Best Free Cache Cleaner for PC: Clean and Optimize Windows

What is a cache file?

Most of you must have heard about cache, but what is a cache file exactly? Windows cache is a kind of temporary file that programs and websites create to render faster performance on subsequent use. It comes from an earlier request or a copy of the existing data and is usually stored in C:\Windows\Temp.

With a cache, you can access a browser or app at a faster speed. This is because the related information will be cached on your computer when you use it for the first time. Then, you can reach it faster next time.

Although cache files help the Windows system do such a great job, I still suggest you use a cache cleaner for PC to clear cache files at a regular time. There are two main reasons: for one thing, too much of cache files will take up a chunk of your disk storage, which may make your PC get slow suddenly; for another, some cache files can become corrupted or damaged, which can cause an app or program to glitch.

How to clean cache files in Windows 11/10/8/7?

After knowing about what a cache file is and the necessity of clearing the cache, let's begin to learn how to finish cleaning out cache on PC with Windows built-in cache cleaners: Disk Cleanup, Run, and Command Prompt.

► Method 1. Use Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup is a cleaner cache PC in the Windows system that is used to free up space on C drive and other hard drives.

Applies to: temp cache files, system cache files

Step 1. Type "disk cleanup" in the search box, and hit "Enter". In the Disk Cleanup, select C drive (or other drives you want to clean) and click "OK".

Step 2. Clean temporary cache files.

Tick the temporary files or other files you do not need and then click "OK" to confirm the operation.

Step 3. Clean system cache files.

Click the "Clean up system files" button at the bottom of the interface and select "OK" to go on.

► Method 2. Use Run

The Run command window allows you to start programs, open files and folders, and access internet resources in all Windows versions by typing the path.

Applies to: temp cache files, prefetch cache files

Step 1. Press the Windows key + R together on your keyboard to open the Run box.

Step 2. Clean temporary cache files

Type "temp" or "%temp%" in the blank field and click "OK".

Note: temp order will lead you to the Windows temp files location while the %temp% command will take you to the Local temp files location.

Press the "Ctrl + A" keys to select the files and hit the "Delete" button.

Step 3. Clear prefetch cache files

Type "prefetch" and click "OK" to go to the Prefetch files location.

Press the "Ctrl + A" keys together and press the "Delete" button.

► Method 3. Use Command Prompt

The Command Prompt is the command line interface for Windows operating systems, which is a way of interacting with a computer directly using text commands.

Applies to: temp cache files, prefetch cache files, DNS cache

Step 1. Type "cmd" in the Windows search bar, right-click on Command Prompt, and select "Run as administrator".

Step 2. Clean temporary cache files

To view temp files on your computer, type %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe %temp%\

To delete temp files, type del %temp%\*.*/s/q

Step 3. Clear prefetch cache files

To check the prefetch files, input %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe C:\Windows\prefetch\

To delete the files from the prefetch folder, input del C:\Windows\prefetch\*.*/s/q

Step 4. Clean up DNS cache files

To remove DNS caches, type the command ipconfig/flushdns

Why need a professional cache cleaner for PC?

As you can see, although you can use these inbuilt cache cleaners for PC to remove useless caches, it's complicated to some extent. You need to clean different kinds of cache files with different utilities and you even need to give specific commands to delete the specified cache files in the same program, which may annoy a number of computer novices.

Therefore, to clean out all kinds of cache files on PC at one time, the best free cache cleaner for PC named AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard is recommended to you. With it, you can not only clean cache files but also other kinds of junk files like unwanted registry files, Recycle Bin files, or Invalid shortcuts in just a few steps.

What's more, after clean-up, you can use it to run a disk defragment for your HDD or perform 4K alignment for your SSD to make your PC run faster.

How to clean out all cache files on PC at one time?

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard, and then click "free up" > "PC Cleaner".

Step 2. In the pop-up window, click "Start Scan" to scan for junk files.

Step 3. Wait until the scanning process completes.

Step 4. After the scan is completed, all kinds of available junk files will be listed. Tick the junk files you no longer need, and then click "Clean All" to begin the cleaning process.

Step 5. When you see a correct symbol displayed in the interface, you can click "Back" to exit the Window.

Conclusion

If you are short of storage space or notice some unusual issues on your Windows computer, it's time to clear the cache. In this article, we have provided several Windows cache cleaners for PC as well as a professional cache cleaner to assist you in keeping you away from cache files.

With AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can do more to optimize the performance of your computer such as transferring OS to SSD, deleting large files, extending C drive, moving folders and programs, etc. In addition, if you use Windows Server, you can try the Server edition.