Some users accept been complaining of the disability to delete the Windows.one-time binder. This is an extremely common problem with users that accept recently upgraded to Windows x from a previous OS version or after applying the Windows 10Anniversary update.

Note: When users try to delete the Windows.old folder in the first month afterward the upgrade, they are greeted past a Folder Access Denied mistake signaling that they don't have the necessary permissions to delete the folder.

Depending on the previous versions and your computer specs, the Windows.old folder can finish up hogging a lot of precious space. This is precisely why most users are looking for ways to delete information technology.

Keep in mind that this is by no means a bug or a sign of a malfunctioning Windows. In fact, it's standard Windows behavior to create the windows.old folder and prevent it from being deleted to serve every bit a backup plan in case the user wants or needs to get back to the previous version.

What is the windows.erstwhile folder?

During an upgrade, the old files from your previous OS won't get automatically deleted. In that location are a lot of things that can get incorrect during the upgrade procedure and users are not always happy with the changes implemented with the new OS version.

This is where the Windows.old folder comes in – it serves as a backup plan in instance, for some reason or another, the old operating system files demand to be restored. The windows.sometime folder holds a collection disquisitional OS files that are needed if the erstwhile Windows version will need to exist restored.

With this in mind, if you aren't pressed for infinite, there are very few reasons why you should start looking for ways to get rid of the windows.old folder. Keep in mind that Windows 10 is programmed to automatically delete the Windows 10 binder exactly one month later you performed the update.

Deleting the windows.old folder manually

If you lot're heavily pressed past infinite and y'all can't afford to wait one month until Windows x will automatically delete the Windows.sometime binder, you lot tin can also delete information technology yourself manually.

Note: If you lot're however thinking about downgrading Windows ten to the previous version, practice not delete the Windows.quondam binder as you'll lose the ability to downgrade.

Below you have a collection of methods that accept helped other users in a similar situation to delete the Windows.old folder. Please follow whichever method seems more than approachable based on your particular scenario and tech skills.

Note: Keep in mind that while the first three methods are extremely intuitive, most of them won't exist effective in case a badly written driver is preventing the deletion. If you consider yourself a tech-savvy person, follow one of the last three methods for the best results.

Method 1: Deleting the windows.old folder via Disk Cleanup

This first method is definitely the most user-friendly one out of the bunch since it'due south all done through the Deejay Cleanup interface.

However, some users report that this method wasn't applicable in their situation or that the Disk Cleanup utility didn't manage to delete all the files inside the Windows.old folder. Most reports are signaling that the utility might leave some leftover files inside the Windows.old (under ane GB). Luckily, those can be deleted the old-fashioned fashion.

Here'due south a quick guide to using  Disk Cleanup to delete the Windows.quondam folder:

  1. Printing Windows key + R to pop open up a Run Window. Then, type "cleanmgr" and striking Enter to open up the Disk Cleanup utility.
  2. In the Deejay Cleanup window, select the Disk Cleanup tab and check the box associated with Previous Windows installation(south).
    Annotation: You can besides check other entries if yous're severely struggling to open up new free space.
  3. Striking Ok to get-go the cleanup process and await until information technology'southward completed. Adjacent, return to the location of Windows.onetime ( it's in C:\ by default) and encounter if the folder has been removed. If it still has some leftover files, right-click on information technology and choose Delete to remove it.

In example this method was not applicable, motion over to Method 2.

Method 2: Deleting Windows.erstwhile from Storage settings

Another way to delete the Windows.quondam folder without getting too technical is by using the Storage Settings. This method makes use of the new and improved Windows x Settings wizard.

Here's a quick guide to deleting the Windows.old folder from the Storage settings:

  1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run command. In the Run command, type "ms-settings:storagesense" and hit Enter to open the Storage screen.
  2. On the correct side, click on your C drive (or the bulldoze letter that holds your Windows files).
  3. At the next screen, click on Temporary Files.
  4. Nether Remove temporary files, check the box associated with Previous version of Windows, then click on Remove files.
  5. Wait until the process is finished, then you tin can safely close the Settings window. Finally, reboot your figurer and see if the Windows.old folder is removed. If it isn't, move downwards to the methods below.

Method 3: Deleting the Windows.ord binder via Storage Sense

This is the final method that will allow you to remove the WIndows.one-time folder without getting technical. But keep in mind that the Storage Sense settings volition but go visible if you accept Windows 10 build 16226 or older.

Hither's a quick guide to using the Storage Sense settings to remove the Windows.old binder from your organization:

  1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run box. So, blazon "ms-settings:storagepolicies" and hitting Enter to open the Storage Sense settings.
  2. In the Storage Sense settings, whorl downwards to Free up space now and check the box next to Delete previous versions of Windows.
  3. Hit the Make clean now push button and wait for the procedure to complete. Once the procedure is consummate, reboot your PC and see whether the Windows.old binder has been removed.

If you're withal seeing the Windows.old folders and yet can't remove it past deleting information technology conventionally, move down to more advanced ways of deleting information technology.

Method 4: Deleting Windows.old folder afterward challenge ownership

Most users that accept been struggling with this upshot for a while take finally managed to remove the Windows.old folder afterwards claiming ownership of it.

Here's a quick guide on how to claim buying of the Windows.old folder in lodge to exist able to delete information technology:

  1. Right-click on the Windows.old folder and cull Properties.
  2. In Windows.old Properties, get to the Security tab and click on Advanced.
  3. Next, striking the Change button on the newly appeared box.
  4. In the Select User or Group window, blazon "administrators", then click the Check Names button. Once the name has been identified, hit OK to close the Select User or Group Window, then hit Apply at the Advanced Security Settings for Windows.old window.
  5. Side by side, return to the Security tab and click the Edit button. So in the Permissions for Windows.old folder, bank check the Allow box associated with Full Control, then hit Apply.
  6. Now that yous took full buying of the folder, you lot should be able to delete Windows.quondam conventionally. Only right-click on information technology and choose Delete or use the keyboard button.

If you're all the same prevented from deleting the folder, motion down to side by side method.

Method 5: Deleting Windows.erstwhile in an Elevated Command Prompt

This method involves using an elevated command prompt in order to delete the windows.old folder with administrative privileges. Although information technology requires a certain caste of technical knowledge, the steps beneath tin exist followed quite easily and a result is extremely probable.

Here's a quick guide to opening an elevated command prompt and using it to delete windows.old:

  1. Acess the Start carte du jour and search for "cmd". Then, right-click on Control Prompt and choose Run as Administrator.
  2. In the elevated Control Prompt, blazon or copy the post-obit commands and printing Enter after each one:
    takeown /F "C:\Windows.former" /A /R /D Y
    icacls "C:\Windows.old" /grant *Due south-1-v-32-544:F /T /C /Q
    RD /Due south /Q "C:\Windows.quondam"
    Note:    Continue in mind that if you have a dissimilar OS drive, you'll demand to replace the "C" from the commands above with the right letter.
  3. In one case all commands take been properly introduced and applied, you can safely close the elevated command prompt. See whether the method has been successful by seeing if Windows.erstwhile has been removed.

If the method wasn't successful in removing the Windows.old folder or if y'all got an error later inserting the last command, move over to the Method below.

Method 6: Deleting Windows.former Folder from Advanced Options

If an elevated command prompt wasn't enough to learn the necessary permissions to delete the Windows.sometime folder, using a Command Prompt at kicking might just do the play a trick on.

In order to follow the steps beneath, follow this guide (here) to admission the Advanced Options of Windows 10, and so click on Command Prompt.

Once you've successfully entered Control Prompt during boot, follow the steps below to delete the Windows.former folder:

  1. In the Command Prompt window, blazon the following command and printing Enter to use it:
    RD /S /Q "C:\Windows.old"
     Annotation: Retrieve to replace the letter "C" with a different one if you have a custom location for your OS.
  2. Once the control has been successfully applied, close the Command Prompt and hit Continueto start your operating organization unremarkably. Once the startup is consummate, navigate to the location of windows.old and see if it'southward now removed.

If this method wasn't effective, about likely the deletion is prevented by a desperately written driver. In such a instance, the user has little pick but to look for the one month period to pass when Windows volition automatically remove the Windows.old folder.