How to Delete the Windows.old Folder in Windows 10 and Windows 11

After a Windows upgrade (feature update or moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11), you might notice a folder on *C:* called Windows.old. It can take up a lot of storage, and it exists for one main reason: rollback.

If your PC is running well and you are sure you will not roll back, deleting Windows.old is a safe way to free up disk space.

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What is Windows.old?

Windows.old is a backup of your previous Windows installation. It typically includes:

• Old system files
• Old Program Files folders
• Some user profile data from the previous install

Windows keeps it so you can revert to the previous Windows version if something breaks after the upgrade.

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When is it safe to delete Windows.old?

Use this checklist first:

• Your device is stable after the upgrade (no driver issues, no app failures).
• You do not plan to roll back to the previous Windows version.
• You have copied anything you still need (rare, but worth a quick check).
• You understand: once deleted, rollback is no longer possible.

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Method 1 (Best for most people): Delete Windows.old using Storage Settings

This is the simplest and safest option.

Windows 11 / Windows 10 steps

1. Open Settings (Windows + I)
2. Go to System → Storage
3. Select Temporary files
4. Find Previous Windows installation(s)
5. Check it, then click Remove files

Verify

• Open File Explorer → *C:*
• Confirm Windows.old is gone
• Check Storage to confirm space is reclaimed

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Method 2: Remove Windows.old using Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr)

If the Storage UI does not show the option, Disk Cleanup often will.

Steps

1. Press Windows + R
2. Type:cleanmgr
3. Select C: (if prompted)
4. Click Clean up system files
5. Select C: again
6. Check Previous Windows installation(s)
7. Click OK → Delete Files to confirm

Verify

• Check C:\Windows.old
• Confirm free space increased

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Method 3 (Last resort): Delete Windows.old using Command Prompt (Admin)

Use this only if the first two methods fail.

Steps

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)
2. Run:

takeown /F C:\Windows.old\* /R /A /D Y
icacls C:\Windows.old\* /T /grant administrators:F
rmdir /S /Q C:\Windows.old

Verify

• In File Explorer, confirm C:\Windows.old no longer exists

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Does Windows delete Windows.old automatically?

Usually, yes. Windows often removes it automatically after a short post-upgrade period.
If you need disk space sooner, manual removal using the methods above is fine.

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IT admin notes (Intune and enterprise environments)

• Rollback matters. If you use rollback as part of your upgrade risk plan, do not remove Windows.old too early.
• Pilot first. If you plan to standardize cleanup across devices, test on a small ring and confirm it does not impact your support process.
• User impact: deleting Windows.old is usually invisible to users, except they lose rollback.

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