AOMEI Partition Assistant
[PC Clean Guide] How to Find Hidden Junk Files on PC?
Do you know how to find hidden junk files on PC and thoroughly remove them? This tutorial will share a comprehensive guide with more practical ways to free up space for your Windows PC.
By Irene / Updated on May 9, 2025
How many hidden junk files are on a Windows PC?
Over time, your Windows PC quietly collects a surprising amount of digital clutter. Even if you're careful, there can be hundreds or even thousands of hidden junk files sitting on your system. These aren’t always visible in normal folders — they build up in the background as you browse the internet, install apps, update Windows, or even just use everyday software.
But what are junk files exactly? Junk files are unnecessary files that your computer no longer needs but hasn’t deleted. Think of them like packaging — useful during installation or loading, but pointless afterward. Here are some common types you might have:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Temporary files | Created by Windows or apps during operations (e.g., Word autosaves, app installs). |
| Cache files | Stored to speed up loading, but often outdated (e.g., browser, thumbnail cache). |
| Log files | Diagnostic logs left after updates or crashes. |
| Old Windows updates | Residual files after system updates. |
| Prefetch files | Help speed up boot/app loading; older ones may no longer be needed. |
| Recycle Bin contents | Files you’ve deleted but not permanently removed. If you want to restore Windows Recycle Bin files after mistakenly emptying it, you can follow this article. |
| Installer leftovers | Remnants of uninstalled programs. |
If they’re not useful, why doesn’t Windows just delete them — or at least make them easy to see? There are a few reasons:
-
To protect system stability: Some temporary or system files are important at specific moments. Windows hides them to stop people from deleting them accidentally.
-
To keep things tidy: Constantly showing all system folders and files would overwhelm most users.
-
Because apps assume they’ll manage it: Many programs store logs, cache, or temp files in hidden folders like AppData and don’t expect you to touch them.
If you want to delete these hidden junk files to free up space but don't know how, you can move to the next part to get the specific steps.
How to find hidden junk files on PC?
To effectively find and delete hidden junk files on PC, you can follow the 2 methods below.
Fix 1. Use a professional tool
Since many junk files are hidden deep in the system, built-in tools can’t always catch everything. Some files — like broken registry entries, leftover shortcuts, or old update fragments — are hard to remove manually. That’s why it’s a good idea to use a professional cleaning tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant.
It can do a full scan of your hard drive, find all kinds of junk files, and safely remove them with just a few clicks. It works on all versions of Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7, and supports popular brands like Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Now you can download AOMEI Partition Assistant and follow the steps to clean up all the junk files from your computer.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. In the main interface, click "Free up"> “PC Cleaner”.
Step 2. Then, click “Start Scan” to find the junk files on the PC.
Step 3. Wait a moment, you will see that all junk files will be listed. You can click "Select all" and then "Clean all".
Step 4. After cleaning up, you will see the target junk files have been removed successfully.
Fix 2. Show hidden files and manually delete the junk files
You can also choose to show hidden junk files on your PC and delete them manually. While this method might miss some scattered files, it’s still worth a try.
Step 1. Launch File Explorer and press the three dots in the right-up corner, and select “Options”.
Step 2. In the Folder Options window, go to the “View” tab.
Step 3. Under “Advanced settings,” mark the checkbox next to “Show hidden files, folders, and drives.”
Step 4. Choose “Apply” and “OK” to save the change.
The folders and files will appear in File Explorer. If you wish to hide the files, repeat the steps and mark the checkbox next to “Don’t show hidden files, folders, and drives.” Now, you can see the hidden junk files on PC. Just choose and remove them as usual.
Further reading: How to free up more space by removing files?
AOMEI Partition Assistant is a comprehensive Windows cleanup tool. To effectively free up space, it also provide various options to delete useless files on Windows 11, 10, 8/8.1, and 7.
Option 1. Delete duplicate files
Over time, your PC can collect duplicate files from things like downloading, copying, or saving the same file in different places, which wastes storage space. AOMEI Partition Assistant helps you find and delete them easily to free up room.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Install the best cleanup software for Windows 10 on your computer and run it. Click "Free up" in the main tab and choose "Duplicate Files Finder".
Step 2. A comprehensive list of all the partitions present on your computer will show up. Customize this selection to your liking and then commence the scanning process by clicking "Scan".
Step 3. After the process is finished, all duplicate files that meet the conditions you set will be displayed. You can click the "Preview" button to view the duplicate file details.
Step 4. You can select the duplicate files you want to delete, or you can employ the "Smart Select" feature for an automatic selection of duplicates. Finally, execute your decision by clicking on "Move to folder".
Option 2. Delete Large files
A buildup of useless large files can quickly consume valuable storage space. You can remove them efficiently by using AOMEI Partition Assistant.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Click "Free up" and "Delete Large Files".
Step 2. In the pop-up window, select the partitions that you want to find and delete large files, and click "Start Scan" to scan for files larger than 16MB.
Step 3. When the scan is complete, all large files found are listed. Tick the files you want to delete, and then click the "Delete" button.
Step 4. The next window will ask you to confirm the files you have just ticked for deletion. If it’s correct, click “Delete Now” to begin the deletion process.
Step 5. Just for a while, the large files will be deleted successfully, and then you will see a warm notification suggesting you clean up your PC regularly.
Conclusion
Hidden junk files can quietly take up a lot of space on your Windows PC, slowing it down over time. How to find hidden junk files on PC? By using professional tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant or manually deleting hidden files, you can clean up your system, free up storage, and improve computer performance. Regular maintenance helps keep your PC running smoothly.
