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This guide shows <strong>how to use the Disk Cleanup tool</strong> for the following Windows versions: <strong>Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, </strong>and<strong> 10.</strong>

The Disk Cleanup tool, part of Windows, will perform a search on the hard disk for files that can be deleted from your computer without affecting its functionality or your personal files:
<ul>
 	<li>Temporary Internet Explorer files (related: <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/clear-internet-explorer-cache/">How To Clear Internet Explorer 6-to-11 Cache</a>)</li>
 	<li>Java applets or ActiveX controls</li>
 	<li>Files from Recycle Bin if Recycle Bin has not been emptied</li>
 	<li>Windows temporary files (related: <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/delete-temporary-files-folders/">How to delete temporary files</a>. You can also read <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/clear-thumbnails-cache/">how to clear the thumbnails cache</a> and <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/clear-icons-cache/">how to clear the icons cache</a>)</li>
</ul>
<h2>Run Disk Cleanup in Windows XP</h2>
To run Disk Cleanup on a Windows XP computer, you can run it from <a href="#Run_from_My_Computer">My Computer</a> or from <a href="#Run_from_Command_Prompt">Command Prompt</a>.
<h3>Run from My Computer</h3>
<strong>Method #1</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Click <strong>Start</strong></li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Run</strong></li>
 	<li>Type <code>cleanmgr</code></li>
 	<li>Click <strong>OK</strong> or press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>
<strong>Method #2</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Click <strong>Start</strong></li>
 	<li>Go to All Programs</li>
 	<li>Go to Accessories</li>
 	<li>Go to System Tools</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Disk Cleanup</strong></li>
</ol>
<strong>Method #3</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Open My Computer</li>
 	<li>Right-click on the drive you want to run Disk Cleanup. This is usually <code>C:\</code>, the drive where
Windows XP is installed.</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Properties</strong></li>
 	<li>Go to the <em>General</em> tab</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Disk Cleanup</strong></li>
</ol>
<h3>Run from Command Prompt</h3>
To open Disk Cleanup via Command Prompt, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Open Command Prompt</li>
 	<li>Type this command:
<pre>c:\windows\cleanmgr.exe /d</pre>
where <code>c:\</code> is where Windows XP is installed.</li>
 	<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_5077" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/WXP_cleanmgr.png"><img class="wp-image-5077 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/WXP_cleanmgr.png" alt="Windows XP Disk Cleanup screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows XP Disk Cleanup screen[/caption]
<h2>Run Disk Cleanup in Windows Vista and 7</h2>
<h3>Run from My Computer</h3>
To open Disk Cleanup on a Windows Vista or Windows 7 computer, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Click Start</li>
 	<li>Go to All Programs &gt; Accessories &gt; System Tools</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Disk Cleanup</strong></li>
 	<li>Choose what type of files and folders to delete at the Files to delete section</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>OK</strong></li>
 	<li>To delete system files that are no longer needed, click <strong>Clean up system files</strong>. You may be
prompted by UAC (User Account Control) to confirm the action.</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Delete Files</strong></li>
</ol>
To free more space, go to the <em>More options</em> tab:
<ul>
 	<li>Click <strong>Clean up</strong> at the <em>Programs and Features</em> section to remove program files that are no longer needed</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Clean up</strong> at the <em>System Restore and Shadow Copies</em> section to remove restore points, except the last one</li>
</ul>
<h3>Run from Command Prompt</h3>
To open Disk Cleanup via Command Prompt (command line) on a Windows Vista or Windows 7:
<ol>
 	<li>Open Command Prompt</li>
 	<li>Type <code>cleanmgr</code></li>
 	<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_5078" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/W7_cleanmgr.png"><img class="wp-image-5078 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/W7_cleanmgr.png" alt="Windows 7 Disk Cleanup screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows 7 Disk Cleanup screen[/caption]
<h2>Run Disk Cleanup in Windows 8 or 8.1</h2>
<h3>Run from My Computer</h3>
To open Disk Cleanup on a Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 system, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Click Settings &gt; Click Control Panel &gt; Administrative Tools</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Disk Cleanup</strong></li>
 	<li>At the <em>Drives</em> list, select which drive you want to run Disk Cleanup on</li>
 	<li>Select which files you want to delete</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>OK</strong></li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Delete files</strong></li>
</ol>
To delete system files that are no longer needed on your computer, click <strong>Clean up system files.</strong>

Shadow copies and restore points (except the last ones) can be deleted by going to the <em>More options</em> tab &gt; Click <strong>Cleanup.</strong>

[caption id="attachment_5081" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/W8_cleanmgr.png"><img class="wp-image-5081 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/W8_cleanmgr.png" alt="Windows 8 Disk Cleanup screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows 8 Disk Cleanup screen[/caption]
<h2>Run Disk Cleanup in Windows 10</h2>
<h3>Run from My Computer</h3>
To open Disk Cleanup on a Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 system, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Type Disk Cleanup in the Search Bar</li>
 	<li>Press <strong>Enter</strong></li>
 	<li>At the <em>Drives</em> list, select which drive you want to run Disk Cleanup on</li>
 	<li>Select which files you want to delete</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>OK</strong></li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Delete files</strong></li>
</ol>
To delete system files that are no longer needed on your computer, click <strong>Clean up system files.</strong>

Shadow copies and restore points (except the last ones) can be deleted by going to the <em>More options</em> tab &gt; Click <strong>Cleanup.</strong>

[caption id="attachment_5082" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/W10_cleanmgr1.png"><img class="wp-image-5082 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/W10_cleanmgr1.png" alt="Windows 10 Disk Cleanup screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows 10 Disk Cleanup screen[/caption]
<h2>Troubleshooting</h2>
<h3>Disk Cleanup is stuck</h3>
If Disk Cleanup is getting stuck at a certain deletion process (deletion of temporary files or deletion of Windows updates), try any of the following tips:
<ul>
 	<li>Run Disk Cleanup as an Administrator</li>
 	<li>Delete the files and folders manually, but be logged in as an Administrator.If Disk Cleanup is getting stuck at deleting Internet Explorer temporary files, delete the temporary files manually. Be logged in as Administrator or as any user with administrative rights to the system when doing so.</li>
 	<li>Run a <code>sfc /scannow</code> command. To do so, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Open Command Prompt</li>
 	<li>Type <code>sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\ /offwindir=D:\Windows\</code>, where D:\ is your Windows drive letter, and D:\Windows is your Windows installation path</li>
 	<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
[caption id="attachment_5080" align="alignnone" width="768"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/sfc_result-768x576.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-5080" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/sfc_result-768x576.png" alt="Sfc utility results screen" width="768" height="576" /></a> Sfc utility results screen[/caption]
<h2>More Information</h2>
<h3>Linked Entries</h3>
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/sfc/">sfc</a></li>
</ul>
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