Key takeaways
- Search method: Press Windows + S, type Disk Cleanup or cleanmgr, press Enter.
- Run dialog method: Press Windows + R, type cleanmgr, press Enter, select (C:) from the dropdown, click OK.
- Drive Properties method: Press Windows + E to open File Explorer, right-click Local Disk (C:) > Properties > General tab > Disk Cleanup.
To run Disk Cleanup on Windows 11, press Windows + S, type Disk Cleanup, select it, choose drive C:, click OK, then click Clean up system files to remove temp files, Windows Update Cleanup, and Delivery Optimization files safely. For automatic cleanup, use Storage Sense at Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense instead — Disk Cleanup is still built into Windows 11 in 2026 and does not require a download.
How to run Disk Cleanup on Windows 11
If you searched for disk cleanup win11, how to run disk cleanup windows 11, or disc cleanup windows 11, these are all the same built-in tool: cleanmgr.exe. There are three ways to open it:
- Search method: Press Windows + S, type Disk Cleanup or cleanmgr, press Enter.
- Run dialog method: Press Windows + R, type cleanmgr, press Enter, select (C:) from the dropdown, click OK.
- Drive Properties method: Press Windows + E to open File Explorer, right-click Local Disk (C:) > Properties > General tab > Disk Cleanup.
Basic cleanup in 4 steps:
- 1. Open Disk Cleanup and select C: if prompted.
- 2. Check categories like Temporary Internet Files, DirectX Shader Cache, Recycle Bin, Temporary files, and Thumbnails. Click OK > Delete Files.
- 3. Re-open Disk Cleanup as administrator to see system files: click Clean up system files at the bottom left, select C: again.
- 4. Check Windows Update Cleanup and Delivery Optimization Files, click OK > Delete Files > Yes. Allow 2-10 minutes to finish. Do not force-shutdown during this.
You do not need a disk cleanup windows 11 download. If a website offers cleanmgr.exe, Disk-Cleanup-Pro, or similar to download, do not install it. The Microsoft-supported tool is already in C:\Windows\System32\cleanmgr.exe on Windows 11 Home and Pro. Information on site:microsoft.com confirms the same guidance: use Disk Cleanup or Settings > System > Storage to free space.
What is safe to delete in Deep Windows 11 Disk Cleanup
A deep Windows 11 disk cleanup means running Disk Cleanup with Clean up system files plus clearing Delivery Optimization, shader cache, and old Windows Update backups. Here is what each major category typically holds and whether to delete it:
| Cleanup category | Typical size on a full 256GB drive | Safe to delete? |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update Cleanup | 2 GB – 8 GB | Yes, if Windows Update is working normally and you do not plan to uninstall the latest cumulative update |
| Delivery Optimization Files | 1 GB – 5 GB | Yes, these are cached update parts shared to other PCs on your network |
| Temporary files | 500 MB – 3 GB | Yes |
| DirectX Shader Cache | 300 MB – 1.5 GB | Yes, games will rebuild it on next launch, first load may be slower |
| Recycle Bin | 0 MB – 10 GB+ | Yes, if you have checked it contains nothing you need |
| Downloads folder (via Storage Sense only) | Variable | Only if you enabled it intentionally – leave unchecked by default |
| Previous Windows installations (Windows.old) | 15 GB – 25 GB | Yes, but only after 10+ days and you are sure you will not roll back to Windows 10 or a prior build |
| Device driver packages | 200 MB – 1 GB | Usually yes, but leave unchecked if you frequently roll back GPU or printer drivers |
Reasoning: Windows Update Cleanup and Windows.old look large because Windows keeps a full copy of superseded components for 10 days for recovery. Once you are stable on the current build, those copies serve no purpose and can be re-downloaded from Windows Update if needed. Never check Windows ESD installation files unless you have installation media ready, because deleting it removes the Reset This PC local image.
For a deeper manual pass after Disk Cleanup, press Windows + R and check these locations:
- %temp% – your user temp folder. Select all > Delete. Skip files in use.
- C:\Windows\Temp – system temp folder. Requires administrator permission.
- Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files – the modern equivalent that covers the same categories with checkboxes and size estimates.
Run Disk Cleanup automatically on Windows 11
Microsoft is phasing out scheduled Disk Cleanup in favor of Storage Sense. To run disk cleanup automatically in Windows 11, use this path:
- Press Windows + I to open Settings, go to System > Storage > Storage Sense.
- Turn on Automatic User content cleanup.
- Set Run Storage Sense to Every week. Set Delete files in Recycle Bin if they have been there for over to 30 days. Set Delete files in Downloads folder to Never unless you want automatic deletion.
- Click Run Storage Sense now to test it immediately.
This configuration typically reclaims 1-4 GB per month on a general-use PC without touching documents, because it targets temp files, Recycle Bin, and Delivery Optimization cache.
Automatic Disk Cleanup with Task Scheduler (advanced)
If you manage multiple PCs and want the classic cleanmgr to run silent, use Sageset:
- 1. Press Windows + R, type cleanmgr /sageset:1, press Enter. Check the categories you want to automate, click OK. This saves a profile numbered 1.
- 2. To run it, use cleanmgr /sagerun:1. Test it once from Windows + R.
- 3. To schedule it, press Windows + S, type Task Scheduler, create Basic Task > Weekly > Action: Start a program > Program: cleanmgr.exe > Add arguments: /sagerun:1 > check Run with highest privileges.
Why sageset/sagerun instead of /verylowdisk? The /verylowdisk switch runs without prompts but cleans everything with defaults, which can empty the Recycle Bin unexpectedly. Sageset lets you exclude Recycle Bin and Downloads.
Disk Cleanup vs Storage Sense vs Temporary Files: which to use
Use this decision matrix based on your situation:
| Your situation | Best tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Drive is 90%+ full and you need space now | Disk Cleanup + Clean up system files | Only tool that reliably clears Windows Update Cleanup and Windows.old on demand |
| You want set-and-forget maintenance | Storage Sense at System > Storage | Runs weekly automatically, no Task Scheduler needed |
| Low space after a feature update to 24H2/25H2 | Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files | Shows size per category before deletion, clearer than Disk Cleanup |
| C: is a small 128GB SSD with 5-10 GB free | All three + move OneDrive to Files On-Demand | System cache alone will refill in weeks; you need ongoing policy, not one-time cleanup |
Practical rule: if you have less than 15-20 GB free on C:, Windows Update will start failing. Run a manual deep cleanup first to get above 20 GB, then turn on Storage Sense weekly to stay there.
Disk Cleanup not working or not freeing space: fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Clean up system files button does nothing | Not running as admin or corrupted system files | Press Windows + S, right-click Disk Cleanup > Run as administrator. If still stuck, run in Terminal (Admin): sfc /scannow, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, reboot and retry |
| Disk Cleanup stuck on Windows Update Cleanup | TrustedInstaller still in use or pending reboot | Wait 15 minutes, reboot, then Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, reboot again, re-run cleanmgr. Do not delete C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution manually |
| Frees 0 MB or only a few MB | Space is used by apps, games, hiberfil.sys or pagefile, not temp files | Check Settings > System > Storage > Show more categories. Disable hibernation with powercfg /hibernate off in Terminal (Admin) to remove hiberfil.sys (typically 6-12 GB on 16GB RAM). Move Steam/EA games to D: via app settings |
| Disk Cleanup missing from search | System files corrupted or cleanmgr removed in custom image | Run cleanmgr directly via Windows + R. If file missing, run sfc /scannow. No separate download exists from Microsoft |
| Storage Sense deleted files you wanted | Downloads auto-delete enabled | Go to System > Storage > Storage Sense and set Delete files in my Downloads folder to Never. Restore from Recycle Bin or OneDrive version history if within 30 days |
If Disk Cleanup calculates for a long time, that is normal on HDDs. Let the Scanning: Calculating how much space you will be able to free bar finish. Closing it mid-scan forces it to rescan from zero next time.
FAQ
Is Disk Cleanup still available in Windows 11?
Yes. Despite Storage Sense being promoted, cleanmgr.exe is still present in Windows 11 in 2026. Microsoft documents both tools. Disk Cleanup is deprecated in the sense it gets no new features, but it is not removed.
How often should I run Disk Cleanup on Windows 11?
Run a manual Clean up system files after each monthly Patch Tuesday or feature update, and leave Storage Sense on weekly for background temp files. Running Disk Cleanup daily provides no extra benefit.
Will Disk Cleanup delete my personal files?
No, if you leave Downloads unchecked. It only deletes cache, temp, log, Recycle Bin, and old update backups. Your Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and installed apps are untouched.
