How To Delete Old Windows

When you upgrade your computer to a new version of Windows ten, or you install a preview build, the installation process saves a copy of the previous version in the "Windows.quondam" folder.

This is function of the safety mechanism in case the upgrade process goes incorrect. If the installation fails for any reason, the system tin can utilize the Windows.old binder to disengage the changes. Also, if the upgrade completes successfully, the backup re-create of the previous version will be kept to provide the option to rollback in the case the new installation is causing issues.

Although this is a handy feature, if your computer is working correctly after the upgrade, you tin safely delete the Windows.old folder to reclaim gigabytes of space.

In this Windows x guide, nosotros'll walk you through the different ways that yous can get rid of the Windows.old folder to costless up several gigabytes of infinite to store more of import files.

How to delete the Windows.old folder using Storage sense settings
How to delete the Windows.old folder using Temporary files settings
How to delete the Windows.former folder using Deejay Cleanup

Update Nov 29, 2018: We've updated this article with the latest information for the Windows 10 Oct 2018 Update.

How to delete the Windows.one-time folder using Storage sense settings

The easiest method to delete the Windows.quondam binder from your device is to employ the Storage sense with these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on System.
Click on Storage.
Under the "Storage sense" section, click the Change how we free up space automatically option.
Under the "Free up space at present" section, check the Delete previous version of Windows option.
Click the Make clean now push button.

Once yous've completed the steps, the folder with the previous installation of Windows 10 will no longer be available on your device.

How to delete the Windows.onetime folder using Temporary files settings

Alternatively, using the Settings app, you tin delete the Windows.old folder using the Temporary files settings with these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on Organisation.
Click on Storage.
Under the "Storage sense" section, click the Free upward space now selection.
Check the Previous Windows installation(s) option.
(Optional) Clear the default selected options if you lot simply want to remove the Windows.old folder to gratis up space.
Click the Remove files button.

Later on completing the steps, the binder with the previous installation of Windows 10 will be removed freeing up 14GB to 20GB of storage space on your master hard drive.

How to delete the Windows.onetime binder using Disk Cleanup

Yous can too delete the Windows.old binder using the legacy Disk Cleanup tool with these steps:

Open File Explorer.
Click on This PC from the left pane.
Under the "Devices and drives" department, right-click the bulldoze with the Windows 10 installation (usually the C drive) and select the Properties choice.
In the "Full general" tab, click the Disk Cleanup button.
Click the Cleanup system files button.
Check the Previous Windows installation(s) selection.
(Optional) Clear the default selected options if you merely want to remove the Windows.sometime binder to free up infinite.

Important: Starting with the Oct 2018 Update, Windows 10 is deprecating Deejay Cleanup in favor of Storage sense, but it adds an option to delete all the contents from the Downloads binder. If yous're using this choice, and you have important files in the Downloads folder, make sure to clear this option.
Click the OK push button.
Click the Delete Files push to confirm the deletion.
Click the Yes button to confirm the warning.

Once you've completed the steps, the Windows.old binder will be removed from your device.

Wrapping things up

While it's rubber to delete the Windows.old binder, if you lot remove its contents, you will no longer be able to use the recovery options to rollback to the previous version of Windows 10. If you delete the folder, and and so you want to rollback, you lot'll need to perform a clean installation with the want version.