection tab selected.
2. Click the Create… button near the bottom of the window. Type a simple name like Pre-Cleanup into the text box, then click Create. What to look for: Windows will process for a few seconds and display a pop-up box stating, “The restore point was created successfully.” Click Close. Where this goes wrong: If the Create… button is greyed out, your system drive does not have protection enabled. Click Configure, select Turn on system protection, assign a few gigabytes of disk space slider, click Apply, and try again.

Step 2: Run Storage Sense and Delete Temporary System Files

Windows 11 includes an automated cleanup feature called Storage Sense that removes unnecessary system remnants that manual deletion often misses.

1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
2. Click on System in the left sidebar, then select Storage on the right panel. What to look for: You will see a breakdown of your main drive (C:), including categories like Installed apps, Other, and Temporary files.
3. Click directly on Temporary files. What to look for: Windows will spend 30 to 60 seconds scanning your drive. A list will appear with checkboxes next to items like Windows Update Cleanup, Delivery Optimization Files, and Thumbnails.
4. Check all boxes except Downloads (unless you explicitly want everything in your personal Downloads folder erased). Where this goes wrong: Many users leave Downloads checked by mistake and lose downloaded installers, PDFs, or photos. Double-check that the Downloads box is unchecked before proceeding.
5. Scroll back to the top of the window and click the red Remove files button, then click Continue. What to look for: A progress bar will cycle through the selected categories. When finished, the overall size of the Temporary files section will drop significantly, often freeing up between 2 GB and 15 GB of space.

Step 3: Run the Classic Disk Cleanup Tool as Administrator

The legacy Disk Cleanup tool accesses deep system caches—such as old Windows installations and driver update packages—that modern Settings menus occasionally skip.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box, type cleanmgr, and press Enter.
2. In the small drive selection window, select your main drive (usually C:) and click OK.
3. When the first window loads, click the button labeled Clean up system files near the bottom left. What to look for: The window will close briefly, prompt for administrator permission, and reopen with an expanded list of options.
4. Select every checkbox in the list, including Device driver packages, DirectX Shader Cache, and Language resource files. Where this goes wrong: If you skip clicking “Clean up system files,” you will only see user-level files and miss out on clearing multi-gigabyte Windows Update leftovers.
5. Click OK, then click Delete Files to confirm. What to look for: The window will display a progress bar titled “Cleaning up drive C:”. Once complete, the window simply closes automatically.

Step 4: Purge the User Temporary Directory

Applications leave behind temporary operational data in a hidden folder tied to your user account. These files can accumulate into thousands of small items that slow down disk indexing.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run command window.
2. Type %temp% into the box and press Enter. What to look for: File Explorer opens directly to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Temp.
3. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to highlight every file and folder inside this directory.
4. Press Shift + Delete, then click Yes to permanently delete the files without sending them to the Recycle Bin. Where this goes wrong: A dialog box will likely pop up stating, “The action can’t be completed because the file is open in another program.” This is normal. Check the box that says “Do this for all current items” and click Skip. Do not click Cancel, or the remaining unclosed junk files will not be deleted. What to look for: The folder will be nearly empty, leaving behind only 2 to 10 files currently locked by background apps you are running.

Step 5: Clean the System Temporary Directory

Windows maintains a separate temp folder for system-level background processes.

1. Press Windows Key + R, type temp, and press Enter.
2. If a prompt appears saying “You don’t currently have permission to access this folder,” click Continue. What to look for: File Explorer will open to C:\Windows\Temp.
3. Press Ctrl + A to select all files, then press Shift + Delete.
4. When prompted about files currently in use, check “Do this for all current items” and click Skip. What to look for: The folder contents will disappear, leaving behind only active system logs.

Step 6: Clear the Windows Prefetch Cache

Prefetch files help apps load faster, but outdated entry logs for uninstalled or updated software can clog this cache over time.

1. Press Windows Key + R, type prefetch, and press Enter. Click Continue if prompted for administrator access. What to look for: File Explorer opens to C:\Windows\Prefetch, filled with .pf files.
2. Press Ctrl + A to select everything in the folder.
3. Press Shift + Delete to remove the selected contents. Where this goes wrong: If a message appears claiming a file cannot be deleted, check “Do this for all current items” and click Skip. What to look for: The folder will empty out. Windows will automatically recreate clean prefetch files for active apps as you launch them later.

Step 7: Reset the Microsoft Store Cache

A corrupt Microsoft Store cache can prevent apps from updating and consume hundreds of megabytes of silent cache data.

1. Press Windows Key + R.
2. Type wsreset.exe and press Enter. What to look for: A blank black Command Prompt window will open. Do not close this window manually.
3. Wait approximately 10 to 30 seconds without pressing any keys. What to look for: The black window will automatically disappear on its own, and the Microsoft Store application will launch to its main home screen. This confirms the cache was successfully reset.

Step 8: Flush the DNS Cache

Outdated network address resolution records can cause web pages to fail to load or redirect incorrectly.

1. Press the Windows Key, type cmd, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
2. Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. What to look for: Command Prompt will execute the command instantly and return the line: “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.” Where this goes wrong: If you receive an error stating “The requested operation requires elevation,” you forgot to open Command Prompt using “Run as administrator.” Close the window and reopen it elevated.

Step 9: Clear Web Browser Caches

Web browsers store cached images, scripts, and media files that grow substantially over weeks of browsing.

For Microsoft Edge & Google Chrome

1. Open your browser and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on your keyboard. What to look for: A window titled Clear browsing data will appear instantly.
2. Set the time range dropdown menu to All time.
3. Uncheck Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, and Passwords (unless you explicitly want to clear them). Ensure Cached images and files is checked.
4. Click Clear now (or Clear data). What to look for: The pop-up window will close, and your browser cache is wiped clean.

Step 10: Empty the Recycle Bin and Restart

Items deleted without using Shift + Delete remain stored inside the Recycle Bin, still occupying storage space on your primary hard drive.

1. Locate the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop, right-click it, and select Empty Recycle Bin. Click Yes to confirm. What to look for: The icon changes from a full bin icon to an empty bin icon, and the deletion progress bar completes.
2. Click the Start Menu, click the Power icon, and select Restart. What to look for: Windows will reboot cleanly, clearing remaining temporary page files and finalizing system file cleanups.

How to Check the Job is Finished

You can easily confirm that your cleanup succeeded by checking your main drive’s free capacity and performance indicators:

• Check Available Disk Space: Open File Explorer (Windows Key + E) and click This PC. Look at your Local Disk (C:) bar. You should see a noticeable increase in free gigabytes compared to before you started.
• Verify System Folders: Open the Run box (Windows Key + R) and check %temp% again. The folder should contain only a handful of items generated during your current active session.
• Test Responsiveness: Open the Microsoft Store, File Explorer, and your web browser. Windows Explorer should open folders without delay, and applications should open cleanly without caching glitches.