How to Delete Backup Files in Windows 10

Get rid of older ones hogging space

There are plenty of good reasons why you might want to set up Windows 10 backups. When something goes wrong, a backup can help you restore your files and system with little to no data loss. Unfortunately, the downside is a loss of space—these files can fill up your hard drive, especially on smaller-sized drives.

While we’d always recommend that you maintainautomatic system backups, Windows will fill up your drive with unnecessary backup files that you can delete from time to time, including older Windows update files. If you want to know how to delete backup files in Windows 10, here’s what you need to do.

Deleting Windows File History

Windows 10 offers a far better system for regular file backups than older Windows versions, thanks to a built-in file backup system. Using Windows File History, copies of files in certain critical folders are saved on a regular basis, from every 10 minutes to once daily, with copies saved indefinitely.

Over time, that can mean a vast increase in the storage space being used. If you want to know how to delete backup files in Windows 10, deleting your Windows File History backups should be the first task on your list.

Removing Windows System Restore Points

Backing up files in older Windows versions was an all or nothing affair—at least where built-in features were concerned. One of the earliest backup features was theSystem Restorefeature, which stored a snapshot of your current Windows installation and files.

This feature still exists in Windows 10 and is used to create restore points for major system updates. If it’s enabled and too many restore points are made, it can take up valuable disk space. Removing some of these restore points can be a good way to clear some space for other files.

Once disabled, any space previously reserved for System Restore points will be released for you to use elsewhere.

Deleting the Windows.old Folder After Windows 10 Updates

If you want to clear space after a major Windows 10 update, you should start bydeleting the Windows.old folder. This folder is automatically created as a backup of your older Windows installation when a major Windows update takes place.

You don’t have to worry about deleting this folder in most cases—Windows will automatically remove it a month after an upgrade takes place. If you want to remove it sooner to regain the space faster, however, you can.

This will remove the Windows.old folder, restoring several gigabytes of space in the process. You won’t be able to restore the older Windows installation once you do this, however, so make sure that any updates or new installations are working correctly before you proceed.

Clearing Disk Space with Windows 10

While you should be able to delete any unnecessary backup files in Windows itself, there are other and better ways tocreate more space in Windows 10. You could, for instance,look for larger filesand remove them to free up space for other apps and files.

If that doesn’t work, you may need to look atuninstalling Windows 10 softwareto make room for other essential files—including your important Windows 10 backup files.

Ben Stockton is a freelance technology writer based in the United Kingdom. In a past life, Ben was a college lecturer in the UK, training teens and adults. Since leaving the classroom, Ben has taken his teaching experience and applied it to writing tech how-to guides and tutorials, specialising in Linux, Windows, and Android. He has a degree in History and a postgraduate qualification in Computing.Read Ben’s Full Bio

Welcome to Help Desk Geek- a blog full of tech tips from trusted tech experts. We have thousands of articles and guides to help you troubleshoot any issue. Our articles have been read over 150 million times since we launched in 2008.

HomeAbout UsEditorial StandardsContact UsTerms of Use

Copyright © 2008-2024 Help Desk Geek.com, LLC All Rights Reserved