Along with all the utility programs that I run to keep my pc protected, I like to manually clean out my Temp folder.  This builds up over time and will SLOW DOWN your computer if you don’t tend to it periodically.

Manually cleaning out the Temp folder in Window is often a necessary maintenance step when the third-party utilities fail to completely clean out the Temp folder.

Removing temporary files is a quick and easy task that can help save disk space and keep your PC clean of file clutter.  Just follow the step by step directions below to manually clean out the Temp folder:

1. Vista Users: Click on Start, type the following command in the search box, and then hit the Enter key.  XP USERS: You need to Click Start and then RUN… and type the following in the box.
   

   %temp%

   This command will open the folder that Windows has designated as the Temporary folder. These are folders and files that Windows needed at one time but are no longer useful. Everything in this folder is safe to delete.

2. To remove individual folders or files, hold down your Ctrl key while left-clicking on each item you want delete. Release the Ctrl key when you’re finished.
3. To delete these items, hit your Delete key or click the Organize button on the toolbar menu, followed by the Delete option.You will probably be prompted to confirm that you wish to Delete Multiple Items. Click on Yes to confirm.
4. If you’d instead like to remove everything inside the Temp folder, click on the Organize button and then choose Select All from the menu.Note: If you’re prompted that there are hidden files in this folder, just click on OK to bypass the message. A few hidden files hanging out in the Temp folder probably aren’t important enough to worry about.
5. Again, to delete these items, hit your Delete key or click the Organize button on the toolbar menu, followed by the Delete option.You will probably be prompted again to confirm that you wish to Delete Multiple Items. Click on Yes to confirm.
6. After all of the files have been deleted you can close the folder window and empty your Recycle Bin, permanently removing the files from your PC.

Tips:

1. VISTA – You may receive a Error Deleting File or Folder message while the files are being deleted. This just means that one of the files is in use by a program right now. Click OK, close all open programs, and repeat the steps above. If you still receive the message, try restarting your PC and repeating the process again.
2. XP – XP will not let you delete files that are being used by a program when you attempt to delete it.  I always sort the files BY DATE and typically don’t select files with TODAY’S DATE.

Please leave a COMMENT if you have any questions or problems.