How to Clean Files on Your Computer

Before you start, decide what “clean files” means for you. It usually means deleting downloads you no longer need, clearing temporary files, and removing duplicates or old documents. This guide covers the basics for Windows and macOS. You’ll need about 20 minutes and a bit of patience. No special software is required—just the tools built into your operating system.

What You’ll Need

A computer (Windows or macOS)
About 20 minutes of time
Access to your user account (admin rights help for some steps)

Step-by-Step

Start with the Downloads folder. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) and go to your Downloads folder. Sort by size or date. Delete anything you no longer need—old installers, PDFs you’ve already read, or files you downloaded but never opened. Empty the Recycle Bin or Trash after deleting.
Clear temporary files. On Windows, type “Disk Cleanup” in the search bar and open the app. Select your main drive (usually C:), and let it scan. Check the boxes for “Temporary files” and “Recycle Bin” (if you’ve already emptied it, skip that). Click OK to delete. On macOS, open Finder, press Cmd+Shift+G, type “~/Library/Caches”, and delete the contents of the folders you see. Be careful—only delete files, not the folders themselves.
Uninstall programs you don’t use. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps (Windows) or Applications folder (macOS). Sort by size if possible. Uninstall any software you haven’t used in months. This frees up space and can speed up startup.
Remove duplicate files. Manually check your Documents and Desktop folders for files with similar names or sizes. If you have many duplicates, use a built-in tool like “Find duplicates” in some file managers, or just sort by name and look for “(1)” or “copy” in the filename. Delete the extras.
Empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. Right-click the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (macOS) and select “Empty.” This permanently deletes those files and frees up space immediately.
Move large files to external storage. If you have large videos, photos, or projects you rarely access, move them to an external hard drive or cloud storage. This keeps your main drive clean without losing anything.
Run a final check. After cleaning, check your storage space again. On Windows, go to Settings > System > Storage. On macOS, click the Apple menu > About This Mac > Storage. If you’re still low on space, repeat steps 2 and 3, or look for large files using the built-in storage manager.

Common Mistakes

Deleting files you still need—always double-check before permanently deleting.
Emptying the Recycle Bin before you’re sure you don’t need those files.
Deleting system files or folders you don’t recognize—stick to your user folders and temporary files.
Skipping the Downloads folder—it’s often the biggest space hog.

Tips

Set a reminder to clean files monthly—it takes less time each time.
Use the “Sort by size” option to find the biggest files first.
If you’re unsure about a file, move it to a folder called “Maybe delete” instead of deleting it outright.
Cloud storage (like Google Drive or iCloud) can help, but only if you actually move files there, not just sync them.

Troubleshooting

Disk Cleanup doesn’t free up much space. Try running it as administrator (right-click > Run as administrator). Also, check if you have system restore points or hibernation files taking up space—you can disable hibernation via Command Prompt (powercfg /h off) if you never use it.
Can’t delete a file because it’s “in use.” Close any programs that might be using it, then try again. If that fails, restart your computer and delete it immediately after boot.
Accidentally deleted something important. If you haven’t emptied the Recycle Bin or Trash, restore it from there. If you have, you may need to use a file recovery tool (but that’s beyond this guide).
macOS says “The operation can’t be completed because you don’t have permission.” Right-click the file, select Get Info, and change the sharing & permissions to “Read & Write” for your user.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I clean my files?

Once a month is a good habit. If you download a lot, do it weekly.

Is it safe to delete temporary files?

Yes, temporary files are meant to be deleted. They’re just cached data that programs can recreate.

What’s the difference between deleting and emptying the Recycle Bin?

Deleting sends files to the Recycle Bin (or Trash). Emptying it permanently removes them from your drive.

Can I clean files without deleting anything?

Yes, you can move files to an external drive or cloud storage instead of deleting them.

Will cleaning files speed up my computer?

It can, especially if your drive was nearly full. It also helps with startup if you uninstall unused programs.

What should I do if I run out of space after cleaning?

Check for large files using your storage manager, uninstall more programs, or consider adding an external drive.

Sources: Microsoft Support. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.