How to Clean Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean)
Location & Quick Verdict
C:\ProgramData & %UserProfile%\.cache & %LocalAppData%\NVIDIA\DXCache
Windows 11 groups unrecognized developer caches (.gradle, .cargo, .cache, HuggingFace/Ollama LLM weights), installer depot caches (ProgramData\Package Cache, LGHUB\depots, Steam\depotcache), and GPU shader pipelines into 'Other' or 'Temporary files' that standard Storage Sense skips.
Verify Any Windows Folder Path or Clean Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) in 1 Click
Paste any C:\, %LocalAppData%, or %AppData% path below to check if it is safe to delete—or download SWEEPR Cleaner to scan all 40+ hidden cache locations automatically:
How Windows Manages Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) on NTFS & NVMe Drives
Windows 10 and Windows 11 maintain hidden system directories and root-level allocation files at C:\ProgramData & %UserProfile%\.cache & %LocalAppData%\NVIDIA\DXCache to handle shell thumbnail databases, prefetcher launch traces, hibernation power states, and user-profile scratch storage. Because many of these paths are marked with +H (Hidden) or +S (System) attributes or guarded by SYSTEM ACL permissions, standard folder size scans often miss them entirely.
Over time, orphaned temporary files, stale Explorer DataCache_* buckets, and uncompacted virtual storage allocations inside C:\ProgramData & %UserProfile%\.cache & %LocalAppData%\NVIDIA\DXCache lock up 6.0 GB – 45.0 GB of primary C: drive space. Cleaning Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) using the proper administrative method restores drive headroom safely.
# Inspect current disk footprint of Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) (Read-Only)
$target = "C:\ProgramData & $env:USERPROFILE\.cache & $env:LOCALAPPDATA\NVIDIA\DXCache"
Get-ChildItem -Path $target -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum |
Select-Object Count, @{Name="SizeGB";Expression={[math]::Round($_.Sum / 1GB, 2)}}
Manual Cleaning Instructions
- 1 Inspect %UserProfile%\.cache, %LocalAppData%\NVIDIA\DXCache, and C:\ProgramData\Package Cache for orphaned multi-gigabyte folders.
- 2 Purge stale shader caches and completed installer staging payloads using SWEEPR Cleaner's deterministic path scanner.
Note: If Windows alerts that a file is in use or locked by a background process, close the associated task in Task Manager before deleting, or use SWEEPR Cleaner to release locked handles safely.
Sub-Folders & Cache Locations Breakdown for Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean)
Modern Windows applications and system services split their disk footprint across multiple sub-directories (`Cache_Data`, `Service Worker\CacheStorage`, `Media Blob Storage`, `Code Cache`, `GPUCache`, and `Crashpad\reports`). Review which sub-folders inside Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) are safe to purge and which files remain protected:
| Sub-Folder / Cache Location | Storage Role | Typical Footprint | Deletion Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| C:\ProgramData | Primary System Scratch, Thumbnail/Icon DB or Virtual Allocation | 6.0 GB – 45.0 GB | 🟢 100% Safe (Unlocked Files) |
| %LocalAppData%\Temp & C:\Windows\Temp | Orphaned Installer Extraction & Session Scratch Files | 1.5 GB – 18.0 GB | 🟢 100% Safe |
| %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer (thumbcache_*.db) | Cached File Explorer Image & Video Thumbnail Databases | 250 MB – 3.0 GB | 🟢 100% Safe (Rebuilds Automatically) |
| User Documents, Desktop & Registry Hives | Personal Files, Boot Configuration & System Certificates | Protected | 🔒 Protected — Never Touched |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to delete Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean)?
Yes, 100% safe. Reclaims gigabytes of hidden SSD space from orphaned installer depots, shader caches, and CLI package stores without touching active projects or installed software.
How much storage space will cleaning Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) free up?
Users typically reclaim 6.0 GB – 45.0 GB on Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems depending on update frequency and active cache retention in C:\ProgramData & %UserProfile%\.cache & %LocalAppData%\NVIDIA\DXCache.
Why does Windows say some files in Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) are "In Use" when I try to delete them?
Active background processes (such as explorer.exe, svchost.exe, or running desktop apps) hold open file handles to current session scratch files. Skipping locked files—or letting SWEEPR Cleaner clean unlocked items automatically—is normal and completely safe.
Where is Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) located on Windows 10 and Windows 11?
It is stored at C:\ProgramData & %UserProfile%\.cache & %LocalAppData%\NVIDIA\DXCache. You can paste that path directly into the Windows Run dialog (Win + R) or File Explorer address bar to inspect it.
Manual File Explorer vs. 1-Click SWEEPR Cleanup
| Feature | Manual Deletion | SWEEPR Cleaner |
|---|---|---|
| Locked File Handling | Fails on locked processes | Safe background release |
| Accidental Deletion Risk | Moderate (easy to delete wrong folder) | Zero (strict rules & hashes) |
| Safety Undo Rollback | None (Shift+Del is permanent) | 7-Day Automatic Rollback |
| Time Required | 10–20 minutes per app | < 60 seconds across 40+ areas |
Related Windows Cleanup Guides & Hidden Space Hogs
Clean Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) Automatically
SWEEPR Cleaner safely clears Temporary Files & 'Other' Storage Full on Windows 11 (Deep Clean) along with 40+ other hidden app folders and leftover files in one click—covering up to 5 devices (Windows, Mac, Android & iOS) with a 7-day undo safety net.