File safety hub

Windows System Files and Folders

Large system files can look like easy cleanup targets, but many of them should only be changed through Windows-managed tools.

Do not delete files directly from C:\Windows, DriverStore, WinSxS, or Windows\Installer just because they are large.
Quick system-file answers: Do not manually delete pagefile.sys, WinSxS, DriverStore, or FileRepository. These are the system-file topics currently getting search impressions, so start with the linked guides before deleting anything.

Common large system files

Large Windows folders

Drivers, restore, and indexing

Installer and update cleanup