How to Clear Windows 7 Temporary Files in the Temp Folder - where .tmp, .docx, .xlsx, .pptx and .pdf are shadowed
Update - Sept 2017 - Do not use CCleaner its been hacked
Read my post on CCleaner containing malware and an alternative.
InformationThe Temp folder is where Windows 7 and programs sometimes store temporary files. Sometimes these files are not deleted after Windows 7 or the program is finished with them. This can cause the temp folder to fill up with junk temp files which may cause Vista to take longer to access the Temp folder and create a slight delay.
This will show you how to clear the Windows 7 temporary files through Disk Cleanup or manually in the Temp folder.
The Windows 7 Temp folder is located at:
C:\Users\(UserName)\AppData\Local\Temp
or
cd %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Temp
or
cd %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Temp
You can obtain you current logged on UserName,
if you are not sure by Start->Run->Cmd and type
if you are not sure by Start->Run->Cmd and type
whoami
will return domainname\UserName
If you are browsing to this folder, you may need to show AppData and other hidden files, folders and drives. See image below.
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Warning
While it is safe to delete these files, it is best not to do this while installing or uninstalling anything.
Example: Windows 7 User Account Temp Folder Location
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METHOD ONE
Thorough Disk Cleanup (PREFERRED METHOD)
NoteDisk Cleanup will only delete Temporary files that have not been modified in 7 days. To clear everything, see METHOD TWO below.
1. Open Disk Cleanup.2. Check Temporary files. (See image below)
3. Review Files to delete at my post Windows 7 Disk Cleanup - What File Categories to Delete - A detailed look
4. After, Click on Delete Files to confirm the action.
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METHOD TWO
Manually Clear the Temp Folder
Note
The Temp folder is located at the hidden system folder:
C:\Users\(Your Username)\AppData\Local\Temp
If you are browsing to this folder, you may need to show Appdata and other hidden files, folders and drives.
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1. Open the Start Menu.2. Search for Run and click.
Type %temp% and press Enter and then do
Type %windir%\Temp and press Enter.
Select all files and click Shift + Del key.
NOTE: This is a shortcut and opens the Temp folder.
3. Delete anything you want in this folder. (See image below)
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If you delete the Low folder, it can prevent you from printing from Internet Explorer. To fix this, close all Internet Explorer windows and reopen Internet Explorer to recreate the Low folder.
You can also manually fix this by recreating the Low folder in the Temp folder below, open a elevated command prompt (Start->Search for "CMD.exe", right-click and run as Administrator.
click for larger Then Copy and Paste the command below in the command prompt and press enter.Code:If you receive a File In Use pop-up error message while the files are being deleted, then this just means that one of the temp files is in use by a program right now.
