Using Disk Cleanup in Windows to free up space on your hard drive can be a great way to reclaim storage. The tool allows you to remove temporary files, empty the Recycle Bin, and discard other unnecessary items. However, Disk Cleanup gives you the option to delete many different types of files, which raises the question: is it safe to delete everything it finds?
Quick Answer
Deleting everything in Disk Cleanup is generally not recommended, as it could remove files you still need. It’s best to go through the list carefully and only select items you are sure you no longer want. Key things to keep are:
- Windows update files
- Setup log files
- Error reporting files
- Any files you’ve created and use regularly
However, it is usually safe to delete:
- Temporary files
- Temporary Internet files
- Recycle Bin
- Thumbnails
- Old Windows installation files
Bottom line, review the full list in Disk Cleanup carefully before deleting. Removing the wrong components could make Windows unstable or cause problems.
Examining the Disk Cleanup Options
When you open Disk Cleanup in Windows, it scans your hard drive and shows various files that can be removed. Here is an overview of each category:
Temporary Files
This deletes files that Windows and apps create for temporary storage. They are safe to remove.
Temporary Internet Files
Clears cached copies of web pages, images, and other browser files. These can usually be deleted.
Recycle Bin
Empties the Recycle Bin. Verify you don’t need any files before deleting.
Windows Update Cleanup
Removes Windows Update files that are no longer needed. It’s generally safe to delete these.
Windows Upgrade Log Files
Deletes setup log files from upgrading to recent versions of Windows. Safe to remove once upgrade is complete.
Windows Error Reporting
Gets rid of error log files reported to Microsoft. Typically this can be cleared out.
Delivery Optimization Files
Deletes cached Windows updates that were downloaded for install on other devices. Safe to remove.
Windows Defender
Cleans up files used by Windows security scanning. Generally safe to delete.
Thumbnails
Removes thumbnail image caches used by Windows Explorer. Deleting thumbnails is usually fine.
Previous Windows Installation(s)
Removes files from when you upgraded an older Windows version to a newer one. Can safely delete after upgrade.
Setup Log Files
These are log files created during Windows installations and updates. It’s typically okay to remove these.
Temporary Windows Installation Files
Deletes temporary files from installs and updates that are no longer required. Generally safe to delete.
System Restore Points
Deletes all except the most recent system restore point. Use caution before deleting restore points.
What Should You Keep or Delete?
Based on the overview of what Disk Cleanup finds, here are some general guidelines on what’s safe to delete and what you should keep:
Safe to Delete
- Temporary files
- Temporary Internet files
- Empty Recycle Bin
- Windows update files
- Windows upgrade logs
- Windows error reporting files
- Delivery Optimization files
- Windows Defender files
- Thumbnails
- Previous Windows installation files
- Setup logs
- Temporary Windows installation files
Keep – Review Carefully Before Deleting
- System restore points – avoid removing all restore points
- Any personal user files
The temporary files and cached data Disk Cleanup finds are usually fine to delete to recover space. However, don’t blindly delete everything. Go through the list carefully and keep any files you know you still need.
Recommendations for Using Disk Cleanup
Based on the overview of Disk Cleanup options, here are some recommendations when using it:
- Review the list – Don’t just blindly click “Clean up system files”. Carefully review each item first.
- Delete temporary files – This is usually safe to enable.
- Empty the Recycle Bin – Verify you don’t need any files before deleting.
- Keep recent system restore points – Don’t remove all system restore points.
- Keep Windows update files – Unless you are sure a Windows update is fully complete and stable.
- Don’t delete user files – Any documents, photos, downloads or other personal files.
- When in doubt, skip it – If not sure if a file is needed, leave it alone.
- Create a system restore point first – For added protection in case any problems occur.
Following these tips when running Disk Cleanup will help ensure you free disk space safely without deleting files you still require.
What Gets Deleted When “Deleting Everything”?
If you take the approach of blindly enabling all options in Disk Cleanup to “delete everything”, here is an overview of what types of files will get removed:
- All temporary files – Used by Windows and apps for temporary storage.
- All cached internet files – Local copies of web pages, images, videos, etc.
- Empty Recycle Bin – All files deleted by user that are in the Recycle Bin.
- All Windows Update cleanup files – Installers and logs from Windows Updates.
- All previous Windows installation files – Leftover files from upgrading older Windows versions.
- All Windows Error Reporting files – Logs of errors encountered in Windows.
- All Delivery Optimization Files – Cached Windows update files for sharing.
- All Windows Defender files – Data files used in security scanning.
- All thumbnails – Image previews cached by Windows.
- All setup logs – Installation logs for Windows and applications.
- All temporary installation files – Temporary files from Windows installs and updates.
- All but most recent system restore point – Used to roll back system state changes.
As you can see, this removes a very wide array of temporary, cached, and log files. While most of these files are safe to remove, deleting all system restore points or certain Windows update files could cause issues. That’s why a selective approach is best.
Risks of Deleting Everything in Disk Cleanup
While using Disk Cleanup can be a great way to free space, there are some risks to be aware of if you take the approach of deleting every single file option:
- Could break Windows functions – Removing certain update or install files could make Windows unstable.
- Loss of needed user files – Downloads and other files you want to keep could get erased.
- No way to undo changes – Without system restore points, you can’t roll back changes.
- Potential application issues – Apps may not work correctly with certain files missing.
- Less Windows security – Deleting all previous Windows update files reduces protection.
- More cleanup needed soon – Blanket deleting won’t prevent buildup of these file types again.
Because of these risks, a targeted approach to using Disk Cleanup is highly recommended. Have a clear rationale for which files you need to keep and only delete ones you’re confident won’t be needed.
Tips for Safely Using Disk Cleanup
Here are some tips to use Disk Cleanup in a safe way:
- Review the file list – Don’t blindly delete everything you see.
- Delete temporary files – These can generally be removed.
- Check size before deleting – If a file seems excessively large, research what it is before removing.
- Keep current system restore point – Don’t delete all system restore points.
- Keep Windows update files – Unless certain an update is complete.
- Skip user files – Documents, photos, downloads, etc.
- Close other applications – So that open files don’t get deleted.
- Create a restore point first – Allows rollback if issues occur.
- Restart PC after cleanup – Helps stabilize Windows with files removed.
Following these tips will help you free space while minimizing the chances of removing files still required by Windows or your applications.
What to Do if Something Breaks
If issues arise after an aggressive Disk Cleanup deletion, here are some things you can try:
- Roll back with system restore – If you have restore points, revert to before cleanup.
- Restart your PC – This may resolve minor issues caused by cleanup.
- Reinstall problematic apps – Any apps having issues may need reinstalling.
- Check for corrupt files – Run SFC /scannow to check Windows system files.
- Undo recent Windows updates – They may have been incomplete when files were removed.
- Refresh your PC – The “Refresh” option can restore core Windows files.
- Reset your PC – “Reset” fully reinstalls Windows if all else fails.
Hopefully if you are selective about cleaning up only unnecessary files, you can avoid anything breaking on your system. But if problems do occur, these troubleshooting steps may help get things working again.
Better Alternatives to Disk Cleanup
While Disk Cleanup can be a useful tool, there are also some alternatives you could consider:
Storage Sense
A built-in Windows tool that provides automatic file cleanup options for Downloads, Recycle Bin, etc. Less risk of deleting important files.
CCleaner
A third-party cleanup utility that removes unnecessary files left behind by Windows and applications.
Regular Manual Deletion
Manually deleting unneeded files as you accumulate them avoids having a massive cleanup required down the road.
Larger Drive
Consider buying a larger drive if your storage needs have outgrown your current capacity.
Tools like Storage Sense or CCleaner provide more fine-tuned cleaning capabilities to target specific file types. Doing regular manual removals can also minimize the buildup of junk. And upgrading your drive size is a more permanent solution.
Conclusion
Disk Cleanup can be a useful way to free disk space by removing unneeded files. However, care should be taken not to delete components that are still required by Windows or your applications. Blindly removing everything Disk Cleanup finds could lead to a non-functioning system.
Review the list of file categories carefully and only remove ones you are confident won’t be needed. Keeping system restore points, Windows update files, and any personal user files is recommended. Apply caution, create a backup, and restart your PC after performing cleanup steps.
With the right approach, Disk Cleanup can reclaim significant storage space safely. But leveraging it as an indiscriminate delete function has definite risks of breaking Windows or losing important data.