Cleanup WinSxS Folder in Windows 10 – Free Windows 10 Disk Space

If you find WinSxS folder in Windows 7/8/10, then you will be amazed at its size. The folder is located at C:\Windows\Winsxs and in my case the size is around 5 GB. If you have ever used Windows XP, then the size of WinSxS folder in XP is about 25-50 MB, and now the size is too large for Windows 10 or Windows 8. So the question is how to clean it?

The Winsxs folder, stores multiple copies of DLL and this will occupy hell amount of space on your system. Windows uses a system folder WinSxS to store files which are required for Windows installation. The WinSxS folder is located on your C:\Windows. Each time you get updates for the OS, the WinSxS folder radically grows in size.

Also Read: How to Download and Install Windows 10

Cleanup WinSxS Folder – Recover Windows 10 disk space

If cleanup is recommended, there are lots of cleanup procedures and tools are available online for Windows that allow users to clean all junk file and folders for free that may harm your data. Within this example, cleanup is advisable. Before there were no genuine, easy means to clean up the WinSxS folder. Verify the boxes to choose the items that you wish to clean up and click OK. While Disk Cleanup is excellent, sometimes for whatever reason it doesn’t get stuff from the TEMP folder.

Method 1: Use Disk Cleanup

Step 1: Click on Windows button and type disk cleanup > choose Disk Cleanup.

Step 2: Select your system location > Click ok.

Step 3: Check the boxes and the files you don’t need anymore > OK.

Also, you can select which system file that you want to clean.

Method 2. Use DISM Tool

DISM is a Deployment Image & Servicing Management tool that allows you to make changes to Windows features and other advanced settings.

Step 1: Press Windows Logo and type Command Prompt > choose Command Prompt as Admin.

Step 2: If asked, allow permission.

Step 3: In the command windows, copy and paste this command and press Enter.

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

This command will scan your system and remove all the unwanted files.

Step 4: Also type following command:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

Step 5: Then type this command to reduce the space.

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded

Thats’t it.

If you’re an advanced user, this tool will permit you to find files which are unusually large hence hunting down the source of the problem will possibly eliminate those files. The tool, however, to operate, requires the Desktop Experience feature to be set up. Otherwise, then you can run the Microsoft Security Essentials tool to resolve the matter.

The tool will figure out the quantity of free space you mean to keep. The folder is going to be regenerated. WinSxS folders have a tendency to bulk up with time. It continues to grow! The WinSxS folder makes a utopia for contentious application who depend on various versions of the exact same DLLs. The WinSxS folder can frequently be numerous Gigabytes in size as it includes a copy of all of the Windows Updates applied to the computer, effectively a comprehensive copy if Windows so that you’re in a position to roll back an update if you want to.

If you need more assistance, feel free to comment below or contact us.