Guides
Is it safe to delete it?
Your disk is full and you found a big folder you don't recognize. Here is what it is, whether you can delete it, and the safe way to do it.
Windows
- Is it safe to delete .etl files?Mostly yes. ETL files are Windows trace logs: old ones can go, but files in use are locked and some folders are better cleared with Windows tools.
- Is it safe to delete AppData\Local\Packages?No. It holds Microsoft Store app data. Reset or uninstall the app from Settings instead; emptying an app's TempState is the only safe manual cleanup.
- Is it safe to delete crash dump files and Windows error reports?Yes, unless you're troubleshooting crashes. Dump files and error reports are only diagnostics. Keep the latest ones if your PC is getting blue screens.
- Is it safe to delete Delivery Optimization files?Yes. Delivery Optimization files are a cache of Windows updates and Store apps already downloaded. Clear them with Disk Cleanup or Settings, never by hand.
- Is it safe to delete Prefetch files?Yes, it's harmless, but pointless. Windows rebuilds the Prefetch folder on its own, and emptying it can make your apps start a little slower for a while.
- Is it safe to delete temp files on Windows?Yes. Files in your Temp folder are leftovers apps no longer need, and Windows skips anything still in use. Here is the safe way to clear them on Windows 11.
- Is it safe to delete the $Recycle.Bin folder?Don't delete $Recycle.Bin itself: empty the Recycle Bin instead. On an external or USB drive, deleting its contents is fine and Windows recreates it.
- Is it safe to delete the AppData folder?No, never delete AppData itself: it holds your apps' settings and data. Some folders inside, like caches and leftovers of uninstalled apps, are fine to remove.
- Is it safe to delete the DirectX Shader Cache?Yes. Shader caches (Windows' DirectX Shader Cache, NVIDIA DXCache, AMD DxCache) are rebuilt automatically. Expect some stutter the first time you play again.
- Is it safe to delete the EFI System Partition?No, not the one your PC boots from: without it Windows won't start. A leftover EFI partition on an old or second drive can go, with care.
- Is it safe to delete the Package Cache folder?No. Installers need C:\ProgramData\Package Cache to repair, update and uninstall. Remove unused products instead. npm, NuGet and pip caches are fine.
- Is it safe to delete the SoftwareDistribution folder?Yes, the contents of SoftwareDistribution\Download are safe to delete once Windows Update is stopped. Windows downloads again what it still needs.
- Is it safe to delete the Windows.edb file?Yes, but don't delete it by hand. Windows.edb is the Windows Search index. Rebuild it from Indexing Options, and index fewer locations to keep it small.
- Is it safe to delete Windows.old?Yes, once you're sure you won't roll back to your previous Windows version. Copy any files you need out of it first, then remove it with Windows' own tools.
Mac
- Is it safe to delete cache files on Mac?Mostly yes: the contents of ~/Library/Caches can be deleted and apps rebuild them. Leave the folder itself and system caches alone. Here's how.
- Is it safe to delete Command Line Tools on Mac?Yes, if you don't use git, Homebrew or developer tools. macOS still works, and you can reinstall them with one command. Xcode data is often bigger.
- Is it safe to delete Group Containers on Mac?No for the folder and for apps you use: it holds real data such as Notes, Office and WhatsApp chats. Leftovers of uninstalled apps are usually safe.
- Is it safe to delete the Application Support folder on Mac?No, never the folder itself. Subfolders of apps you've uninstalled are usually safe to delete. Here's how to tell them apart and what you'd lose.
Windows and Mac
- Is it safe to delete old iPhone backups?Yes, if you don't need to restore from them. Deleting a backup never touches your iPhone, but keep the latest one. Delete through Finder or Apple Devices.
- Is it safe to delete video editing cache files? (Premiere, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve)Yes. Media cache, disk cache and CacheClip files are rebuilt from your footage. Close the app or use its own Delete command, and expect re-rendering.