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6 Ways to Remove Junk Files from Windows 10 PC/Laptop

Isabella Shinn
Isabella Shinn

Updated:

The longer you use your computer, the more junk files it accumulates. This is especially true if you do not clean it up regularly. Having too many junk files will consume valuable hard drive space and even slow down your computer. So, in this piece, we will show you how to remove junk files from a Windows 10 PC or laptop. There are six ways for you to choose.


Way 1: Get rid of junk files by emptying the Recycle Bin

When you no longer need a file, you usually right-click it and then select Delete to delete it. But in fact, the deleted files do not disappear from your computer immediately, but are temporarily moved to the Recycle Bin and continue to occupy your hard disk space. If you never empty the Recycle Bin, the junk files stored in it can accumulate up to several gigabytes over time. Therefore, empty the Recycle Bin regularly. This is an effective and effortless way that allows you to get rid of unnecessary junk files from your computer in time.

empty recycle bin

Way 2: Remove junk files with iSumsoft DupFile Refixer

When you accidentally download, save or copy the same file for many times, it may create multiple duplicate files on Computer. Most of these duplicate files are unnecessary and space-wasting, which can be the junk files on your Computer. If you are looking for ways to quickly find and delete duplicate files on Windows Computer, here you should definately try to use a professional duplicate file finder named iSumsoft DupFile Refixer. It is a clean and easy-to-use tool that can help you automatically find and mass delete dupliate files such as photos, video, music, document, etc. at ease without manually searching folder.

Here you can install iSumsoft DupFile Refixer to remove unwanted duplicate files.

Download

Step 1: Click Add icon to choose a drive/folder to scan for duplicate files and then click Settings button.

click Add icon

Step 2: In scan settings, choose the scan file type and size. After setting, click OK and Start scanning.

scan settings

Step 3: Once the scan report is clearly displayed, one-click on the box for File Name to select all types of duplicate files to delete. This will free up your Computer space and boost your Computer performance.

choose duplicate files to delete in one click

Way 3: Delete system junk files using command prompt

When your Windows 10 system is processing tasks, the system itself and some applications automatically create temporary files in the background. These files are for temporary use only. When they are no longer needed, they become junk files, and the system does not automatically delete them. Therefore, you need to delete such junk files manually. Follow these steps.

Step 1: Run Command Prompt as administrator.

Step 2: Type del/q/f/s %temp%\* and hit Enter. Command Prompt will delete all temporary files except those currently in use by the system.

delete temporary files with cmd

Way 4: Remove junk files with Disk Cleanup

The Windows system generates more types of junk files apart from temporary files, such as Windows upgrade log files, offline webpage caches, etc. So, Microsoft designs the Disk Cleanup tool in all versions of Windows 10 to help you remove various junk files in one go. Here are the steps.

Step 1: Type disk cleanup in the search box on the taskbar, and then hit Enter. This will start the Disk Cleanup app built in Windows 10.

Step 2: Disk Cleanup will ask you to select the drive you want to clean up. Since system junk files are generated on the OS drive by default, just select your OS drive and click on OK to continue.

select C drive

Step 3: After the Disk Cleanup window opens, click on Clean up system files.

clean up system files

Step 4: Various unnecessary system files are now listed in the window. Check all file types you want to delete and click OK to delete them permanently from your Windows computer. The deletion process may take several minutes, depending on the size of the files to be deleted.

delete system junk files

Way 5: Automatically remove junk files using Storage Sense

Storage Sense is another tool integrated in Windows 10, which allows you to set your computer to clean up junk files automatically. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open Settings using Win + I. Then choose the System option on the home page.

select System

Step 2: Select Storage on the left pane. On the right pane, turn on the "Storage sense" button and then click on "Change how we free up space automatically".

turn on storage sense

Step 3: On the next page, you can choose how often you want Storage sense to automatically remove unnecessary files. Tick the checkbox under Temporary Files so that Storage sense will automatically delete system temporary files, Recycle Bin files, and unwanted files in the Downloads folder.

delete junk files automatically

Way 6: Clean junk files with iSumsoft System Refixer

In fact, there are some other unnecessary files generated by the Windows system that Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense can't reach, such as invalid and broken registry files, font caches, etc. In order to remove these junk files from your Windows 10 computer, you can use a more advanced PC cleaning tool like iSumsoft System Refixer. Here are the steps.

Step 1: Download and install iSumsoft System Refixer on your computer. After installation, launch this tool.

Step 2: Select the Clean All option on the top of the main interface, and then click on Scan. It will immediately perform a full scan of your computer and find all unnecessary junk files.

click Scan

Step 3: When the scan is complete, all junk files are displayed on the screen. Click the Clean button in the upper right corner to remove all junk files at once.

click Clean