How to Delete Temporary Files in Windows 10

To delete temporary files in Windows 10, go to Settings > System > Storage and select Temporary files. Check the types you want to remove, such as Temporary files and Delivery Optimization Files, and select Remove files.

Temporary files are left behind by Windows, apps, and updates. Deleting them is safe and can free up several gigabytes.

Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 24, 2026.

Delete temp files in Settings

1. Press Windows + I and select System > Storage.
2. Under your drive, select Temporary files. Windows takes a moment to add up the space.
3. Check the items you want to remove.

4. Select Remove files.

Be careful with two items:

• Downloads deletes everything in your Downloads folder. Leave it unchecked unless you’ve checked the folder first.
• Recycle Bin empties the bin, so you can’t restore those files later.

Use Disk Cleanup

1. Search Start for Disk Cleanup and open it. Choose drive C: if asked.
2. Select Clean up system files to include Windows Update leftovers.

3. Check Temporary files, Temporary Internet Files, and Windows Update Cleanup, then select OK > Delete Files.

Empty the Temp folder

1. Press Windows + R, type %temp%, and press Enter. This opens your user Temp folder in AppData.
2. Press Ctrl + A to select everything, then press Delete.
3. If Windows says a file is in use, check Do this for all current items and select Skip. Those files belong to open apps.

Don’t delete folders outside Temp. For more on this folder, see how to open the AppData folder in Windows 10.

Delete temp files with Command Prompt

Open Command Prompt and run:

del /q /f /s %TEMP%\*

This deletes the files in your Temp folder and skips any that are in use. To also clear the Windows Temp folder, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run del /q /f /s C:\Windows\Temp\*.

Clean up automatically with Storage Sense

In Settings > System > Storage, turn on Storage Sense. Select Configure Storage Sense or run it now to choose how often it runs and whether it empties the Recycle Bin and Downloads folder.

See what’s using space

In Settings > System > Storage, Windows shows which categories use the most space, such as Apps & features, Temporary files, and Other. Select one to see details.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to delete temporary files?

Yes. Windows and apps recreate what they need. Close your apps first so fewer files are in use.

Will deleting temp files speed up my PC?

It frees up space, which helps if your drive is nearly full. For other fixes, see how to speed up a Windows 10 computer.

Why do temp files come back?

Windows and apps create them all the time. That’s normal. Storage Sense can clear them for you on a schedule.

For browser, Store, and DNS caches, see how to clear the cache in Windows 10. After a big update, you can also delete the Windows.old folder.

If your PC is also slow to start, see how to disable startup programs in Windows 10.

To clear old update files and other system files too, see how to run Disk Cleanup in Windows 10.

For more ways to get space back, see how to free up space on Windows 10.

If a file says it’s in use and won’t delete, see how to force delete a file in Windows 10.

On Windows 11, see how to delete temp files in Windows 11. Microsoft’s guide is Free up drive space in Windows. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.