This article explains how to clear the cache in Windows 11, which can free up space on your hard drive. Instructions are also included for clearing the location cache and Microsoft Store cache.
What to Know
- Open Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files, click the boxes next to the file types to remove, and click Remove files. To clear the Location Cache: Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location > Clear. To clear the Microsoft Store cache: Open the command prompt, type wsreset.exe, and press enter.
How to Clear Cache in Windows 11
Windows stores temporary files in a cache, which can take up a lot of space on your drive as it fills up. If you’re trying to free up space on your Windows PC, clearing this cache is an easy option that can yield great results.
Here’s how to clear the cache in Windows 11:
- Open Settings > System > Storage.
- Click Temporary Files.
- Click the box next to each type of file you want to remove.
- The Downloads option deletes everything in your Downloads folder. If you have files in that folder that you want to keep, move them out before selecting this option, or don’t select this option.
- Click Remove files.
- Click Continue.
How to Clear the Location Cache in Windows 11
The Windows location cache is a different type of cache that keeps track of your physical location. You may want to clear this cache if apps think you’re in the wrong place, or if you have privacy concerns and don’t want Windows to know your location. It doesn’t take up a lot of disk space, so this isn’t a cache that you need to worry about if you’re trying to find more room on your hard drive.
Open Settings > System > Storage.
Click Temporary Files.
Click the box next to each type of file you want to remove.
The Downloads option deletes everything in your Downloads folder. If you have files in that folder that you want to keep, move them out before selecting this option, or don’t select this option.
Click Remove files.
Click Continue.
Here’s how to clear the location cache in Windows 11:
- Open Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Scroll down and click Location.
- Click Clear in the Location History section.
How to Clear the Microsoft Store Cache in Windows 11
The Microsoft Store cache stores data from the Microsoft Store, which helps the app load faster. If you’re experiencing issues with the Microsoft Store, like the store won’t load or it isn’t working properly, clearing this cache may fix the problem.
Open Settings > Privacy & Security.
Scroll down and click Location.
Click Clear in the Location History section.
Here’s how to clear the Microsoft Store Cache in Windows 11:
- Press Windows+R, type wsreset.exe, and click OK.
- A black box will appear, and then it will automatically close once the cache is clear.
- When the cache is clear, the Microsoft Store will launch with a clear cache. The window will be white initially while the app rebuilds its cache.
Are There any Other Windows 11 Caches or Ways to Free up Memory?
Clearing the Microsoft Edge cache can free up space, as can clearing the cache on other web browsers. You can also clear the Windows DNS cache, which is known as flushing the DNS, through the command prompt. This doesn’t free up any storage space, but it can fix some internet problems.
Press Windows+R, type wsreset.exe, and click OK.
A black box will appear, and then it will automatically close once the cache is clear.
When the cache is clear, the Microsoft Store will launch with a clear cache. The window will be white initially while the app rebuilds its cache.
There are a few other things in Windows 11 that are referred to as caches, but they don’t all free up extra memory. There are also other ways to free up memory that don’t involve clearing a cache.
The other way to free up space on Windows 11 that doesn’t involve clearing a cache is to run Disk Cleanup. Disk Cleanup provides you with a variety of files that it can remove, similar to the way that Windows Storage Settings works. If that isn’t enough, you can manually delete temporary Windows files, or use a third-party tool like CCleaner to free up space in Windows 11.
- How do I clear the Windows 11 DNS cache?
- To flush and clear the Windows DNS cache, open the Run dialog box, type ipconfig /flushdns, and click OK. You can also launch the Windows Command Prompt, type ipconfig /flushdns, and press Enter.
- How do I clear the Windows 11 RAM cache?
- To clear RAM on Windows computers, launch the Task Manager and see how much RAM various processes are using. If an unused app is hogging RAM, force quit the problematic process.
To flush and clear the Windows DNS cache, open the Run dialog box, type ipconfig /flushdns, and click OK. You can also launch the Windows Command Prompt, type ipconfig /flushdns, and press Enter.
To clear RAM on Windows computers, launch the Task Manager and see how much RAM various processes are using. If an unused app is hogging RAM, force quit the problematic process.
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