Windows users, striving for perfect order on their computers, resort to various utilities for system cleanup. The motivation is clear – to remove temporary files, free up hard drive space, and thereby speed up system performance.
IT experts stated that there is actually no need for third-party solutions – Windows is quite capable of handling this task on its own. Specialists explained that this does not pertain to reinstalling Windows with disk formatting; rather, it refers to removing superfluous “junk” – temporary files, cache, and other unnecessary elements that accumulate over time. Microsoft has its own optimizer called Microsoft PC Manager.
In a recent announcement, the corporation reminded users about Windows’ built-in tools – free and accessible to every user. The first and simplest of these is Storage Sense. It automatically frees up space on the system drive – deleting temporary files and emptying the recycle bin. Often this feature is disabled by default, but its activation requires just a couple of clicks: “Settings – System – Storage – Storage Sense”. After enabling, the system autonomously maintains cleanliness.
Another useful instrument is Disk Cleanup. It scans the selected drive and allows manual marking of which files need to be removed. Clicking the “Clean up system files” button reveals a broader list: cleaning Windows updates, delivery optimization files, DirectX cache, and other objects that sometimes occupy several gigabytes. However, one should exercise extra caution here. Among the additional options is the ability to remove restore points and volume shadow copies, which Microsoft and experts advise against touching without compelling reasons.
Microsoft reminded users about the possibility of manually cleaning the Temp folder. Usually, Windows automatically deletes temporary files, but sometimes they “get stuck” and build up. They can be deleted manually – the system will skip files that are still in use. What should definitely be avoided is tampering with the C-Windows-Prefetch folder. Contrary to popular online advice, its contents help Windows operate faster.
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