How do I clear window data?

Clearing window data, specifically temporary files, on your Windows system can be done through the Storage settings. Here's how:

Clearing Temporary Files Using Storage Settings

Windows provides a built-in tool to manage storage and clear temporary files effectively. You can use Storage Sense to automatically remove unnecessary files, or you can manually clear files.

Using Storage Sense for Automatic Deletion

Storage Sense can automatically delete temporary files based on the schedule you set. Here are the steps to configure it:

1. Open Storage Settings: Go to the Start menu and select Settings > System > Storage. This opens the Storage settings page.
2. Access Storage Sense Configuration: Click on Configure Storage Sense or run it now.
3. Set Temporary File Deletion: Under Temporary Files, choose when you want each type of file to be deleted. You can configure different schedules for different types of files, like those in your Downloads folder or your recycle bin.

Manually Deleting Files

If you prefer to manually clear files, you can also do that from the Storage settings page:

1. Navigate to Storage Settings: As with the previous method, start by going to Start menu > Settings > System > Storage.
2. Initiate Manual Cleanup: Scroll down to the section labeled Free up space now and click the Clean now button. This will manually delete the selected files.
3. Select Files to Delete In the next window that appears you can check different categories that you want to delete. Then select Remove Files

Types of Files that can be Cleared

When using the settings mentioned above, you can typically clear these types of files:

• Temporary Files: Files created by the system or applications that are no longer needed.
• Downloads: Files that have been downloaded by the user, which may no longer be required.
• Recycle Bin: Files deleted by the user that are in the Recycle Bin waiting to be permanently deleted.
• Thumbnails: Cached images of files and folders that take up space.

Why Clear Temporary Files?

Regularly clearing temporary files can:

• Free up disk space: Improve overall storage capacity on your hard drive.
• Improve system performance: Reduce clutter which can sometimes slow down your computer.
• Ensure privacy: Removing data that may be tracked and no longer needed.

Steps	Action
1. Access Settings	Open the Start menu, then select Settings and navigate to System > Storage.
2. Configure Storage Sense or Run It	Click on Configure Storage Sense or run it now.
3. Set Temporary File Deletion	Under Temporary Files, select when you want each type of file to be deleted.
4. Manually Clean	Scroll down and under Free up space now, select Clean now to manually delete.