How to Clear Cache on Windows

Last updated on November 16, 2025

If your Windows PC has been acting slow, freezing at random times, or just feeling “heavy,” clearing your cache might be one of the easiest fixes you can try. Honestly, I used to ignore this step until a friend told me, “Just clear your cache, you’ll feel the difference.” And guess what? It actually helped.

The cache is basically temporary data your computer stores to help things load faster. But over time, that “temporary” stuff piles up like junk you forgot to throw away. Clearing it won’t break anything, I promise—it just gives your PC a breather.

Let me walk you through all the legit ways to clear cache on Windows. Nothing complicated. Nothing dangerous. Just straight-up steps you can actually follow.

Clear Temporary Files Using Settings

This is usually the quickest and safest method. Windows stores a ton of temporary files in the background, and clearing them can free up gigabytes—yes, gigabytes—of space.

Steps:

1. Click the Start menu and open Settings.
2. Go to System.
3. Select Storage.
4. Click Temporary files.
5. Wait for it to load the list of junk items.
6. Check the boxes you want to delete—especially Temporary files and Windows Update Cleanup.
7. Tap Remove files.

And that’s it. Super quick. I do this at least once a month.

Clear Cache Using Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup has been around since the older versions of Windows, and it still works perfectly. To be fair, it’s not the prettiest tool, but it’s reliable.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard.
2. Type cleanmgr and press Enter.
3. Select the drive you want to clean (usually C:).
4. Wait for Windows to scan your system.
5. Check all the categories of files you want to remove—Temporary files, Cache files, Thumbnails, etc.
6. Click OK, then Delete Files.

I like Disk Cleanup because it shows you exactly what you’re deleting and how much space you’ll free up.

Clear Microsoft Store Cache

Now, this one isn’t talked about enough. If your Microsoft Store apps are acting weird or refusing to update, clearing the Store cache helps a lot.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type wsreset.exe and hit Enter.
3. A blank window will pop up for a few seconds—don’t worry, that’s normal.
4. Once it closes, the Microsoft Store will relaunch automatically.

I’ve fixed several update issues with this simple trick.

Clear DNS Cache (Network Cache)

If you’ve ever noticed websites loading slowly or showing outdated information, your DNS cache might be the problem. Clearing it refreshes your network’s “memory.”

Steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type:
   ipconfig /flushdns
3. Press Enter.

You’ll see a message saying the DNS cache was successfully flushed. This one helps more than people think, especially with browsing issues.

Clear File Explorer History

File Explorer keeps a history of everything you search for and open. It’s harmless, but clearing it can make Explorer feel a bit snappier.

Steps:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click the three dots or the menu bar and choose Options.
3. Under the General tab, click Clear next to “Clear File Explorer history.”

This one takes just one second but helps keep things clean.

Clear Browser Cache (Chrome, Edge, Firefox)

Your browser cache is one of the most common causes of slow browsing. Clearing it doesn’t log you out of everything unless you select cookies—so it’s safe.

For Chrome or Edge:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
2. Select Cached images and files.
3. Click Clear data.

I do this whenever websites take forever to load even though my internet is fine.

For Firefox:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete.
2. Select Cache.
3. Click OK.

Clear Windows Prefetch Cache (Optional but Safe)

To be very honest, this one is optional. Windows uses prefetch files to help apps open faster, but they can become outdated.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type prefetch.
3. Select all files and delete them.

If Windows asks for admin permission, just click yes. It won’t harm your system.

Clear System Restore Cache (Be Careful)

This frees up a lot of space, but only do this if you have at least one healthy restore point.

Steps:

1. Search for Create a restore point in the Start menu.
2. Select your main drive and click Configure.
3. Click Delete under “Delete all restore points.”

I personally don’t recommend doing this unless you’re running out of storage, because restore points are extremely helpful when something goes wrong.

Final Thoughts

Clearing cache on Windows isn’t a one-time thing. It’s more like cleaning your room—you feel great after doing it, but it’ll eventually get messy again. The good thing is, once you know these steps, it becomes second nature.

If your PC feels slow or unresponsive, try these methods before assuming something is seriously wrong. Many times, it’s just cached junk slowing things down. Give your system a fresh breath of air—your computer will thank you for it.