If you've encountered the "Could not clean up File History data - Element not found" error, this guide will be helpful in resolving the issue. Follow the steps outlined in this post to troubleshoot and fix the problem effectively.
File History is a built-in backup feature in Windows 10/11, designed to help users back up their data and system files to a chosen location. If your backup folder starts taking up too much space, you can easily remove old backups.
However, in some cases, the system may fail to locate the backup files and clean up the File History data. This can trigger the error message: "Could not clean up File History data - Element not found".Here's a real-life example shared by a user on the Superuser forum.
“Hi, I'm trying to clear my file history, but I keep getting this frustrating error. I don't know what is causing it; and it doesn't seem to have any error code or error log file, making it very difficult to pinpoint the exact cause. I have tried everything to fix it. I have watched countless videos and read countless articles, and they all tell me to do the same exact things, but none of them actually work.”
The "Could not clean up File History data - Element not found" error in Windows 10/11 can be caused by several factors. Here are some of the most common reasons:
✏️ Bug in file history: A software bug within the File History feature itself could trigger this error.
✏️ Full storage: If the drive where File History backups are stored is full, you may encounter this issue.
✏️ Corrupted storage drive: Corrupted files or backups on the storage drive can also lead to the "Element not found" error.
✏️ Corrupted system files: Missing or corrupted system files can cause multiple issues, including problems with File History.
✏️ Recent updates: Many users have reported this issue after installing recent updates, suggesting that an update may have triggered the problem.
Here are 7 methods to fix the "Could not clean up File History data - Element not found" error. You can try these solutions one by one until the issue is resolved.
USB devices, though essential for many tasks, can sometimes interfere with your computer’s processes. Peripherals like speakers, webcams, printers, and USB hubs can block certain operations, leading to errors such as the "File History element not found" when attempting to clean up data.
To fix this, disconnect all external devices from your computer and try clearing the File History again.
If you're using an external hard drive for backup storage, first turn off File History. Navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > File History, disable it, and then disconnect the external drive. After restarting your computer, reconnect the drive and check if you're able to delete the files.
As mentioned earlier, insufficient or empty storage space is a common cause of the "File History element not found" error. Therefore, it's essential to ensure there’s enough available space on your drive. While you can manually delete large files, folders, or uninstall apps, this approach is time-consuming and often not very effective.
A more efficient solution is to combine any free or unallocated space into the backup partition using a reliable partition manager. AOMEI Partition Assistant is an excellent tool for this task. Its Allocate Free Space feature allows you to easily expand your storage space and resolve the issue.
Step 1. Install and open AOMEI Partition Assistant. Right-click the drive with extra free space (here is the D drive) and choose "Allocate Free Space".
Step 2. In the new window, you can specify the space size and target partition. If it’s C drive, you need to select C drive from the given list, and click “OK”.
Step 3. Now, you can preview that the C drive has been extended. Then, click Apply to save the changes.
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, click "Clone" in the main interface and select "Clone Disk".
Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk and click "Next".
Step 3. Select the destination disk to store the data on the source disk, and then click "Next".
Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to “Sector to Sector clone”, and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.
Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to improve the reading and writing speed of SSD if the target disk is an SSD drive.
Step 5. At last, click "Apply" and "Proceed" in the main interface to start cloning the hard drive.
You can use Command Prompt (CMD) to clean up File History files older than 30 days. Follow these steps:
Step 1. Type cmd in the Search bar, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
FhManagew.exe -cleanup 30
Step 3. Once the command completes, restart your computer and check if the "Could not clean up File History data - Element not found" error is resolved.
A recent Windows update might have introduced a bug causing the "File History element not found" error. To fix this, you can uninstall the most recent updates and check if the issue is resolved.
Step 1. Go to Control Panel and click Uninstall a program under the Programs section.
Step 2. Click View installed updates to see a list of updates.
Step 3. Locate the most recent update, then click Uninstall to remove it.
Step 4. After uninstalling the update, restart your computer and see if the error is resolved.
A faulty hard drive can also be a common cause of the "File History element not found" error. It's important to check your hard drive for any potential issues. Here are two methods to check for errors:
CHKDSK is a built-in command tool that allows you to check and repair hard drive errors, including bad sectors. Here's how to use it to scan your hard disk for issues:
Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 2. In the elevated Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
chkdsk g: /f /r /x (replace g withyour disk letter).
Step 3. You will be prompted to schedule the disk check the next time you restart your computer. Type Y to confirm.
Step 4. Once you restart your computer, CHKDSK will scan and repair the hard drive, shielding any bad sectors it finds.
While CHKDSK is useful for checking hard drive errors, it can encounter various issues, such as CHKDSK being write-protected or getting stuck during the process. For a smoother experience, we recommend using a professional tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant.
AOMEI Partition Assistant is a trusted partition management tool that helps you quickly check disk errors. Beyond error checking, it offers a wide range of features, including converting MBR to GPT, changing FAT to NTFS, formatting drives, performing disk benchmarks, and even migrating your OS to an SSD or HDD. It's an efficient solution for managing and optimizing your disk.
Step 1. Install the software and launch it. Right-click the partition that you want to check and select Advanced > Check Partition.
Step 2. There are 3 options to test your device. Choose one according to your needs and click OK.
If you want to find out and repair the wrong parts on your disk, choose the first option.
Step 3. The operation will be completed successfully in a few seconds or minutes. Click OK to finish this task.
Resetting File History can help resolve the "Could not clean up File History data - Element not found" error. Follow these steps:
Step 1. Open Control Panel and navigate to System and Security > File History.
Step 2. If File History is turned on, click the Turn off button.
Step 3. In File Explorer, go to %UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory.
Step 4. Delete all files and folders in this location.
Step 5. Return to File History in the Control Panel and click Turn on.
Step 6. Click Advanced settings in the left menu, adjust the backup frequency and retention settings to your preference, then click Save changes.
If the "File History element not found" error persists, it may indicate that your system files are corrupted. In this case, the SFC and DISM tools can help repair the damaged files. Here's how to use them:
Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 2. In the elevated Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
sfc /scannow
The SFC tool will automatically scan and attempt to repair any corrupted system files.
Step 3. If SFC doesn’t resolve the issue, you can use the DISM tool. Type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
These tools will scan for and repair any system file corruption that could be causing the error.
AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery is a professional and user-friendly tool designed to help users recover lost or inaccessible files caused by errors like "Could Not Clean Up File History Data". This error often prevents access to important backups or historical data, but AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery can effectively retrieve missing files in such situations.
🔔 Key features for File History Recovery:
✔️ Deep scan recovery: Locates and restores files even from damaged or corrupted partitions caused by File History errors.
✔️ File type filter: Allows users to quickly find specific file types—documents, photos, videos, and more—for targeted recovery.
✔️ Preview before recovery: Enables users to preview files before restoring them, ensuring precise recovery of needed data.
Whether your File History backups became inaccessible due to system errors, accidental deletions, or cache issues, AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery can assist you in retrieving critical files safely and efficiently—without the need for advanced technical knowledge.
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data is lost and click Scan.
Step 2. Then, the recovery tool starts to scan and search. It will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.
Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins, and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".
Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.
Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovery to end.
The "Could not clean up File History data - Element not found" error in Windows 10/11 occurs due to storage issues, corrupted files, recent updates, or bugs in the File History feature. Solutions include disconnecting peripherals, expanding storage using AOMEI Partition Assistant, running CMD commands, uninstalling updates, checking hard drives, resetting File History, and scanning system files. For lost data, AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery offers efficient recovery of inaccessible or deleted backups.
