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Use 6 free windows 11-bases programs and software to clean junk, old files, large personal documents, and stubborn leftovers. Release more speace for your Windows 11 system.
Gary Henderson
Over time, Windows 11 can become slower, cluttered, and filled with unnecessary files. Temporary files, startup apps, browser cache, and old updates all take up storage and may affect system performance. The good news is that you do not need to spend money to clean your PC.
So, how to clean Windows 11 for free? Windows 11 already includes several free cleanup tools, and there are also free third-party programs that can help remove junk files, optimize startup items, and free up disk space safely. In this guide, you will learn what can be cleaned in Windows 11, what should be avoided, and how to improve your PC performance step by step for free.
Normally people don’t clean up Windows system very often until the running speed becomes really slow. The six major reasons behind a PC running slowly are listed below:
Storage junk
This category of junk includes system temporary files, recycle bin files, and download leftovers. Usually, it is hard to manually remove these files (except for recycle bin files), and people need a professional system scanner to sift out all the junkies.
Startup & background apps
As one of the most neglected categories among all the optimization options, auto startups and background programs actually drastically slow down PC's running speed. And some of them are stubborn to get rid of.
High RAM consumption
Dedicated software is needed to clean real-time RAM consumption. If your games are losing FPS, then you should consider downloading a RAM cleaner.
Browser cookies and cache
When you use your PC for years, your browsers tend to be super slow in responding; that’s because the cookies and caches are piling up. No worries, you can go to the browser settings to manually delete these files.
Large personal files
Some of you may download videos/games to the system disk, and this action makes the PC laggy. To clean these files is not easy since the piling up of documents cannot be distinguished unless you have a good habit of intentional storage.
GPU temporary files and old game recordings/screenshots
Your games take screen recordings or screenshots when you are not aware of it. And these files are most likely to be stored on the C disk.
The next parts are about to guide you to clean your Windows 11 PCs for free. Please check which methods suit you the best.
Windows prepares a slew of PC optimization tools for you to clean up unwanted files. With 3 default tools, you can easily delete old apps, leftovers, and disk junk. Let’s take a quick glance at how to use the 3 default tools.
#1. Storage Sense
Windows 11 Storage Sense can automatically remove temporary files, Recycle Bin data, and other unnecessary system files. It is easy, safe, and suitable for basic PC cleanup, but its cleaning ability is more limited than that of dedicated cleaning software.
Follow the steps below to clean your system:
Settings > System > Storage > Turn on “Storage Sense” > Configure cleanup options > Delete temporary files > Empty Recycle Bin > Remove old Downloads > Run Storage Sense Now > Click “Run Storage Sense now” to start cleaning immediately
#2. Disk Cleanup
Windows 11 Disk Cleanup helps remove temporary files, Windows update cache, thumbnails, and other unnecessary system files. It offers deeper cleaning than Storage Sense and can free up noticeable disk space, especially on older PCs. However, the interface is more traditional and less automated.
Follow the steps below to clean your system:
Start Menu > Search “Disk Cleanup” > Open the tool > Select the system drive (usually C:)
Files to Delete > Check temporary files, thumbnails, Recycle Bin, and Windows update cache
OK > Delete Files > Start cleanup process
#3. Task Manager Startup Tab
The Startup tab in Windows Task Manager helps reduce unnecessary background apps that automatically launch with Windows 11. Disabling unwanted startup programs can lower RAM consumption, shorten boot time, and improve overall system responsiveness. This method is simple and effective for performance optimization, although it does not remove junk files or deeply clean the system.
Follow the steps below to clean your system:
Ctrl + Shift + Esc > Open Task Manager > Startup Apps tab > Right-click unnecessary programs > Disable > Restart PC > Check for faster startup and lower RAM consumption
Conclusion: From the tutorials above, you may successfully take a round of PC cleaning. But that’s the superficial system cleanup. If you want an overall scan and roll back the original Windows 11 system, you need to do a deep clean. How to deeply clean uninstall apps and programs? IObit uninstaller can help you.
Keeping your PC clean is one of the easiest ways to improve the performance of Windows 11. IObit Advanced SystemCare provides more than one effective solution to remove junk files, clean invalid registry entries, optimize startup items, and reduce unnecessary RAM consumption. It can also clear browser cache, delete privacy traces, and fix common system slowdowns with just a few clicks.
Whether your computer suffers from lag, high disk usage, or slow boot times, Advanced SystemCare offers a simple and beginner-friendly way to free up space and maintain smoother overall system performance without complicated manual steps.
What can this PC optimizer do?
Junk File Clean
Registry Clean
Privacy Sweep
Startup Optimization
RAM / Memory Cleaning
Deep System Optimization
Step 1. Download IObit Advanced SystemCare.
Step 2. Press the ‘Scan’ button to do an overall scan for your system.
Step 3. In minutes you can get an analysis and all the items that need to be cleaned will be presented to you.
Step 4. Click on ‘Fix’ to remove the redundant files.
Using File Explorer’s built-in search feature to remove your personal large files hidden on local disks. This method helps users quickly locate large, old, or unnecessary files that take up valuable storage space. By searching terms like “size”, “*.tmp”, or sorting files by date and size, you can identify downloads, temporary files, duplicate media, and forgotten folders that are no longer needed.
The biggest advantage of this method is that it requires no extra software and gives users full control over what gets deleted. However, it can be time-consuming and may not clean hidden system junk automatically.
Step 1. Open File Explorer by pressing Win + E on your keyboard.
Step 2. Go to “This PC” so Windows can search your entire computer.
Step 3. Use the search bar in the top-right corner to find large or unnecessary files. Try searches like:
1. size:large
2. .tmp
3. .log
4. .old
Step 4. Sort the results by “Size” or “Date Modified” to quickly identify files you no longer need.
Step 5. Review the files carefully and delete unnecessary downloads, temporary files, old videos, or duplicate documents.
Step 6. Empty the Recycle Bin afterward to free up the storage space completely.
Mem Reduct is a lightweight free tool designed to reduce unnecessary RAM consumption on Windows 11. It works by clearing unused memory cache, system working sets, and standby memory that may continue occupying RAM even when applications are no longer actively used.
With just one click, users can free up memory and potentially improve system responsiveness, especially on PCs with limited RAM. The biggest advantage of this RAM optimizer is its simplicity and low resource usage.
Step 1. Download Mem Reduct.
Step 2. From the main interface, click the downside arrow to select what you want to clean. Mem Reduct can clean system file cache, registry cache, and others.
Step 3. Hit the 'Clean memory' button to release your RAM.
Cleaning Windows 11 regularly can help your computer run faster, free up storage space, and reduce unnecessary background activity. From temporary files and browser cache to startup apps and unused software, there are many things you can safely clean without paying for expensive tools.
How to clean Windows 11 for free? Built-in features like Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup are good starting points, while free optimization tools can make the process easier and more automatic. If your PC feels slow or cluttered, a proper cleanup may quickly improve overall performance and responsiveness.
Gary Henderson
A tech-focused content specialist with a strong background in software, system optimization, and emerging tools. Skilled at translating complex technical topics into clear, user-friendly content that helps people quickly understand and solve problems.
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