What Is the $Windows.~BT Folder (And Can You Delete It)?

If you are sick of pesky notifications

If you’ve recently discovered the$Windows.~BTfolder, you may want to delete it to free up some space on your hard drive. Luckily, it’s safe to delete, but it isn’t as simple as you might think.

This article covers what the$Windows.~BTfolder is, whether it’s safe to delete, and how to do so if you choose to.

What Is the $Windows.~BT Folder?

The $Windows.~BT folder is a hidden folder on the drive where your Microsoft Windows operating system is installed. Windows creates this folder alongside the $Windows.~WS and Windows.old folders when upgrading from an older version to Windows 10 or when you update Windows 10 to a new build.

The $Windows.~BT folder contains all of the previous Windows installation files and important log files in case the installation was not successful and needs troubleshooting or to be reverted. In the past, deleting the $Windows.~BT folder prevented users from reverting to an older build through theSystem Recoverytool found via theControl Panel>System and Security>Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

However, it’s no longer possible to downgrade to Windows 7 or 8. Instead, these require a clean install. Worse, the $Windows.~BT folder is that it can take up dozens of gigabytes on your hard disk. So, can you delete it?

Can You Delete the $Windows.~BT Folder?

In short, yes. It’s safe and easy todelete the $Windows.~BT folder. Doing so will not delete important Windows files for your operating system.

It’s no longer possible to downgrade back to a previousversion of Windowsusing the $Windows.~BT folder, so you may as well delete it to save disk space on your HDD.

Note:Windows should automatically delete the $Windows.~BT folder ten days after updating to Windows 10 or a new build.

How to Find the $Windows.~BT Folder

First, check whether the $Windows.~BT folder exists on your system. To do so, you need to be able to see hidden files. To enable this setting:

With this setting enabled, navigate to the drive where your $Windows.~BT folder should be (for example, the C: drive).

How to Delete the $Windows.~BT Folder

If the folder is present, you cannot delete it by simply pressing the delete key. Instead, you have to use the Disk Cleanup Tool. To do so:

Note:If you don’t have permission to delete the folders, you can enable it by openingCommand Promptas administrator and typing the following code, and pressingEnter. Remember to replace C: with whatever drive your operating system is installed on.

If this doesn’t work, restart your PC inSafe Modeand try again.

Stop the Pesky Hard Drive Notifications

Windows, Mac, and Linux all have their fair share of good and frustrating features left over from older versions. Luckily with Windows, you can often remove them. If you’re sick of low disk space warnings, deleting the Windows.~BT and Windows.~WS folders can free up some space and buy you some time.

Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong.Read Jake’s Full Bio

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What Is the $Windows.~BT Folder (And Can You Delete It)?#

What Is the $Windows.~BT Folder?#

Can You Delete the $Windows.~BT Folder?#

How to Find the $Windows.~BT Folder#

How to Delete the $Windows.~BT Folder#

Stop the Pesky Hard Drive Notifications#