The Windows 10 Autumn Creators Update brings a number of new features to Microsoft'southward operating arrangement - some more meaning than others. Windows 10 is a solid operating system that has kept receiving a good slew of fixes and feature enhancements free of charge since its release, on a potentially free OS upgrade if you come from a Windows vii or 8 PC.

After the update you may discover some icons and shortcuts you had probably deleted, similar the Windows Store or the Border browser icon on the taskbar, have been added back. That'southward just old Microsoft keeping to old means, but that's hands fixed.

At present, something that may non be equally obvious is that the big update is treated almost similar a Windows upgrade. To keep on the safe side, Microsoft'due south install setup saves a full copy of your current Windows installation (that's the Windows.old directory right there), and while this volition come up handy in case something goes wrong or you demand to revert back, it will as well occupy several gigabytes of precious storage.

This is non new to Windows x, only it is somewhat surprising to see a full backup performed afterward a mere update which in Microsoft'south eyes may be more akin to Service Packs of yesteryear. If yous take plenty of free space and don't mind the untidiness, you can only ignore the binder and it should exist deleted automatically 30 days after the update. If you recall you may want to revert back changes, deleting this folder will have away that option from your hands as well.

Just if yous are strapped for storage space, yous tin use Windows' own tools to remove it. In fact, as role of the Fall Creators Update, Microsoft has kept calculation more options to the Windows Settings which is slowly condign a de-facto, more user friendly version of the full Control Console. A new option in Settings chosen "Storage sense" is meant to help y'all reduce clutter and save storage infinite. It also allows manual runs for deleting temporary files and removing the Windows.old folder with a few clicks. Here's how you do it:

For Windows 10 Autumn Creators Update and later

Step 1. Go to Settings, then cull System.

Step ii. From the left side bill of fare, cull Storage.

In the department 'Storage sense' click where it says "Change how we free upward space"

Footstep 3. Under "Free up space now," you tin select the option to delete the previous installation of Windows 10.

Then click on the push "Clean now."

Stride iv. Wait for Windows to gather the files and delete them. Afterwards it will show a bulletin when information technology's done.
On my 256GB SSD, I was able to free up almost 22GB of space.

Step v. Storage sense is a new OS feature that is disabled by default, but in this department you volition learn what it does and how it might brand exist good for you to enable information technology to delete temporary files, empty the recycle bin after a certain period of time, or fifty-fifty files in the Downloads folder. We'll leave that decision up to y'all.

Culling Mode of Removal (works in previous Windows versions)

If you try to delete the Windows.old directory using File Explorer, the OS will prevent you from doing so every bit they are considered system files. You could bypass these after meddling with permissions settings, but there's no need to practice that...

Pace i. Go to Outset and type 'Deejay Cleanup'.

Step 2. Open Deejay Cleanup and select your principal system bulldoze.
The tool will scan your drive for unnecessary files and quondam cached data. However the Windows.one-time directory won't exist accounted for.

Step 3. Select the selection "Clean upwards system files" near the bottom of the window. Select your main bulldoze again and the scan process will be repeated.

Step 4. The result of the scan will display unlike types of information, from Recycle Bin files to temporary cyberspace cache. This time around, "Temporary Windows installation files" will be there, accounting from as fiddling as 9GB to every bit much as 25GB, or more than.

Step five. Select all the files you want to remove, including the Windows installation files. Click OK. Then confirm the subsequent prompts.

If you are using a modestly sized SSD, you'll appreciate gaining the extra space dorsum.

In case y'all're wondering, it's completely safety to clean up whatsoever of the files listed by this tool -- just don't delete the Recycle Bin contents if you desire to recover something later (!). Other third party cleaning tools like CCleaner can also be used although in this example, it's non necessary.

Still haven't got the Windows 10 Autumn Creators Update?

If y'all oasis't already received the update, it will download and install automatically in the coming days and weeks provided yous've called the auto download/install settings. You tin can also prompt it manually by going into Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates.

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