How to Clear Cache and Temporary Files on Your Computer for Speed Up?

Clearing cache and temporary files on your computer is a quick and effective way to free up space and boost system performance. Here’s how you can do it on Windows and macOS.

For Windows:

1. Clear Browser Cache:

   • Chrome: Open Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Select Cached images and files and click Clear data.

   • Edge: Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear and select Cached images and files.

2. Use Disk Cleanup:

   • Open Disk Cleanup by searching for it in the Start menu.

   • Select the drive you want to clean (typically C:).

   • In the dialog box, check options like Temporary files, Thumbnails, Recycle Bin, and Temporary Internet Files.

   • Click OK to delete selected files.

3. Clear System Temp Files:

   • Press Win + R to open the “Run” dialog box.

   • Type temp and press Enter.

   • Select all files in the folder and delete them. Skip files that are in use.

   • And again type %temp% and press Enter. Select all files in the folder and delete them. Skip files that are in use.

4. Clear Recent Files:

   • Press Win + R to open the “Run” dialog box.

   • Type recent and press Enter.

   • Select all files in the folder and delete them.

5. Run tree Command:

   • Press Win + R to open the “Run” dialog box.

   • Type tree and press Enter.

6. Clear Prefetch Files (Optional):

   • Open the Run dialog (Win + R), type prefetch, and press Enter.

   • Select all files in the folder and delete them.

7. Clear Windows Update Cache (Optional):

   • Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download.

   • Delete all files in this folder to clear Windows Update cache.

Describe A Sample Task Procedure with Images:-

For macOS:

1. Clear Browser Cache:

   • Safari: Go to Safari > Preferences > Advanced. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar, then go to Develop > Empty Caches.

   • Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Select Cached images and files and click Clear data.

2. Delete Temporary Files Manually:

   • Open Finder, go to Go > Go to Folder, and type /Library/Caches.

   • Delete files within the cache folders. Be cautious not to delete system-critical files.

3. Clear System Logs and Temporary Files:

   • Use Finder to navigate to /Library/Logs and ~/Library/Logs.

   • You can delete old or unnecessary log files to free up space.

4. Empty Trash:

   • Make sure to empty the Trash folder to delete files permanently. Right-click on Trash and select Empty Trash.

Third-Party Tools:

• Windows: Tools like CCleaner and BleachBit can help with deeper cleaning of temporary files and caches.

• MacOS: Tools like CleanMyMac X or OnyX can clear system cache, logs, and unnecessary files.

By regularly clearing cache and temporary files, you keep your computer performing at its best while reclaiming valuable disk space.