While Windows 11 might seem like an impressive upgrade over Windows 10, you will still need to perform some basic tasks to maintain the computer's performance levels. 

With there being several ways you can improve the speed of your Windows computer, one thing users tend to overlook is the temp files.

Temp files and cache files can be problematic and will occupy a buck load of space on the computer. That is why it’s important to delete them regularly if you want your computer to perform at its best.

Today i’ll cover how to delete temporary files on Windows 11 and list out 5 easy methods you can try. 

Don’t worry, none of these methods will result in boot up issues or blue screen troubles and have been tried and tested.

So what are you waiting for, go ahead and learn how to speed up your Windows 11 OS with these simple steps.

• Method 1 -- Delete Temporary Files from the Settings App
• Method 2-- Use Disk Cleanup to Delete Temporary Files
• Method 3 -- Manually Delete Temporary Files using File Manager
• Method 4 -- Delete Temporary Files using Command Prompt
• Method 5 -- Use Storage Sense to Automatically Delete Temporary Files

How to Delete Temporary Files on Windows 11

Method 1 -- Delete Temporary Files from the Settings App

The first method involves using the Windows 11 Settings app to locate different temporary files and have them deleted from your computer quickly.

• Start by clicking on the Start button and then search for Storage settings by typing it out in the search bar at the top of the Start menu.

• Once the Storage settings page opens, click on Temporary Files from the list of storage options mentioned on the screen.

• Your computer will now begin to search for all temporary files and will display them all on the page before you. 

As a suggestion, do not delete Downloads as this can permanently delete any file you’ve downloaded onto the computer that is stored within your Downloads folder.

• Check the remaining boxes on the page and then click on the Remove Files button at the top of the screen

• All the temp files will not be deleted from the Windows 11 computer and you can go ahead and restart the computer to refresh the settings.

Method 2-- Use Disk Cleanup to Delete Temporary Files

Since Windows 11 integrates all the cleanup settings within the Settings app itself, it’s easy to get rid of temp files faster.

But if you’re someone who prefers using the disk cleanup tool to get rid of temporary files, here’s how you can do it on a Windows 11 computer.

• Start by pressing the Windows key + R on the keyboard.

• Once the Run prompt appears, enter cleanmgr in the empty field and click on OK

• You will be presented with a dropdown to select which drive you’d like to clean, choose New Volume C: and tap on OK

• Proceed to tap on Clean-up system files. This will calculate and pull up all temporary files found within C drive. 

• Now, click on OK at the bottom of the screen and the Temporary Internet Files and Downloaded Program Files from the drive will get deleted.

You can restart the computer to refresh its memory and for the changes to take effect.

Method 3 -- Manually Delete Temporary Files using File Manager

Professional Windows users will be familiar with this method as it involves accessing local temp folders and manually deleting temp files and cached files from the system.

To manually delete temp files on Windows 11, follow these steps.

• Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to launch the Run prompt

• Next, enter %temp% in the drop down menu and click on OK.

• This will open the Temp folder that’s located in your user directory.

• Press Ctrl + A on the keyboard to select all the files 

• Once everything has been selected, click Delete on the keyboard

• Now that you have deleted all the temp files on your computer, proceed to close the window and empty your trash bin.

Method 4 -- Delete Temporary Files using Command Prompt

You can also use Windows command prompt to delete temp files from your computer.

It might look all technical, but it’s a fun way to boost the speed and performance of your computer.

• Start by pressing the Windows key + R to launch the Run prompt.

• Proceed to enter CMD in the drop down menu and click on OK

• The command prompt window will open.

• Enter the following command and hit enter to delete any temp files from your Windows 11 computer.
  • del /q/f/s %TEMP%\*

• Once you hit enter after typing in the code, a long list of temp files will appear to be deleted from Windows 11.

• Once the task has been completed, close the command prompt window and continue with your tasks.

Method 5 -- Use Storage Sense to Automatically Delete Temporary Files

The best thing about Windows 11 is its ability to automatically delete temporary files from your computer.

All you’d have to do is configure the Storage Sense tool and voila, you’re good to go. Here’s how you can do that.

• Press the Windows key on your keyboard to launch the Start menu.

• Type Storage Sense in the search bar at the top and then click on Turn on Storage Sense from the left column to launch the application
  • You can also go to Settings > Storage > Storage Sense

• Once you’re in, enable the Storage Sense option and then configure how frequently you want Windows 11 to clear the temp files stored on the computer.

• Save the configuration and close the app.

Windows 11 will automatically clear any temporary files stored on your computer at the specific time slot you selected.

You can even run Storage Sense manually if you want to get it done ASAP.

How can I delete junk files on Windows 11?

There are a number of ways you can delete junk files from a Windows 11 computer. You can either make use of the disk cleanup tool or you can use the Windows settings app and delete temporary files and cache. 

Where can I find the temp folder in Windows 11?

In Windows 11, the temp folder is located in the user's C drive. To access the folder, navigate to this location: C:\\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Temp.

You can either copy and paste this in your File explorer bar or you can access the temp folder by launching the Run prompt (Win key + R) and then opening %temp%.

Can I delete Microsoft temp files in Windows 11?

Yes, you can delete Microsoft temp files in Windows 11 by pressing the Windows + I shortcut to open the Settings app. From here navigate to System > Storage > Temporary Files. Click on Microsoft Temp Files and delete its contents.

How to perform disk cleanup in Windows 11?

To perform a disk cleanup on a Windows 11 computer, press Windows + R to open the Run prompt and then type cleanmgr and hit on OK. Select C drive from the drop down menu and proceed to perform the disk cleanup for that drive.