Rid Your Computer of Temporary Files

Temporary files are created as safeguards against errors, accidental shut-downs, and other interruptions amidst running programs. While these files help you quickly recover your information, they also take up random access memory (RAM), which can cause your computer to run slower than normal. You can clear your temporary files cache on PC by using Disk Cleanup or by deleting the temporary folder contents; you can also clear a Mac's temporary files by manually emptying the Cache folder and clearing Safari's data cache.

Steps

Deleting Temporary Cache Files (Mac)

  1. Click the "Finder" icon to open the Finder. Mac's search app, the Finder, resembles a blue face.
  2. Click the "Go" tap at the top of your screen. This should be to the right of the "Edit" tab.
  3. Click "Go to Folder". This should be toward the bottom of the "Go" menu. Doing so will prompt you to enter a destination.
  4. Type "~/Library/Caches" into the text field. Exclude the quotation marks. The "Caches" folder is where your Mac's temporary files are stored.[1]
    • Click "Go" when you're finished.
    • If you want to clear all temporary files on your Mac, you should also delete the contents of "~/Library/Logs" when you finish deleting the Cache folder contents.
  5. Review the contents of the Cache folder. Since everything here is a temporary copy, you can delete these files without repercussions.
  6. Select a folder, then hold ⌘ Command and tap A. This will select your Cache folder's contents.
  7. Hold Ctrl and click a file. This prompts a menu.
    • If your Mac's mouse has right-click functionality, just right-click (or two-finger click) the file.
  8. Click "Move to Trash". This will delete your Mac's temporary file cache!

Deleting Temporary Safari Files (Mac)

  1. Open Safari. If you're experiencing refresh issues or webpage loading errors on Safari, you can clear the data cache without deleting your saved passwords, cookies, or history. You'll have to open Safari, which resembles a blue compass, to do so.
  2. Click the "Safari" option in the top left corner of your screen. This will bring up the Safari menu.
  3. Click the "Empty Cache" option. Safari will prompt you to confirm your decision.[2]
  4. Click "Empty". This will confirm your decision and empty your Safari cache. You may have to restart Safari to notice a difference in browsing speed.

Deleting Temporary Files with Disk Cleanup (PC)

  1. Open your PC's "Run" app. You'll used Run to access the Disk Cleanup utility. Depending on your operating system version, there are a couple of ways to open Run:
    • Hold down the ⊞ Win key and tap R. This should work on all versions of Windows.
    • For Windows 8 or 10, hold down the ⊞ Win key and tap X to open user task menu, then tap or click "Run" near the bottom of the menu.
  2. Type "cleanmgr" into the Run text field. Exclude the quotations. This command will start the Disk Cleanup program.
    • Click "OK" or tap ↵ Enter to run your command.
  3. Wait for Disk Cleanup to assess your temporary files. Depending on how long it has been since your last temporary file flush, this may take a few minutes.
  4. Select your temporary files for deletion when prompted. Do this by clicking the check box next to each file type you wish to delete.[3]
    • As a general rule, you can clear every file type; however, leave the "Compress old files" option alone, since it can cause issues when trying to retrieve old files.
    • You can also click the "Clean up system files" option, which will cause Disk Cleanup to reassess your temporary files while considering system files. This will usually free up significantly more space than clearing the default temporary files will.
  5. Click "Delete Files" when prompted. This will begin the temporary file flush.
  6. Wait for Disk Cleanup to finish deleting your temporary files. You may have to reboot your computer to see a change in performance.

Deleting Temporary Files Manually (PC)

  1. Open your PC's "Run" app. You'll use Run to open the temporary files folder on your computer. You can open Run by opening the user task menu with ⊞ Win and X on Windows 8 and 10, or you can hold the ⊞ Win key and tap R.
  2. Type "%temp%" into the Run text field. Exclude the quotations. This command will open the physical temporary files folder.[4]
    • Click OK or tap ↵ Enter to run this command.
  3. Review the %temp% folder contents. Since the files in here are temporary copies, you can delete all of them without worrying about losing information.
    • Keep in mind that you won't be able to delete any temp files currently in use. To counter this, save your work and close all programs before continuing.
  4. Select a file, then hold Ctrl and tap A. This will select the contents of your temporary folder.
  5. Tap the Delete button. This will delete your temporary folder's contents. Alternatively, you can right-click a file and click "Delete".
    • Windows may ask you for confirmation of your choice to delete these files. If so, click "Confirm" on the pop-up window.

Tips

Warnings

  • Deleting your temporary files is not a guaranteed way to speed up your computer.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.chriswrites.com/cleaning-up-cache-log-files-and-temporary-files-in-os-x/
  2. ↑ http://www.uscupstate.edu/uploadedfiles/campus_services/information_technology/temp/software%20tips.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/software/how-to-clean-up-the-temp-folder-in-windows-3273110/
  4. ↑ http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000225.htm
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