Problem Symptom
Cache files refer to a group of temporary files created by various apps, services, programs, and websites to render faster performance on subsequent use. Imagine the cache files as something similar to a memory reserve on the computer, each one can take up quite a bit of space, apps can dig into for quickly pulling the information you need. Cache and temporary files sound like a good idea, but it can take up your storage and corrupted files in the cache can cause an app to glitch.
You can clear the cache in less than a minute which usually doesn’t cause any issues with the apps, because it will recreate whenever they need. It is recommended to clear cache every once in a while or you can also set Windows to automatically clear cache files for you. If you are using Windows 11, there are several types of cache you might consider to clear such as location history, DNS, Microsoft Store, and browsing data web content.
In this article, we will outline the steps for how to clear the cache and temporary files on Windows 11.
Content Summary
Why is it important to clear cache on Windows 11?
Solution 1: How to clear cache on Windows 11 using Disk Cleanup tool
Solution 2: How to flush the DNS cache
Solution 3: How to reset cache for Microsoft Store
Solution 4: How to clear the location history cache
Solution 5: How to clear browsing data cached web content for browser
Solution 6: How to clean up temporary files automatically using Storage Sense
Why is it important to clear cache on Windows 11?
- Free up storage on hard disk.
- Improve PC’s performance especially for heavily used apps such as browsers.
- Keep it decluttered
- Resolve errors if the app that giving trouble and essential for PC’s security.
Solution 1: How to clear cache on Windows 11 using Disk Cleanup tool
Step 1: Open the Windows Explorer and go to My Computer or This PC section.
Step 2: Select the drive where temp files are stored (mostly C: drive).
Step 3: Right-click on the disk icon and select the Properties option from the context menu.
Step 4: Switch to the General tab.
Step 5: Click on the Disk Cleanup button to open a dedicated Disk Cleanup window on the system.
Step 6: Select the temp files option and click on the OK button to delete all the saved temporary data from the drive.
Note: If you like to free up more disk space, click on the Clean up system files button, tick the categories you want to remove, and then click on the OK button > Delete Files.
Reference: Windows Support > Disk cleanup in Windows
Solution 2: How to flush the DNS cache
Step 1: Open the Start menu.
Step 2: Search for Windows Terminal, and click on the Windows Terminal app in the best match search results.
Step 3: Type the following command in the Windows Terminal and press the Enter key: ipconfig /flushdns
Note: You can execute the same command either using PowerShell or Command Prompt.
Step 4: You’ll see a message Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache when the DNS cache is cleared.
Note: Refer to this page if you like to know more about the steps to clear DNS cache in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Vista.
Solution 3: How to reset cache for Microsoft Store
If the error message Windows Store cache may be damaged displayed or you just want to clear some storage space, you can perform below steps to clear the Microsoft Store cache.
Step 1: Press the Windowns + R key to open the Run box.
Step 2: Type the following command and press the Enter key: wsreset.exe
Step 3: A blank black window pop up will appear on the screen. Wait for this window to close automatically. When the window closes, the Microsoft Store cache is removed.
Note: If you having problem when loading Microsoft Store app, here’s the comprehensive troubleshooting steps to solve Microsoft Store app loading error.
Solution 4: How to clear the location history cache
Follow the below steps to remove the location cache on the PC from the Settings app.
Step 1: Press the Windows + I key to open the Settings app.
Step 2: Select Privacy & Security from the left sidebar.
Step 3: Click the Location option in the App permissions section.
Step 4: Click the Clear button next to the Location History.
Solution 5: How to clear browsing data cached web content for browser
For Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge Web Browser
Step 1: Press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete key.
Step 2: Use the check boxes to select the following recommended items you’d like to clear:
- Browsing History
- Cookies and other site data
- Cached images and files
Step 3: Click on the Clear Now button.
Note: You can set the Microsoft Edge to automatically clear cache every time you close the browser. Go to the Choose what to clear every time you close the browser option under Clear browsing data section, and turn on the button next to Cached images and files.
For Mozilla Firefox
Step 1: Click on the hamburger menu icon at the top-right corner.
Step 2: Select the Settings > Privacy & Security.
Step 3: Select the Clear Data option under the Cookies and Site Data section.
Step 4: A small window will pop up for you to choose to delete Cookies and Site Data or Cached Web Content.
Step 5: Click on the Clear button.
Note: Refer to this page for more detail steps to delete temporary files and browser cache for in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.
Solution 6: How to clean up temporary files automatically using Storage Sense
You should regularly clear the cache and storage space, but if that’s too much of a task, you can always rely on Storage Sense. Refer to this article for the step-by-step guide to remove temp (temporary) files in Windows 11 using Storage Sense.
