Windows 10 automatically caches all Windows update installation files when you download and install them onto your computer. While this is an automated process with very limited user control, one positive aspect about caches is that Windows can reapply updates without having to download them again from their own servers online, saving time, bandwidth, and overall frustration. However, as time goes on, the cache gets larger and larger, taking up more hard drive space.
While this can be done using the disk cleanup utility, it’s not as thorough as some people would like and it doesn’t do a complete 100 percent cleaning job. So, in this tutorial, we will be showing you how to clear the update cache using the best method possible to get rid of as much of it as possible.
First, head over to the start button and type in “services”. Right-click on the services button and then left-click on “run as administrator”. With the services window open, go down to Windows Update and right-click on it, then select “stop”. Now that the Windows Update servers have stopped, head back over to the start button and right-click on it. Then, left-click on “run”.
Type in uppercase C colon forward slash windows forward slash software distribution and then click on enter. Once for the software distribution folder, double-click on the download folder (not the one on the sign here but the one in the center by underneath delivery optimization). With the keyboard, hold down the ctrl + a key to select all of the items in this list, and then right-click and left-click on “delete”. You can see how much space is being cleared as we delete the cache.
You might get some folder access tonight; just checkmark in this bond saying “do this for all current items” and then left-click on “continue”. You have to have administrative privileges in order to do this. If it says you could not find the item, just click on this little bouncing “do this for all current items” and then left-click on “skip”. Now you will see that your folder is empty.
This pretty much clears most except for one file in the folder that is probably still being actively used on the computer. Don’t worry about it for the most part; the cache has been cleared. There are also further options you could take by going into deleting some files within the delivery optimization folder; however, that is much less significant than what we just did right here today and, in most cases, would be unnecessary.
We hope this tutorial has helped you clear your Windows Update cache in Windows 10.