Microsoft has confirmed a bug in Windows 11 that can cause one of its system files to grow uncontrollably, consuming tens or even hundreds of gigabytes of space on the system drive.
The issue involves the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file, which is associated with the Capability Access Manager component. This component is responsible for managing app permissions—such as access to the microphone, camera, geolocation, screen recording, and other features. Under normal circumstances, this log file takes up just a few megabytes, but due to a glitch, on some computers it begins to expand rapidly.
According to Windows Latest, citing user complaints, in certain cases the file size has reached 70, 110, 200, and even over 500 GB. Meanwhile, Windows does not alert users to what is happening: built-in tools only indicate that space is being used by the “System and reserved” or “System files” sections, without revealing the true cause.
A fix has already been included in the optional update KB5095093 for Windows 11, released in June 2026. For most users, it will become available with the next monthly Patch Tuesday update, which is scheduled for July 14th.
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