How to Delete Windows Temporary Files

How To Delete Laptop Windows Temporary Prefetch Files

Jan 12th, 2024
Ranjeet Singh
Windows
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How to delete laptop window temporarily and Prefetch file

Description: This blog highlights how to delete laptop windows and prefetch files temporarily. This blog mentions the best methods to erase temporary files in your Windows 10. We will discuss Windows built-in utilities like Disk Cleanup and Settings or Manual Deletion methods used to delete junk files from a system. However, using these options does not permanently remove the junk files from the system; anyone can recover them using specialized recovery software.

Whenever you use an app on your laptop, Windows 10 (e.g., Microsoft Office), the system creates temporary files to enhance the user experience. Whenever you open a Microsoft Word document, the system creates a temporary copy of that document every minute. This assures you don't lose your data in case of trouble, such as an abrupt system shutdown or power failure.

These tiny temp files may fill up your hard drive over time. Therefore, you must regularly delete the temporary files in your Windows 10 PC/Laptop.

Temporary files are created by the operating system when the user is performing or completing a task. But, when the temporary files are made in a massive amount in the design, they are responsible for a slowdown of the system.

The user can get a notable amount of free space and enhance the operating system's performance by deleting junk files and folders. This blog will show you how to delete all temporary files and folders in Windows 10.

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Before we dig into how to delete temp files, we should know how to find temp files in window 10

● Viewing and deleting temporary files

To view and erase temp files in Windows 8, open the Start menu and type %temp% in the Search field. In Windows XP and prior, click the Run option in the Start menu and type %temp% in the Run field. Press Enter, and a Temp folder should open. You can delete all junk files in this folder; if any files are in use, they can be skipped.

After restarting the computer, some improvement in the performance of the computer should be noticed.

● Searching for .tmp files

If you are running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows 2000, or Windows XP, follow the instructions below to search for and delete any .tmp file found on your laptop.

1. Click the Start button to open the Start menu.

2. Click the Find option, then click Find Files or Folders.

3. In the named box, type *.tmp to search for files with a "tmp" file extension.

4. Verify that the Look-in section of the search box points to the C: drive and not the document folders.

5. Click the Find Now button to start the search.

6. Delete all junk files that are found.

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Once the steps above are completed, we also recommend you ensure the temporary folder on the hard drive is empty by following the steps below.

1. On the Windows screen, double-click the My Computer icon.

2. Double-click the C: drive.

3. Double-click the junk folder (if present) and verify that all files in this folder are deleted.

4. Close the window and re-open My Computer.

5. Double-click the C: drive.

6. Double-click the Windows folder.

7. Double-click the Temp folder (if present) and verify that all files in this folder are deleted.

How to delete Temp file, Prefetch, and make free space in your laptop window

Let's ask one question yourself: Why do you need to delete this temp file and Prefetch, not other files??

-> Well, the answer is simple. You need space in your laptop drive and are looking for files to erase. As you know, the Temp files are created when Windows shuts down irregularly, and your computer doesn't need them to function, so these are good candidates. But what about Prefetch? Prefetch is created when an application or software runs for the first time. And these are also useless for your computer.

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Let's explore the different methods to clear temporary files from your Windows 10.

Method 1: Using Disk Cleanup

a. In the Search bar, type Disk Cleanup.

b. In the Disk Cleanup window, find the Temporary Internet Files box and click OK.

c. A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm the delete action. Once you confirm, the Disk Cleanup utility will command you to delete all temporary files from Windows 8.

Method 2: Using Windows Settings

a. In the Search bar, type Settings

b. From the list of icons, click the System icon.

c. A new window will appear. Select Storage from the Settings menu on the left.

d. Double-click on the Temporary files option in the Storage window.

e. Windows will scan the temporary files available for deletion. Select the files you want to delete, and then click erase files.

This will remove all the selected temporary files in Windows 7 from the system.

Method 3: Manually Delete the Temporary Files

a. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.

b. In the Run dialog box, type %temp% and press Enter.

c. A window will open, showing a folder containing all temporary files.

d. Select the files you want to delete or press Ctrl+A to select all files.

e. Right-click anywhere on the screen, and you will see the Delete button. Click on that.

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The methods described above delete the junk files from your system. However, also note that the deletion is not a permanent one. Files deleted using the Windows Settings, Disk Cleanup, or manual deletion are not permanently deleted. These files move to a hidden folder but remain present on the system. Data recovery software (even free online) can quickly recover deleted files. If you want to delete the temporary files, use file erasure software permanently.

Method 4: Use File Erasure Software

File erasure software is the only fail-safe way to remove junk files permanently. A file erasure software works by overwriting on top of the files once or multiple times. This way, it destroys the data by making it unreadable. Permanent file erasure means no data recovery can recover the erased data.

One of the most authentic file erasure software is the BitRaser file eraser, which permanently and securely erases all temporary files from your Windows 8. It is a DIY tool to remove files, folders, and Internet files from your system. BitRaser hosts an easy-to-use interface and advanced erasure technology that assures that your temp files are wiped permanently and no data recovery software can recover them. You can also schedule the removal activity so that the temporary files are deleted automatically at set intervals. This frees up a notable amount of space in your drive and optimizes the system's performance.

The below steps define how to use BitRaser File Eraser to erase temporary files in your Windows 10 system.

1. Install & Run BitRaser File Eraser

2. On the left menu, click Erase Traces and Click Scan

3. The software will now scan your PC for traces. Once the scan is completed, a dialog box will appear. Tap Ok

4. On the next screen, you will get the option to remove Application Traces. Click on that and then click the Erase Now button on the bottom

5. The tool will now delete the selected items.

Conclusion:

Temporary files are automatically created in your Windows 8.1 system as you use various applications (pre-installed or user-installed). These temp files, stored over time, can occupy much space in your laptop drive. Therefore, it is prudent to delete them regularly. This blog mentioned a few methods to delete temporary files and Prefetch on Windows 10. The most effective method is a file erasure tool, the only permanent way to erase junk files. One of the most efficient file erasure tools is BitRaser File Eraser, which permanently deletes temporary files and prefetchs from your system.

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How To Delete Laptop Windows Temporary Prefetch Files

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