How to delete temporary files in Windows 11 and free up space
A full drive is usually full of things you no longer need: leftover setup files and temporary files. Here is how to clear them out safely, by hand first and then with Key.
When your drive is nearly full, the biggest wins are often the dullest files: setup programs you ran once, and temporary files that apps and Windows leave behind. They are safe to clear when you go about it the right way.
This guide shows you how to delete temporary files in Windows 11, how to find old installers, and what the Mac equivalents are. Then it shows how to ask Key to help with the finding.
What are temporary files and old installers?
Temporary files are scraps that Windows and your apps create while they work: unfinished downloads, cached data, leftovers from updates. Most are never needed again.
Old installers are the setup files you downloaded to put a program on your computer. Once the program is installed, the installer is just taking up room. They usually end up in your Downloads folder and often end in .exe or .msi on Windows, and .dmg or .pkg on a Mac.
Before you delete anything, look at what is selected. Items you delete from a folder go to the Recycle Bin first, so you can still change your mind until you empty it.
Delete temporary files in Windows 11
Windows 11 has a built-in clean-up page that lists the safe stuff for you.
- Open Start, then choose Settings › System › Storage.
- Select Cleanup recommendations.
- Look at the categories, such as Temporary files, Large or unused files, Files synced to the cloud and Unused apps. Windows shows how much space each one would free.
- Tick the items you want to remove. Read the list first; do not tick something you do not recognize.
- Select the Clean up button for that section.
Start with Temporary files. That is the part aimed at the leftovers described above.
Let Windows do it automatically
Windows also has a feature called Storage Sense. It clears temporary files for you when your drive runs low on space.
- Go to Start › Settings › System › Storage.
- Set Storage Sense to On.
- Open its settings if you want to choose when files in the Recycle Bin or your Downloads folder are deleted, based on how long they have sat unused.
By default, Storage Sense leaves your Downloads folder alone. Only change that if you are happy for old downloads to be cleared on a schedule. Storage Sense works on your main drive, usually C:.
Delete old installers in Windows 11
The clean-up page does not know which setup files you still want, so this part is yours to do.
- Open File Explorer and click Downloads in the left-hand list.
- Click the Date modified column heading, so the oldest files come together.
- Look for setup files: names with setup or installer in them, or ending in
.exeor.msi. - Click a file to select it. Hold Ctrl and click to pick several.
- Press Delete. The files go to the Recycle Bin.
- When you are sure, right-click the Recycle Bin on your Desktop and choose Empty Recycle Bin.
Keep an installer if it is for a program you might need to put back, such as one you paid for and cannot easily download again. If you are unsure, leave that one.
If your Downloads folder is a bigger mess than just installers, our guide on cleaning up your Downloads folder without losing anything goes further.
The same job on a Mac
On a Mac, the steps are a little different.
- Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings › General › Storage.
- Look at the recommendations. One of them is Empty Trash automatically, which erases items that have been in the Trash for more than 30 days.
- When space runs very low, macOS also clears some of its own temporary files, such as caches and interrupted downloads, by itself.
For old installers, open Finder, click Downloads in the sidebar and look for files ending in .dmg or .pkg. Drag them to the Trash, or select them and press Command + Delete. Then open the Trash and empty it once you are sure.
Ask Key to find the old installers
Hunting through a long Downloads folder is where most people give up. Key can do the looking for you. You speak to it or type to it, and it works in the real windows you already use. It opens your folder, finds the files and tells you what it did.
One thing matters here: Key never deletes for good. Anything it removes goes to the Recycle Bin or the Trash. There is no permanent delete in the program at all. So if it moves the wrong file, you can still get it back.
KeyChatFind the old installers in my Downloads and move them to the Recycle Bin
I moved 6 old setup files from Downloads to the Recycle Bin, so you can still restore any of them.
Half a sentence is enough. If more than one thing matches, Key asks which one you meant. While it works, a small panel shows what it is doing, and you can stop it at any point.
Key is free to download for Windows 10 and 11 and for Macs with macOS 11 Big Sur or newer. If you want to see how it treats your files, read is it safe to let an AI assistant use your computer?. To search by what is inside a file rather than its name, see how to find a file by what is inside it.
A quick routine to keep the space free
- Once a month, open Settings › System › Storage › Cleanup recommendations and clear Temporary files.
- After you install a program, delete its setup file straight away.
- Turn on Storage Sense so Windows tidies up on its own when space runs low.
- Empty the Recycle Bin or Trash only when you are sure. Until then, the space is not actually back.
A few minutes of this can win back gigabytes, and none of it needs special skills.
Try Key free
Speak to it or type to it. It opens your apps, finds your files and changes your settings, then tells you what it did.
Free, no card. Windows 10 or 11, macOS 11 or newer.