The temp folder in Windows 7, 8 and XP stores temporary and intermediate elements that are created by programs and the OS. Most of these elements are files with the extension (.tmp). At their core, they are trash.
Sometimes these files are not deleted after finishing working with programs. Over time, objects accumulate and the temp folder takes up a lot of space. Can reach several tens of GB.
Is it possible to delete the temp folder– the answer is no. The directory itself does not need to be demolished, but it must be cleared to free up disk space.
Where is the temp folder in Windows– this directory is located in several places, namely:
- At the root of the system drive (usually drive C).
- In the Windows folder itself.
- On the system partition C:\Users\account name\AppData\Local\Temp
- In XP - C:\Documents and Settings\account name\Local Settings\Temp
Note: The account name is the user name that is specified when Windows is installed.
Note: to see the AppData directory.
Now you know what the temp folder is, where it is located, and what is stored in it. It's time to look at cleansing methods.
Cleaning the temp folder using standard methods
1. The simplest and quick method clear temp folder, this is to go to it, press CTRL + A (), click on the DEL key and confirm deletion. However, not all elements can be destroyed.
Close all programs and repeat the procedure. If you see the message again, restart your PC and go through the steps again.
2. Right-click on the C drive (you may have a different one) and select “properties”. Then click the "disk cleanup" button.
IN open window It is possible to clean various temporary files, including those from the temp folder. From here you can even safely, if available.
Check the entire list and click OK. In the confirmation window, click “delete files”.
3. The method is that you. For example, We will clean temp in the Windows directory. and write:
DEL /F /S /Q /A "c:\windows\temp\*"
Press Enter and wait until the end of the procedure.
Of course, no one will clean it like this, then I suggest creating a txt and bat file. Write in the body file lines similar to the command above, only with your own paths and save it on your desktop, then double-click to run it. For myself I did this:
DEL /F /S /Q /A "C:\Windows\Temp\*"
DEL /F /S /Q /A "C:\Temp\*"
DEL /F /S /Q /A "C:\Users\Alex\AppData\Local\Temp\*"
You can copy and correct these lines. Thus, in a few seconds you can clear the temp folder on Windows 7, 8 and XP in several places at once.
Cleaning using programs
The programs are worth using because they are not limited to just cleaning and removing unnecessary items. With their help, PC operation is accelerated and optimized. Here is a list of utilities that will help you delete the contents of the temp folder:
- CCleaner
- System Cleaner
- SBMAV Disk Cleaner
- And others
For example, let's take a closer look at the CCleaner utility:
1. download and install CCleaner.
2. Go to the “cleaning” section, look at the “windows” and “applications” tabs. Here you need to tick the boxes to suit your individual needs. If you check and clear all the items, this will not interfere with the operation of the system, but inconveniences may arise, for example, the absence of entered addresses or saved passwords in the browser, etc.
3. For cleaning the temp folder I selected the items that you will see in the screenshot below. Next, I clicked the “analysis” button to collect information on the objects to be deleted.
4. After assessing the volume of data to be destroyed, clicked the “clean” button and OK.
5. The utility reported cleaning, and I closed it.
So we figured it out, what is the temp folder in Windows 7, 8, XP, and how to clean it. Regularly delete its contents and do not allow it to big size. Use everything possible ways cleaning. Most effective method use, but do not neglect programs like CCleaner.
There are a lot of different folders or processes in Windows that take up a lot of space, both physical and operational. Many users are so afraid of the computer and the OS that they don’t even want to get into the system disk, but sometimes this needs to be done. In particular, today I will write to you about Temp folder.
What is the temp folder for?
In the operating room Windows system Many different processes are constantly happening, belonging both to the OS itself and installed programs. In the process of this work, in order to save the intermediate or unfinished result of their activity, all running applications create temporary data files and actively use them. It is precisely the Temp folder in Windows that is the storage of temporary files.
Where is the temp folder?
So it has about 5 paths, but usually it is located and takes up the most space along the path
(system_drive):\Users\(user)\AppData\Local\Temp
Read about the AppData folder in the article
Is it possible to delete the temp folder
It is possible and necessary. This will not do anything to the system. But it’s better to do this before turning off the computer and ending the session. But you can right now enter in the address bar of Explorer %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp and, having selected everything, delete.
Be prepared that not all files and folders will be deleted. An error may appear indicating that they are busy.
How to clear the temp folder
You can use not the direct method described above, but a more correct one - through Disk Cleanup.
Right-click on the OS disk and select Properties. In this window, click the button Disk Cleanup
We are waiting for the information to be collected
Now select temporary files and clear
By the way, you can delete others too.
Let's modernize it a little this method and make sure that the temporary folder is cleared when the computer is turned off.
1)
Click RMB on To my computer and choose Properties.
2)
On the left edge select Advanced System Settings.
3)
In this window we select Environment Variables
4) Changing the TEMP and TMP values
to C:/Windows/Temp
5) Create a file in Notepad with any name and content:
pushd %TEMP% && rd /s /q . > nul 2>&1
pushd %WinDir%\TEMP && rd /s /q . > nul 2>&1
and save with cmd extension.
For example alex.cmd
or download from here
6) Opening Group Policy Editor (Win + R-> enter gpedit.msc) and go along the path Computer Configuration -> Windows Configuration -> Scripts (startup/shutdown).
7) We highlight Completed work and click the link Properties
Many are faced with the problem of shortage free space on your hard drive. The disk on which the operating system itself is installed becomes especially clogged. This is due to the fact that there are a lot of folders on it, which the system itself fills with the information it needs. This problem is also relevant for Windows 7. You can clean system folders from unnecessary garbage either manually or using special programs.
Windows 7 system folders: the need for cleaning and possible consequences
Each of the system folders has its own purpose and stores information of a certain kind. Before cleaning the disk, carefully read what function a particular folder is responsible for, otherwise you may lose important data or severely damage the operating system, which will lead to its failure:
Video: what files can be deleted on the system disk
What not to do when cleaning system folders
Please read the features of the above folders carefully. Before you empty one of them, consider whether you might need its contents in the future. Some folders, such as Windows or System32, should not be touched at all. And don't try to empty folders by simply deleting their contents. This will lead to the fact that remnants of them are stored in the computer’s memory, which in the future will begin to clutter and overload the system. There are only a few folders that can be cleaned manually:
Under no circumstances should you delete the folders themselves, this will lead to critical errors in the system; you only need to erase their contents. Also, before clearing system folders, make sure you can free up memory using other methods, for example, by uninstalling third-party applications and games.
Methods for cleaning up Windows 7 system folders
If you still decide to clear HDD from accumulated third-party files, the easiest way is to use the built-in Windows functions. There are two initial options - standard and advanced cleaning.
Standard cleaning
Using the standard cleanup method, you will get rid of the following files and folders:
To carry out standard cleaning hard drive, follow these steps:
Open the properties of the system disk
Go to the “General” section
Select the files we want to delete
Click the “Clean” button in the “System Restore and Shadow Copies” section
Advanced Cleaning
With the advanced cleaning option, you will delete the following folders and files:
To perform an advanced disk cleanup, follow these steps:
Launch Command Prompt as administrator
We write the cleanmgr command
Select the disk on which to perform cleaning
Selecting the files to be deletedVideo: disk cleaning using Windows
Disk cleanup using third-party programs
Before you start manually cleaning each folder individually, you should use special third-party programs designed to automatically search and clean the disk of unnecessary files:
Download the CCleaner application
Go to the “Cleaning” section
Selecting the partitions to be cleaned
Click the “Analysis” button
Before deleting files, you can view information about them
Video: Removing system files using CCleaner
Features of cleaning individual system folders
If the previous cleaning methods did not solve your problem or you need to clean one of the folders selectively, then find it in the sections below and follow the instructions provided.
But many folders are hidden by default to prevent the user from accidentally damaging them. To show hidden folders in general list follow these steps:
Open Explorer
Expanding the “Service” menu
Go to the “Folder Options” section
Go to the “View” section
Changing hidden folder settings
Winsxs
Cleaning the Winsxs folder on Windows 7 is done through standard disk cleanup. This method has already been described above. Before you start cleaning, you are presented with a list of files that can be deleted. Check the section “Update package backup files” in it.
Check “Update package backup files”
Video: how to empty the Winsxs folder in Windows 7
System Volume Information
To clear the System Volume Information folder, you must first access it:
Open the properties of the System Volume Information folder
Go to the “Security” tab
Click the “Change” button
Click the “Add” button
Enter the username
Granting full access to the folder
Go to computer properties
Go to the “System Protection” section
Click the “Configure” button
Consistently click the “Apply” button, OK.
DriversStore
To remove outdated drivers from a repository called DriversStore, follow these steps:
Open the command line
We write the command pnputil.exe –e
We write and execute the command
Installer
The Installer folder may contain files necessary for the system or programs, but there is a special third-party application, PatchCleaner, that will automatically determine what content can be removed:
PatchCleaner searches for outdated update files and allows you to move them to another media or completely delete them
Click the Browse button
Specify the path to the Installer folder
Click the Delete button
Confirm the action by clicking on the Yes button
Pagefile.sys
If you are confident that your computer will cope with the required tasks without the Pagefile.sys page file, you can remove it by following these steps:
Go to the “Advanced system settings” section
Click the “Options” button
Click the “Change” button in the “Advanced” tab
Set the required parameters
Reboot the computer
Folders with history, cache and browser cookies
Browser files can take up a large number of disk space. The easiest and safest way to remove them is through the settings of the browser itself: 
Marking the files. which should be deleted from the browser history
Set the “All time” parameter and clear the history
Problems with disk cleanup
If, after you have deleted any files from the system folder, errors appear or the computer begins to slow down, there is only one thing left to do - perform a system restore. This could happen if the disk was cleaned incorrectly or necessary files were deleted. System recovery is only possible if there are restore points on the computer:
Start the computer in safe mode
Open the System Restore application
Click the “Next” button
Selecting a restore point
Video: Restoring Windows 7
What to do if there is no “Clean up system files” button
If, when trying to free up disk space using the standard cleaning method, you are faced with the absence of a “Clean up system files” button, this means that you have disabled UAC (control accounts), and the program starts immediately with the ability to clean system files. That is, clicking the “Clean up system files” button gives you administrator rights and with them the ability to edit and clean up system folders. But if UAC is disabled, then you have immediate access to changing system files and do not need to press any additional buttons.
If the "Clean up system files" button is missing, User Account Control is disabled
If you want to clear disk space or are sure that system files If part of the virus has been preserved, then in this case the operating system itself has a standard and advanced disk cleanup function. You can also use third-party programs or clean each folder separately. But you shouldn’t delete everything, otherwise it will damage your computer, and the only way out will be to roll back the system to the last restore point.
Many users, even those who have never entered system folders unless absolutely necessary, have come across this name at least once. Of course, the definition of this folder is not known to everyone and today this will be corrected. Below we provide information about what this folder is, why it is needed and what the consequences of deleting it are.
As an example, we should take the most common operating system, Windows 7, although in other versions everything will look similar.
Definition and purpose
To understand the designation of this name, it is enough to translate its full name into Russian. Temp is short for temporary and translated as “a directory for storing temporary files.” It stores temporary files of programs and the operating system itself, created for its own needs. Some of them are deleted on their own after a certain process is completed, and some remain there, taking up free disk space. Using an example, this is similar to the simplest calculations in a column, when we write something down and leave something “in our mind.” This “mind” is the temp folder. Its files are designated by the extension .tmp. If there is an active process with which a specific file in this folder is associated, it will not be possible to delete it from there. That is, in fact, all the information stored in this directory is unnecessary. These are temporary files that programs create over and over again during their work, and those that remain not deleted simply take up space. To clear free disk space, you must delete these files carefully so as not to harm the system.
Location
It will not be possible to accurately determine its location, because there may be several of them. This is due to multiple users on the same computer because the system creates each folder separately for each user. In addition, the system also contains a main directive with this name. In any case, you will have to look for the temp folder on the system drive, usually C. It can be located at the root of the partition itself or in the Windows operating system folder, under the Local section. It can be found in the “Users” section by going to the AppData subsection. This is if the user has the Windows 7 operating system installed. In the case of a still relevant “iskpishka” it will be a little different. The “local” folder itself is called “Local Settings”. Of course, in order not to get confused in the maze of system folder names, you can use the internal search system to navigate to the desired object. To do this, you need to write %Temp% in the line and select the storage folder in the list of found ones. When using this method, the user will immediately be given a list of all folders with the same name available on the computer, even hidden ones. If you search through Explorer sections yourself, you should first enable the visibility of hidden folders. This is done in the View menu settings in the Explorer or third-party file manager window. It's just that some temporary files may be hidden from the user.
Simplest cleaning
Of course, the easiest way is to delete the entire folder and not waste time studying its contents, but under no circumstances should you do this. Deleting this object may negatively affect the further operation of the entire system, so it is better to open it and look at the files. To delete all content at once, you need to select all files, this can be done using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A, and press the delete button. Of course, all this is done for the convenience of each user and you can use the mouse to select objects, and a drop-down menu with options for further actions to delete them. After activating deletion, an error may occur if some of the selected processes are still active. To do this, you must first complete them and then try again. It can be quite difficult to determine on your own which program a certain process is associated with, so it is better to completely reboot the system and activate the removal before downloading programs. Although this method may not always work.
Disk Cleanup
A standard operating system application can come to the rescue. “Native” disk cleanup will perform all the necessary actions without unnecessary problems and damage to functioning applications. To use it, you need to call the drop-down menu with disk properties and select the corresponding line in it. The user will then be presented with a list of items that can be deleted. Thus, the folder itself remains unharmed, and its contents are deleted as unnecessary. So this process cannot harm the system.
Using the Command Line
This method is impractical due to the frequent entry of long commands into the line, which takes longer than manual deletion. To simplify the task, you can simply create an executable file yourself that will do everything for the user. The extension of this tool is .bat and everything is done in a regular notepad. To do this, enter the commands DEL /F /S /Q /A “C:\Windows\Temp\*” DEL /F /S /Q /A “C:\Temp\*” DEL /F /S / in the open program window Q /A “C:\Users\Name\AppData\Local\Temp\*” Name, where the last one denotes the user name. The file is then saved with the required extension and used later. You just need to run it and the file itself will delete all files without damaging the system. For quick use, it is advisable to always keep the document at hand, or on your desktop.
Third party programs
Of course, the problem of system clutter arose a long time ago, which is why you can now find quite a lot of third-party software for cleaning it. Most often, they are classified as optimizers, having in their arsenal a special module that is responsible for searching and eliminating temporary files. Its work can be performed by default, but in order to ensure that the program does not interfere and does not accidentally remove unnecessary things, it is advisable to manually configure it yourself. The most common optimizer in this area is CCleaner; using its example, we will consider the work process. Setting it up is quite simple; the program immediately prompts the user to view the list possible deletions, which is located on the right side of the working window. It is divided into two tabs - operating system and applications. Each of them carries a list of files that can be deleted. To configure them, just check the boxes next to those that are not needed and remove them where deletion is not desirable. You can use a deep clean, but then all passwords will disappear from the computer, so you should immediately pay attention to this. After activating the process, the user waits until the program completes the deletion and produces a result in which you need to confirm the deletion. These applications work in the background and independently notify the user about the need to clean up, so their use is not only productive, but also convenient.
Conclusion
To optimize the performance of your computer, you should monitor its condition and regularly remove unnecessary files. Third-party utilities are the best way to help with this, but you can also clean it yourself. This article described all the methods available to ordinary users, so choosing the optimal optimization method will not be difficult.
“Is it possible to clean out and delete the Temp folder?” – the question is not at all idle and often arises, especially among inexperienced users of OS Windows. It’s quite understandable why this issue worries them so much: there is always little disk space, and the Temp folder often “weighs” more than two or three gigabytes. That’s why it’s tempting to remove it with a slight movement of your finger, especially since it can be difficult to understand what exactly is stored here and why. We recently discussed a similar question, the Windows.old folder, but it’s not program files that are stored there, but Windows update, .
Why is the Temp folder needed?
Actually, there is not one such folder in the system, but two: both can be found on drive C (by default, this is where Windows is installed). The first is a required attribute of the Windows folder
and the second Temp folder is easier to open using the ℅TEMP℅ command in the search field of the Start menu
Most programs create temporary files - this makes it more convenient for them to store a wide variety of parameters and data about the process of their own work. The need for them constantly arises and disappears, so the creation process is repeated endlessly, rewriting temporary data. Constantly deleting such “junk” files would require the diversion of considerable resources, which is why “Solomon’s solution” to leave everything in the Temp folder “as is” turned out to be optimal: applications work faster, and cleaning garbage on disks is already the concern of the PC owner.
Should I delete the Temp folder or not?
The answer is as simple as the question: you shouldn’t delete the folders themselves, programs need them, but it’s even necessary to clean their contents regularly and mercilessly. You just have to forget about it for a month or two, and the Temp folders will immediately swell from garbage leftovers to gigabytes. Check it out for yourself!
By the way: for some, moving the mouse around the table is not a problem at all, but for others, aiming the cursor at an icon is not a thrill. For them, there are “hot keys” - Win + R, which can easily bring up the search on the table.
I typed %TEMP% into the field and all the folders are already at hand.
How to clean out the Temp folder more efficiently
In principle, temporary files are not difficult to delete manually, but Windows has a wonderful tool called Disk Cleanup. With its help, most often, folders are cleaned of trash in the trash and other temporary files. To do this, simply open the “Computer” window and select the “Properties” tab of the system disk. This is usually drive C.
Of all the tabs with disk properties, you need the “General” tab to clean it.
There is a corresponding button here: clicking on it will start a disk scan, after which the “Disk Cleanup” window will open with a list of detected temporary files, their “weight” and a preliminary estimate of the freed up space. Please note: only two types - the trash can and temporary files - took up more than 8 gigabytes!