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Use Windows’ built-in Storage Sense to automatically remove selected temporary files and old Recycle Bin items. Open Settings > System > Storage, turn on Storage Sense, then choose how often it runs and whether it may clean the Recycle Bin or Downloads folder. Review those deletion settings carefully: files removed from those locations may be permanently deleted.
Turn on Storage Sense and choose when it runs
- Open Start > Settings > System > Storage.
- Switch Storage Sense on. With its default settings, Windows runs it when the device is low on disk space and cleans unnecessary temporary files.
- Select Storage Sense to configure its schedule. Choose how often you want it to run; these choices apply to your user account on that PC.
Storage Sense runs on the system drive, usually C:. The user must be signed in and online for more than 10 minutes for it to run. See Microsoft’s Storage Sense settings and behavior.
Choose which files Windows may remove
Recycle Bin
Set how long items should remain in the Recycle Bin before Storage Sense deletes them. Choose a period that gives you enough time to recover something you deleted by mistake. Once Storage Sense removes an item from the bin, you should treat it as permanently deleted.
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Downloads
Downloads are not cleaned automatically by default. If you enable cleanup, select the period an item can go unopened before Windows removes it. Do not use this option if you keep important files in Downloads without opening them regularly; move files you want to keep to another folder first.
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Temporary files and cloud content
Storage Sense can clean selected temporary files. It can also make eligible locally available OneDrive files online-only after a chosen period. That frees space on the PC but does not permanently delete the cloud file; it can be downloaded again when needed if network access and space are available. Files marked Always keep on this device are exempt. Microsoft explains this distinction in its OneDrive and Storage Sense guidance.
Review files before deleting them
If you want to choose what to remove rather than schedule automatic cleanup, open Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations. Review the listed categories, which can include temporary files, large or unused files, cloud-synced files, and unused apps, then select the items to clean. For an overview of Windows storage categories, see Microsoft’s Storage settings guide.
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Disk Cleanup is another manual option on systems where it is available. It lets you select temporary and system file types for removal. Be cautious with Previous Windows installation(s): deleting these files removes the option to roll back to the earlier Windows version. Windows automatically deletes the previous installation ten days after an upgrade; if you remove it sooner, you lose that rollback option. See Microsoft’s Windows drive-space cleanup guidance.
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Storage Sense limits and Windows 10 support
Storage Sense manages the system drive only, generally C:. It does not automatically clean other drives; use the storage settings for those drives instead. If you want to keep files but free space on the PC, moving infrequently used personal files to external storage, such as a USB drive or SD card, is an alternative to deleting them.
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Windows 10 remains covered by Microsoft’s Storage Sense instructions, but its support ended on October 14, 2025. Feature availability and operating-system support are separate matters; see Microsoft’s Windows file and folder troubleshooting page for the support-status notice.
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