Should You Delete the Windows.old Folder?

A guide about deleting the Windows.old folder from your PC

Should you Delete the Windows.old Folder?

The simple answer is yes, it’s safe to delete it, but keep reading.

Windows. old folder is created when you recently reinstalled Windows or upgraded to a newer version, it started with Windows Vista. The Windows. old folder contains all the files and data from your previous Windows installation. You can use it to restore your system to the old version of Windows if you don’t like the new version.

It is important to note, Windows will be automatically deleted from your PC after 30 days of upgrade to Windows 10.

The Windows. old folder takes up quite a lot of space, it can easily consume 20 GB or more, depending on how large the previous Windows installation was.

However, if you wish to free up disk space, and you’re confident that you don't want to go back to the previous version of Windows you can delete it manually.

The easiest method is to delete the Windows. old folder from your device is through the Storage sense:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on System.

3. Click on Storage.

4. Under the "Storage sense" section, click the Change how we free up space automatically option.

5. Under the "Free up space now" section, check the Delete previous version of Windows option.

6. Click the Clear now button.