Where Is the Windows Temp Folder Located?
Windows per user Temp folder versus system Temp, and when it is safe to clear each one.
Last updated
Windows has two temp spots: yours under Local AppData, and the system one under Windows. The %TEMP% variable points at yours.
Quitting apps first matters. Files in use cannot delete and will reappear as errors. Disk Cleanup is safer than selecting all and deleting.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Temp
Usually C:\Users\[Name]\AppData\Local\Temp. The system twin is C:\Windows\Temp and needs admin rights. Type %TEMP% into Run (Win+R) to open yours.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to delete everything in Temp?
Mostly yes with apps closed, skipping in use files. Use Settings, System, Storage, Temporary files rather than Shift+Delete so Windows protects what is live.
Why does Temp refill within days?
Installers, updaters and browsers stage work there constantly. A few gigabytes after normal use is expected, not a leak.
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