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Picture this:
You’ve owned a computer for several years now. You were pretty happy with its and its specs when you bought it. However, now that it’s aging, it doesn’t seem as fast and robust as it did years ago.
Sounds familiar? Yeah, we’ve all been there.
Do you want to know why it happens?
As you use your computer over time, old backup files will eventually build up and slow it down.
That’s why today, we’ll help you learn how to delete backup files in Windows 10. Now, you likely won’t be able to bring your computer back to how it was when it was brand new. But doing periodic system cleanups like these will definitely help prolong its lifespan.
Let’s go:
There are several ways to delete backup files from your system. You may choose among them, though if you want the best results, we suggest you perform all of them regularly.
File History is a Windows 10 feature that keeps older versions of your files as backup. That way, you can recover your files if you ever accidentally delete them.
Getting rid of those extra files is a good starting point for cleaning up your PC.
Here’s how you delete Windows backups:
If your File History is set to Off, you can ignore this method entirely. But if it’s active and running, take the following steps:
Note that this method won’t delete any of your existing computer files. All it does is clean up any old versions of your data.
A more straightforward way of deleting Windows backup files is by performing a Disk Cleanup.
Here’s how:
Know that there is a short description at the bottom of the window explaining each file. Files deleted by Disk Cleanup cannot be recovered, so choose carefully!
Storage Sense is a Windows 10 feature designed to delete old Windows update files automatically. You can also use it to get rid of old files and unnecessary bloat.
Here’s how it works:
Low on space and need to free up some right away? You can do so by clicking Clean Now at the very bottom. This will delete old Windows backups and download files.
Your Downloads folder stores everything you have downloaded from your web browser. Over time, it can fill up to an enormous size and take up several gigabytes of storage.
Take the following steps:
Our final method of removing backups in Windows 10 involves deleting your System Restore points.
Now, what is System Restore?
This feature allows your computer to be restored to a previous state. It’s particularly handy if any system settings get messed up due to a new installation.
The downside is that as your OS automatically makes restore points, they can eventually pile on.
If you aren’t planning on ever taking advantage of System Restore, you can disable it entirely. This will free up some space.
Here is how to do it:
There are several reasons why you’d want to delete your Windows backups. Here is what you will gain by doing so:
All this seems like too much work?
This is why many programs are available to do the heavy lifting for you.
Perhaps the most popular of these is CCleaner.
CCleaner scans your system and automatically gets rid of Windows 10 app backup files and other bloat. It has a built-in ad blocker, security features, and active file monitoring to ensure your PC is always clean. The best part is it’s free to try.
This is far from your only option, though.
Most antivirus software comes with extra features specifically designed to clean your system from junk. Avast Cleanup and AVG TuneUp are examples of such programs that remove unnecessary backups and clean out your registries.
At the end of the day, every computer will slow down over time.
That’s partly due to the cumulative build-up of backup files and other bloat. These files take up extra space and memory, making your computer feel sluggish.
That’s why knowing how to delete backup files in Windows 10 is super helpful.
Doing so periodically will ensure your computer lasts longer and operates faster. And if this seems like a daunting task, you can install programs like CCleaner to do it for you.
So get busy and good luck!
Georgi Karaivanov
My fascination with technology began from quite an early age thanks to computers and video games. Nowadays, I love anything related to music production and astronomy. Coincidentally (or is it?), both of those have a great deal to do with tech. Honestly, most of the stuff that can be accomplished with modern electronics kind of seems like magic to me. This is why I feel this strong need to constantly learn more about it and talk about it, almost to the detriment of others.
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