If your Windows 10 PC feels sluggish and your storage looks perilously full, running the built‑in Disk Cleanup tool is one of the fastest, safest first steps to reclaim space and remove transient cruft—yet many users never run it, or don’t realize the deeper options that make it genuinely effective. Recent beginner guides have re‑emphasized that Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) and the newer Storage Sense features together cover most everyday space problems, and they explain the simple UI steps plus the command‑line and advanced maintenance options that power users and admins should know.
Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) is the long‑standing, built‑in Windows utility that identifies and removes temporary files, caches, installer leftovers, and optional system artifacts such as previous Windows installations. Over time Microsoft introduced Storage Sense—a Settings‑based automation and cleanup framework that can run on a schedule and handle many of the same file classes automatically. Both tools remain supported: Disk Cleanup can be invoked via GUI or command line, while Storage Sense provides a safer, automated approach targeted at everyday users.
History and positioning
Common removable categories
GUI method (simple)
What Storage Sense can do
WinSxS (Component Store) and DISM
Key risks
Group Policy / MDM
Source: MSPoweruser How To Run Disk Cleanup On Windows 10: A Beginner's Guide
Source: MSPoweruser How To Run Disk Cleanup On Windows 10: A Beginner's Guide
Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) is the long‑standing, built‑in Windows utility that identifies and removes temporary files, caches, installer leftovers, and optional system artifacts such as previous Windows installations. Over time Microsoft introduced Storage Sense—a Settings‑based automation and cleanup framework that can run on a schedule and handle many of the same file classes automatically. Both tools remain supported: Disk Cleanup can be invoked via GUI or command line, while Storage Sense provides a safer, automated approach targeted at everyday users. History and positioning
- Disk Cleanup is the original, manual cleanup utility that exposes granular categories and the important Clean up system files option for deeper removals.
- Storage Sense arrived later (available in Windows 10 version 1809 and above) to automate routine cleanup and integrate cloud‑aware behaviors (OneDrive Files On‑Demand). Microsoft documents Storage Sense as the modern, user‑facing replacement for many routine tasks Disk Cleanup handled.
- Small SSDs and systems with growing WinSxS or update caches can run out of space, which harms update reliability, paging, and app responsiveness.
- Cleaning temporary and update payload files often yields immediate free space—sometimes several gigabytes—restoring headroom for Windows to update and function normally.
What Disk Cleanup actually removes (and what it doesn’t)
Disk Cleanup groups removable items into categories. Understanding them helps you choose what to delete safely.Common removable categories
- Temporary files — installers, leftover temp data from apps.
- Downloaded Program Files — ActiveX / plugin installers used by legacy components.
- Temporary Internet Files / Browser caches — locally cached web resources.
- Recycle Bin — items you already marked for deletion.
- Delivery Optimization Files — peer‑to‑peer update cache used by Windows Update.
- Windows Update Cleanup / Previous Windows installations (Windows.old) — large system artifacts left after upgrades. Removing these is irreversible (you lose the ability to roll back that upgrade).
- System restore and shadow copies (offered under "More Options") — removing older restore points frees space but reduces rollback capability.
- Personal documents, user profiles, or installed programs (unless you explicitly uninstall).
- Critical system files required by the running OS (the UI is conservative about what it offers).
- Files stored in cloud services that are only pointers (unless Storage Sense is configured to make them online‑only).
Quick, step‑by‑step: How to run Disk Cleanup on Windows 10 (beginner friendly)
This is the essential, no‑risk first pass most users should perform.GUI method (simple)
- Click Start and type Disk Cleanup, then select the Disk Cleanup app.
- Choose the drive to clean (usually C
. - Wait while Disk Cleanup scans and presents removable categories.
- Check the boxes for items you want removed (Recycle Bin, Temporary files, Delivery Optimization files, etc.).
- Click OK and confirm Delete Files.
- In the Disk Cleanup window, click Clean up system files. Disk Cleanup will relaunch with elevated privileges.
- The extended list includes Windows Update Cleanup, Previous Windows installation(s), and other system artifacts.
- Select the items you want to remove and click OK. Be mindful: deleting Windows.old or update files prevents rolling back a feature update.
- To start Disk Cleanup for a specific drive:
- c:\windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe /d C:
- To create a saved cleanup profile:
- cleanmgr /sageset:n — opens a dialog to choose options and stores them under profile n (replace n with a number 0–9999).
- cleanmgr /sagerun:n — runs the stored profile unattended (useful for Task Scheduler).
- For unattended low‑disk invocation:
- cleanmgr /LOWDISK or cleanmgr /VERYLOWDISK.
Storage Sense and Cleanup recommendations: automated alternatives
If you’d rather set and forget, Storage Sense (Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense) automates common cleanup tasks and is Microsoft’s recommended automation path.What Storage Sense can do
- Automatically remove temporary files.
- Empty the Recycle Bin after a configured number of days.
- Automatically remove files in Downloads that haven’t been opened for a set period (user‑configurable).
- On devices signed into OneDrive, make unused files online‑only when disk space is low.
- Go to Start > Settings > System > Storage.
- Toggle Storage Sense to On.
- Click Configure Storage Sense or run it now and choose cadence and deletion rules.
- Optionally click Run Storage Sense now to perform an immediate pass.
- Use Storage Sense for ongoing, low‑risk automation and cloud‑aware behaviors.
- Use Disk Cleanup for a one‑off, manual, granular cleanup—especially when you need to remove large system artifacts after upgrades.
Advanced maintenance: DISM, WinSxS, Delivery Optimization, and other targeted cleanups
When the usual tools don’t reclaim enough space, these targeted steps are appropriate for advanced users or IT pros.WinSxS (Component Store) and DISM
- The WinSxS folder is Windows’ component store and grows as updates install.
- Use DISM to analyze and safely reclaim superseded components:
- Analyze: dism /online /cleanup-image /analyzecomponentstore
- Cleanup: dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup
- Aggressive: dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase (this removes older component versions permanently and prevents uninstalling updates).
- /ResetBase is irreversible—do not run it unless you are certain you will not need to uninstall updates.
- Some DISM operations can take a long time and may be blocked by pending updates; schedule them during maintenance windows.
- Verify results with AnalyzeComponentStore before aggressive cleanup.
- Peer‑to‑peer update caching (Delivery Optimization) can consume significant space on machines that cache updates for other PCs.
- Disk Cleanup exposes “Delivery Optimization Files,” or you can clear the cache via Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files > Delivery Optimization.
- If you clear this cache, future updates may need to re‑download more data; weigh that cost against reclaimed disk space.
- Sometimes updates get stuck; clearing SoftwareDistribution\Download can help but requires stopping Windows Update services first:
- Stop service: net stop wuauserv
- Rename or clear C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
- Start service: net start wuauserv
- This is a troubleshooting step—don’t delete contents casually.
- Disable hibernation to remove hiberfil.sys if you never use Hibernation: powercfg -h off.
- Trim System Restore allocation via System Properties > System Protection to reduce reserved restore space (do it conservatively).
- Rebuild Search index if Windows.edb or Windows.db grows unexpectedly; choose Indexing Options > Advanced > Rebuild. On Windows 11 the index format changed, so verify your OS version before applying older ESE tools.
A safe, recommended cleanup workflow (practical routine)
This ordered sequence balances gains and safety—use it as a monthly or quarterly maintenance routine.- Back up irreplaceable files (cloud or external drive).
- Run Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations; review before deleting.
- Run Disk Cleanup (Clean up system files) and remove Windows Update Cleanup only if you don’t need a rollback.
- Run DISM AnalyzeComponentStore and, if recommended, StartComponentCleanup.
- Empty Recycle Bin and review Downloads manually.
- Consider Storage Sense for ongoing automation with conservative settings.
- If update problems persist, follow targeted SoftwareDistribution or Delivery Optimization troubleshooting steps with services stopped and restarted.
Troubleshooting, risks and what to avoid
Disk‑level housekeeping is mostly safe when you stick to the built‑in tools, but several pitfalls deserve emphasis.Key risks
- Deleting Windows.old or using DISM /ResetBase removes rollback options—always ensure the system is stable before proceeding.
- Aggressively running third‑party “one‑click” cleaners can remove application state, browser cookies or saved credentials; prefer Microsoft’s tools for most users.
- Deleting files from system folders manually (WinSxS, Program Files, Windows) can break the OS. Use DISM, Disk Cleanup, or Storage Sense instead.
- If CPU, memory pressure, or a failing drive are the root causes, freeing disk space is only a partial fix. Use Task Manager to inspect process resource usage, run SFC /scannow, DISM /RestoreHealth, and check drive SMART data. Consider hardware upgrades (SSD, more RAM) if bottlenecks persist.
- Exact space savings are highly variable per system; claims like “you’ll free X GB” depend entirely on usage and update history. Treat any numeric expectations as estimates, and verify by running Disk Cleanup/Analyze tools on your device.
Enterprise and admin considerations
In managed environments, the same tools apply but should be governed by policy.Group Policy / MDM
- Storage Sense can be configured via Group Policy / MDM to enforce conservative cleanup profiles across fleets.
- Schedule DISM tasks and Disk Cleanup profiles via Task Scheduler or management tools, and document which teams are authorized to run irreversible operations (for example, /ResetBase).
- Trim component store and remove feature payloads before capturing images. Consider filesystem compression (CompactOS) or Features on Demand to keep images lean, but test thoroughly—these changes affect performance and update rollback capability.
- Some cached or temporary files may contain sensitive tokens or PII; regular automated cleanup reduces exposure windows.
- Avoid third‑party cleaners that collect telemetry or run opaque removals; prefer vetted, documented enterprise tools or Microsoft’s built‑in options.
Practical tips, pro tricks and automation examples
- Schedule Disk Cleanup with a saved profile:
- Run cleanmgr /sageset:1 and check the boxes you want.
- Create a scheduled task that runs cleanmgr /sagerun:1 monthly.
This provides repeatable maintenance without user interaction. - Use Storage Sense in tandem with OneDrive Files On‑Demand to keep rarely used files local‑placeholder only, saving local SSD space while preserving accessibility.
- Before trimming System Restore or running /ResetBase, create a full image backup—this preserves a recovery option if something goes wrong.
- When troubleshooting Windows Update problems, analyze and clear the component store with DISM only after confirming there are no pending rollbacks and after creating a restore point or image.
Critical analysis: strengths, shortcomings and recommendations
Strengths- The combination of Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense gives users both precise control and reliable automation for typical storage issues.
- Microsoft’s built‑in tools are conservative and avoid removing user data by default, reducing the risk compared with many third‑party cleaners.
- The coexistence of Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense causes confusion: beginners ask which to use. The safe answer is both—Storage Sense for ongoing automation, Disk Cleanup for manual deep cleans—yet the messaging could be clearer in Settings.
- Some advanced maintenance (DISM, component store cleanup) remains command‑line dominated and can intimidate nontechnical users. More guided, reversible UI options would reduce reliance on forums and documentation.
- Irreversible cleanup actions need clearer in‑UI warnings and simpler rollback guidance (for example, explicit “You will not be able to uninstall updates after this action” prompts tied to DISM/ResetBase‑equivalents).
- Provide a clear, centralized “Storage health” dashboard that integrates Disk Cleanup recommendations, Storage Sense settings, WinSxS analysis and the ability to schedule safe cleanups—this would lower the error rate for end users.
- For most users: run Cleanup recommendations, then Disk Cleanup (system files), and enable Storage Sense with conservative settings.
- For power users / admins: add DISM AnalyzeComponentStore to your monthly maintenance, schedule cleanmgr /sagerun tasks for consistent housekeeping, and always image or back up before irreversible operations.
Conclusion
Disk Cleanup remains an essential, low‑risk tool for reclaiming disk space on Windows 10, and when combined with Storage Sense it forms a dependable maintenance strategy for both casual and advanced users. Use Disk Cleanup’s Clean up system files option for deep sweeps after upgrades, configure Storage Sense for regular automation, and resort to DISM /StartComponentCleanup only when you need to reclaim WinSxS space and you understand the rollback tradeoffs. Follow the safe, ordered workflow outlined here, automate what you can with saved cleanmgr profiles, and always back up before irreversible operations—those simple habits will keep storage healthy and updates reliable without risking system recoverability.Source: MSPoweruser How To Run Disk Cleanup On Windows 10: A Beginner's Guide
Source: MSPoweruser How To Run Disk Cleanup On Windows 10: A Beginner's Guide