Emptying the cache in Windows, like emptying the cache in your browser, is a smart place to start when resolving system issues, boosting system speed, and freeing up disk space. Here’s how to delete your Windows 10 cache.
11/12/21 Update: Here’s how to erase your PC’s cache after upgrading to Windows 11.
Clear the Temporary Files Cache with Disk Cleanup
To clear the temporary files cache, enter “Disk Cleanup“” in the Windows search bar found in the bottom-left corner of the desktop.
Select the “Disk Cleanup” app, which will appear in the Windows search results.
Once selected, Disk Cleanup will start calculating how much space you can free up on the operating system drive (C:).
Disk Cleanup for OS (C:) will now be displayed. Scroll down and choose the “Temporary Files” checkbox. You can also delete files from other folders, such as the “Recycle Bin” or “Downloads.”
Once you’ve selected what you’d like to clear, click “Clean Up System Files.”
You’ll be taken back to the same page after Windows calculates the amount of storage space that will be freed up. Select the files and locations you want to delete a second time, and then click “OK.”
A warning will appear, prompting you to confirm you are sure you want to permanently delete the files. Select “Delete Files.”
Disk Cleanup will now clean up unnecessary files on your machine. This process could take several minutes.
Clear DNS Cache
To remove the DNS cache on your Windows 10 PC, launch Command Prompt as an administrator. To do so, type “Command Prompt” into the Windows search box in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
The “Command Prompt” app will appear in the search results. Right-click it and select “Run As Administrator” from the menu.
Next, run the following command:
ipconfig/flushDNS
You’ll receive a message letting you know you’ve successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.
Clear Windows Store Cache
Open “Run” by pressing Windows+R on your keyboard to remove the Windows Store cache. The “Run” dialog box will appear. Enter WSReset.exe in the text box next to “Open,” then click “OK.”
Once selected, a black window will appear. There’s nothing you can do here, so just wait a few moments while it clears the cache.
Once the window closes, the cache is cleared, and Windows Store will launch. You can close the Windows Store app if you like.
Clear Location Cache
To remove the location cache, open the start menu by clicking the “Windows” symbol in the bottom-left corner of your desktop. Select the “Gear” icon to access Windows settings.
The “Settings” window will appear. Scroll down and select the “Privacy” option.
You’ll now be in the “Privacy” group of the settings. In the left-hand pane, select “Location,” found in the “App Permissions” section.
In the next window, scroll down until you find the “Location History” group. Here, select “Clear” under the “Clear Location History On This Device” heading.
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