Yup! just like your browser, your operating system also stores files/parts to make it seamless for you to use the environment. Caches allow Windows to make sure that it can deliver the fastest responses by serving them from the cache instead of accessing them from the location or performing a certain operation over and over again. Apart from this, temporary files are also stored to make things work. It may not be exactly similar to the typical caching system. However, the overall idea is the same. To make things faster, easier, and more convenient both to the user and the system.
Types of Windows Caches
There are several types of caches on your Windows PC. It is not limited to a single one. For example, there is a DNS cache that stores information about your internet connection, a Windows Store cache used for storing information related to Windows Store applications, a search index cache that stores information about the searches you make, and a lot more. In this article, we will be discussing the methods to clear all of them one by one.
1. Clear DNS Cache
We have a detailed guide on clearing DNS cache. You can simply visit the article and find out the steps required to clear the DNS cache on your computer. The DNS cache will not consume any of your system resources but used to speed up the connection times while using the internet. So, if you are clearing your caches just to free up some space, clearing DNS cache won’t do anything. In that case, we recommend you try some of the following.
2. Clear Temporary Files
Windows stores different kinds of temporary files to make things work properly. If you were using your computer for years and never looked at your temporary caches, chances are that it is pretty big by now. So clearing it might save you some space and make your computer a bit faster as well. So here is how you can clear temporary files on your Windows PC.
- Search for Disk Cleanup on Windows start.
- Click on the Disk Cleanup option that shows up. It will automatically start scanning your computer for temporary files.
- As soon as it is ready, it will show you a screen with details such as the Downloads, Recycle Bin, Temporary Files, Thumbnails, etc. with their sizes.
- Select Temporary Files from the list and uncheck all other boxes (if you do not want to remove them).
- Finally, click the Clean up system files button. Windows will start calculating the amount of space that you will save performing the action.
- Once you are ready, click on OK.
- It will show you a warning asking “Are you sure you want to permanently delete these files?”. Click on the Delete Files button to confirm.
Based on the size of the files you selected, and the performance of your computer, it can take a few minutes. Wait patiently until the process is completed. Once it is finished, you will see that the amount of free space available on your hard drive has been increased.
While it is not necessary to clean your downloads folder or the Recycle bin, you can also select them if you know along I need those files during the selection process.
3. Clear Search Cache in Windows
When you make a search in Windows, the operating system automatically creates an index to make the search process faster the next time you perform it again. This stores as a search index cache. If you want to clear it, follow these steps.
Windows 10 users can follow these steps to clear search history.
- Go to Control Panel from the start or the desktop icon.
- Select Indexing Options (you have to select view by large/small icons).
- Click on Advanced.
- Click the Rebuild button under Troubleshooting.
4. Clear Windows Store Cache
If you are using the Windows 10 version of the Microsoft OS, there will be Windows Store installed on your computer by default. This makes it extremely easy to download applications to your PC right from the store. Windows Store also has a caching system making it easier downloading and upgrading applications. It can also store residuals of the deleted applications. So clearing these files that are no longer required might save you some space. Moreover, it is also known that clearing the Windows Store cache can fix a couple of issues related to application installations from the store. So, here is how you can clear the Windows store cache.
- Press Win + R keys on your keyboard. It will open the Run command prompt.
- Type WSReset.exe and press enter.
- It will open a window that will automatically run and close. You do not have to do anything else.