AOMEI Partition Assistant
System Files Taking Up Too Much Space in Windows 10! Can I Delete Them?
If the system files taking up too much space in Windows 10, you can read to know what are safe to delete. This post will guide you to safely clean up system files.
By Irene / Updated on May 15, 2025
User case: System files taking up too much space in Windows 10
Hey, I have recently run into issues regarding Windows 10 system files on my laptop. A few months ago I realized that I was running low on storage and bought a 1TB internal hard drive and installed it. I used my pc fine for a few months until 1 month ago when I realized I had less than 1GB left of storage on my C drive for no reason, even though I always used the new E drive (the 1TB one) for any new downloads/installations after I had installed it, and I deleted all the old Windows files as a result, clearing out 10GB.
Then just last week-ish, I got a notification AGAIN saying I had less than 3GB of space left on my PC. when I checked the storage, I found out that the windows system files was taking up a whopping 55GB from my main C-Drive, and when I searched up how much this should typically be, I found out that it should be 15GB-ish. Is there a way I can free my storage? Thanks! (note that my windows.old file takes up 0kb of space, and I do constantly hibernate my pc.)
- Question from answers.microsoft.com
System files can take up a lot of space on your computer. Because of this, many users want to delete them to free up storage. However, they often worry that removing these files might harm the system. So, is it safe to clean up system files?
The answer is yes—some system files are safe to delete and won’t affect your computer’s performance. These include:
✔️ System Archived Windows Error Reporting: These are files created when a program crashes. They are sent to Microsoft for analysis. Once sent, they are no longer needed.
✔️ System Error Memory Dump Files: These files are made when your computer keeps a blue screen. They help diagnose problems. After the issue is fixed, the files are useless and can be deleted.
✔️ DirectX Shader Cache: These files help apps run better and faster. But if the cache gets too big or damaged, it can take up a lot of space. It’s safe to delete because the system will recreate it when needed.
‼️Note: There are also Windows ESD Installation Files and Delivery Optimization Files, but it's better not to delete them.
So, how can you clean up system files in Windows 10? Next, we’ll show you the step-by-step guide to do that.
How to safely clean up system files in Windows 10?
How can I delete some system files from internal storage? While many people turn to Windows Disk Cleanup to free up space, they often feel unsure about what to delete in Disk Cleanup. On top of that, built-in tools like Disk Cleanup might overlook hidden files and sometimes even lead to accidental deletion of important data. For a safer and easier experience, it’s better to use a third-party tool such as AOMEI Partition Assistant.
This powerful software works well with Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. It comes with a helpful feature called "PC Cleaner," which automatically searches for junk files on your system, including temporary files, log files, and items in the Recycle Bin. After scanning, it displays all the file paths so you can clearly see what’s using up space. With just one click on “Clean All,” you can safely remove all unnecessary files.
Compared to Disk Cleanup—which can be confusing and risky if you’re not sure what to select—AOMEI Partition Assistant makes the cleanup process much simpler. If you’ve ever struggled with Disk Cleanup or worried about deleting the wrong files, this software is a great alternative. It’s easy to use, effective, and helps you manage your PC storage with confidence.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Click "Free up" and "PC Cleaner" at the top of the interface.
Step 2. Then, click "Start Scan" in the new pop-up window.
Step 3. After that, you can see temp files under System Junk Files. Tick it and click “Clean All” to delete it.
Step 4. When you see a correct symbol displayed in the interface, you can click "Back" to leave the function.
How to delete system junk files via Windows built-in tools?
If system files taking up too much space in Windows 10, the built-in Windows tools can still help. Although they’re not as powerful as professional tools, they can still be useful for cleaning up some junk files.
Method 1. Delete Windows 10 update files via Settings
Windows 11 and 10 have the tool named “Windows Update Cleanup” tool in Settings. The updated files and other temporary files on your PC can be found here.
Step 1. Press “Win+I” to open Settings, and choose “System” >”Storage”
Step 2. Select “Temporary Files”, check “Windows Update Cleanup” and “Delivery Optimization Files” in the pop-up window. After checking, click “ Remove Files” button
Method 2. Delete temp files manually
You can manually traditionally delete temporary files. Please refer to the following steps:
Step 1. Press “Windows + R”, type in “%temp%” and hit Enter.
Step 2. Here, you can select the temp files and delete them.
Method 3. Delete system junk files Windows 10 with SoftwareDistribution Folder
The final way to remove update files in Windows 10 using the built-in tool is quite simple. Sometimes, if Windows updates get stuck or don’t finish downloading, the update files are saved temporarily. Deleting these files or stopping them from being stored usually won’t cause any serious issues. So, it’s a good idea to stop the update service first to prevent more files from being saved.
Step 1. Type “Services” in the search box, and click the icon.
Step 2. Find “Windows Update” service, and right-click it. Choose “Stop”
🔥Further reading: How to recover accidentally system files?
If you accidentally delete important files during the cleanup process on a Windows computer, AOMEI Partition Assistant—a powerful data recovery tool—can help you restore them as well. It's especially useful when dealing with an emptied Recycle Bin in Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7.
This tool supports recovery of over 1,000 file types, including documents, photos, videos, audio files, emails, and compressed folders. Whether your data was stored on an HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, or SD card, AOMEI Partition Assistant makes it easy to bring it back.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Download and install the data recovery software. Locate and click on the options labeled "Recover" and "Recover Data".
Step 2. Identify the partition where the lost files were originally stored. Initiate the scanning process by clicking on "Start Scan".
Step 3. A comprehensive list of deleted files will appear. Select the specific files you want to recover and click on the "Recover" button.
Step 4. Choose a destination folder path to save the recovered files. Proceed by clicking on "Select Folder".
Step 5. Once you see the window below, it indicates that the lost files have been successfully recovered. Simply click "OK" to finish the task.
Conclusion
If your system files taking up too much space in Windows 10, don’t worry—there are safe ways to clean them up. Whether you choose built-in tools like Disk Cleanup and Settings or a third-party program like AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can free up storage without risking important system functions. Just follow the steps carefully, and you’ll be able to manage your storage more easily and keep your PC running smoothly. If you are using Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 (R2), please choose the Server edition.
AOMEI Partition AssistantThe Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
