Automate Your Windows Cleanup: A PowerShell Script That Saves Hours

Every few weeks, you notice your computer slowing down. Disk space is mysteriously disappearing. The culprit? Temporary files, browser caches, Windows update remnants, and download folder clutter that accumulate silently in the background.

The manual solution? Clicking through Disk Cleanup, clearing browser caches one by one, and manually sorting through downloads. It works, but it's tedious and easy to forget. Today, we're building a PowerShell script that does all of this automatically—and you'll never think about disk cleanup again.

What You'll Learn

How to identify and target common disk space wasters on Windows
Building a comprehensive cleanup script with safety checks
Implementing logging to track what gets cleaned
Scheduling the script to run automatically
Customizing cleanup targets for your specific needs

Prerequisites

Windows 10 or 11 (Windows Server works too)
PowerShell 5.1 or higher (pre-installed on modern Windows)
Administrator privileges for full cleanup capabilities
Basic familiarity with running scripts

The Manual Pain

Here's what manual Windows cleanup typically looks like:

Open Disk Cleanup utility, wait for it to scan
Check all the boxes, click OK, wait for cleanup
Open Chrome, Settings, Privacy, Clear browsing data
Repeat for Firefox, Edge, or whatever browsers you use
Navigate to Downloads folder, sort by date, delete old files
Check the Recycle Bin, empty it
Hunt for large files you forgot about

This process takes 15-30 minutes and needs to happen regularly. Most people don't do it until their disk is critically low. Let's fix that.

The Automated Solution

We'll build a script that:

Cleans Windows temporary files and caches
Clears browser caches for major browsers
Removes old files from Downloads (with configurable age threshold)
Empties the Recycle Bin
Logs everything it does
Runs safely without deleting anything important

Step 1: Setting Up the Foundation

First, let's create the basic structure with parameters and logging:

powershell

1# Define configurable parameters
2$DaysToKeepDownloads = 30
3$DaysToKeepTempFiles = 7
4$LogPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\CleanupLogs"
5$LogFile = Join-Path $LogPath "Cleanup_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd_HHmmss').log"
6
7# Ensure log directory exists
8if (-not (Test-Path $LogPath)) {
9    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $LogPath -Force | Out-Null
10}

This sets up our configuration. Downloads older than 30 days get flagged, temp files older than 7 days are removed, and everything is logged for your records.

Step 2: Creating a Logging Function

Every good automation script logs what it does. Here's our logging function:

powershell

1function Write-Log {
2    param (
3        [string]$Message,
4        [ValidateSet("INFO", "WARN", "ERROR", "SUCCESS")]
5        [string]$Level = "INFO"
6    )
7    
8    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
9    $logMessage = "[$timestamp] [$Level] $Message"
10    
11    # Write to log file
12    Add-Content -Path $LogFile -Value $logMessage
13    
14    # Also display in console with color
15    switch ($Level) {
16        "INFO"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Cyan }
17        "WARN"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Yellow }
18        "ERROR"   { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Red }
19        "SUCCESS" { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Green }
20    }
21}

This gives us consistent logging to both a file and the console, with color-coded output so you can quickly see what happened.

Step 3: Cleaning Windows Temp Files

Windows accumulates temporary files in several locations. Let's clean them:

powershell

1function Clear-WindowsTempFiles {
2    param (
3        [int]$DaysOld = 7
4    )
5    
6    Write-Log "Starting Windows temp file cleanup (files older than $DaysOld days)..."
7    
8    $tempPaths = @(
9        $env:TEMP,
10        $env:TMP,
11        "C:\Windows\Temp",
12        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Temp"
13    )
14    
15    $totalSize = 0
16    $filesRemoved = 0
17    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
18    
19    foreach ($path in $tempPaths) {
20        if (Test-Path $path) {
21            Write-Log "Cleaning: $path"
22            
23            try {
24                $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $path -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
25                    Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
26                
27                foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
28                    try {
29                        $fileSize = $file.Length
30                        Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
31                        $totalSize += $fileSize
32                        $filesRemoved++
33                    }
34                    catch {
35                        # File in use, skip silently
36                    }
37                }
38            }
39            catch {
40                Write-Log "Could not fully clean $path - some files may be in use" -Level "WARN"
41            }
42        }
43    }
44    
45    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
46    Write-Log "Temp cleanup complete: Removed $filesRemoved files ($sizeMB MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
47    
48    return @{
49        FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved
50        SizeFreed = $totalSize
51    }
52}

Notice we're catching errors silently for files in use—this is normal and expected. Windows often has temp files locked by running processes.

Step 4: Clearing Browser Caches

Browser caches are often the biggest space hogs. Here's how to clean the major browsers:

powershell

1function Clear-BrowserCaches {
2    Write-Log "Starting browser cache cleanup..."
3    
4    $totalSize = 0
5    
6    # Chrome cache paths
7    $chromePaths = @(
8        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache",
9        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Code Cache",
10        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\GPUCache"
11    )
12    
13    # Firefox cache paths
14    $firefoxProfile = Get-ChildItem "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
15        Select-Object -First 1
16    $firefoxPaths = @()
17    if ($firefoxProfile) {
18        $firefoxPaths = @(
19            "$($firefoxProfile.FullName)\cache2",
20            "$($firefoxProfile.FullName)\startupCache"
21        )
22    }
23    
24    # Edge cache paths
25    $edgePaths = @(
26        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache",
27        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Code Cache",
28        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\GPUCache"
29    )
30    
31    $allPaths = $chromePaths + $firefoxPaths + $edgePaths
32    
33    foreach ($cachePath in $allPaths) {
34        if (Test-Path $cachePath) {
35            try {
36                $cacheSize = (Get-ChildItem $cachePath -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
37                    Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
38                
39                Remove-Item -Path "$cachePath\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
40                $totalSize += $cacheSize
41                
42                $browserName = if ($cachePath -like "*Chrome*") { "Chrome" }
43                              elseif ($cachePath -like "*Firefox*") { "Firefox" }
44                              elseif ($cachePath -like "*Edge*") { "Edge" }
45                              else { "Unknown" }
46                
47                Write-Log "Cleared $browserName cache: $([math]::Round($cacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB"
48            }
49            catch {
50                Write-Log "Could not clear cache at $cachePath (browser may be running)" -Level "WARN"
51            }
52        }
53    }
54    
55    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
56    Write-Log "Browser cache cleanup complete: Freed $sizeMB MB total" -Level "SUCCESS"
57    
58    return @{ SizeFreed = $totalSize }
59}

Important: Close your browsers before running this script for maximum effectiveness. Open browsers lock their cache files.

Step 5: Cleaning the Downloads Folder

The Downloads folder is where files go to be forgotten. Let's clean old downloads while being careful not to delete anything recent:

powershell

1function Clear-OldDownloads {
2    param (
3        [int]$DaysOld = 30,
4        [switch]$WhatIf
5    )
6    
7    Write-Log "Scanning Downloads folder for files older than $DaysOld days..."
8    
9    $downloadsPath = [Environment]::GetFolderPath("UserProfile") + "\Downloads"
10    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
11    
12    if (-not (Test-Path $downloadsPath)) {
13        Write-Log "Downloads folder not found at $downloadsPath" -Level "WARN"
14        return @{ FilesRemoved = 0; SizeFreed = 0 }
15    }
16    
17    $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $downloadsPath -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
18        Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
19    
20    $totalSize = 0
21    $filesRemoved = 0
22    
23    foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
24        if ($WhatIf) {
25            Write-Log "Would remove: $($file.Name) ($('{0:N2}' -f ($file.Length / 1MB)) MB)" -Level "INFO"
26        }
27        else {
28            try {
29                $fileSize = $file.Length
30                Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
31                $totalSize += $fileSize
32                $filesRemoved++
33                Write-Log "Removed: $($file.Name)"
34            }
35            catch {
36                Write-Log "Could not remove: $($file.Name) - $_" -Level "WARN"
37            }
38        }
39    }
40    
41    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
42    
43    if ($WhatIf) {
44        $potentialSize = ($oldFiles | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
45        Write-Log "WhatIf: Would remove $($oldFiles.Count) files ($([math]::Round($potentialSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)" -Level "INFO"
46    }
47    else {
48        Write-Log "Downloads cleanup complete: Removed $filesRemoved files ($sizeMB MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
49    }
50    
51    return @{
52        FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved
53        SizeFreed = $totalSize
54    }
55}

Notice the -WhatIf parameter—this lets you preview what would be deleted without actually deleting anything. Always run with -WhatIf first on a new system!

Step 6: Emptying the Recycle Bin

Finally, let's empty the Recycle Bin to truly reclaim that space:

powershell

1function Clear-RecycleBin {
2    Write-Log "Emptying Recycle Bin..."
3    
4    try {
5        # Get Recycle Bin size before clearing
6        $shell = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application
7        $recycleBin = $shell.NameSpace(0xA)
8        $itemCount = $recycleBin.Items().Count
9        
10        if ($itemCount -eq 0) {
11            Write-Log "Recycle Bin is already empty" -Level "INFO"
12            return @{ ItemsRemoved = 0 }
13        }
14        
15        # Clear the Recycle Bin
16        Clear-RecycleBin -Force -ErrorAction Stop
17        
18        Write-Log "Recycle Bin emptied: $itemCount items removed" -Level "SUCCESS"
19        return @{ ItemsRemoved = $itemCount }
20    }
21    catch {
22        Write-Log "Could not empty Recycle Bin: $_" -Level "ERROR"
23        return @{ ItemsRemoved = 0 }
24    }
25}

The Complete Script

Here's the full, production-ready script that brings it all together:

powershell

1<#
2.SYNOPSIS
3    Automated Windows cleanup script that removes temp files, browser caches, 
4    old downloads, and empties the Recycle Bin.
5
6.DESCRIPTION
7    This script performs comprehensive Windows cleanup including:
8    - Windows temporary files and caches
9    - Browser caches (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
10    - Old files in the Downloads folder
11    - Recycle Bin contents
12    
13    All actions are logged for review. The script includes safety features
14    and WhatIf support for previewing changes.
15
16.PARAMETER DaysToKeepDownloads
17    Files in Downloads older than this many days will be removed. Default: 30
18
19.PARAMETER DaysToKeepTempFiles
20    Temp files older than this many days will be removed. Default: 7
21
22.PARAMETER SkipBrowserCache
23    Skip browser cache cleanup (useful if browsers are running)
24
25.PARAMETER SkipDownloads
26    Skip Downloads folder cleanup
27
28.PARAMETER SkipRecycleBin
29    Skip Recycle Bin cleanup
30
31.PARAMETER WhatIf
32    Preview what would be deleted without actually deleting
33
34.EXAMPLE
35    .\WindowsCleanup.ps1
36    Runs full cleanup with default settings.
37
38.EXAMPLE
39    .\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -WhatIf
40    Preview what would be cleaned without deleting anything.
41
42.EXAMPLE
43    .\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -DaysToKeepDownloads 14 -SkipBrowserCache
44    Clean downloads older than 14 days, skip browser caches.
45
46.NOTES
47    Author: Chris Anderson
48    Date: 2025-11-03
49    Version: 1.0
50    Requires: PowerShell 5.1 or higher
51#>
52
53[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess)]
54param (
55    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
56    [ValidateRange(1, 365)]
57    [int]$DaysToKeepDownloads = 30,
58    
59    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
60    [ValidateRange(1, 90)]
61    [int]$DaysToKeepTempFiles = 7,
62    
63    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
64    [switch]$SkipBrowserCache,
65    
66    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
67    [switch]$SkipDownloads,
68    
69    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
70    [switch]$SkipRecycleBin
71)
72
73# ============================================================================
74# Configuration
75# ============================================================================
76
77$LogPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\CleanupLogs"
78$LogFile = Join-Path $LogPath "Cleanup_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd_HHmmss').log"
79
80# Ensure log directory exists
81if (-not (Test-Path $LogPath)) {
82    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $LogPath -Force | Out-Null
83}
84
85# ============================================================================
86# Functions
87# ============================================================================
88
89function Write-Log {
90    param (
91        [string]$Message,
92        [ValidateSet("INFO", "WARN", "ERROR", "SUCCESS")]
93        [string]$Level = "INFO"
94    )
95    
96    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
97    $logMessage = "[$timestamp] [$Level] $Message"
98    
99    Add-Content -Path $LogFile -Value $logMessage
100    
101    switch ($Level) {
102        "INFO"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Cyan }
103        "WARN"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Yellow }
104        "ERROR"   { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Red }
105        "SUCCESS" { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Green }
106    }
107}
108
109function Clear-WindowsTempFiles {
110    param ([int]$DaysOld = 7)
111    
112    Write-Log "Starting Windows temp file cleanup (files older than $DaysOld days)..."
113    
114    $tempPaths = @(
115        $env:TEMP,
116        $env:TMP,
117        "C:\Windows\Temp",
118        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Temp"
119    )
120    
121    $totalSize = 0
122    $filesRemoved = 0
123    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
124    
125    foreach ($path in $tempPaths) {
126        if (Test-Path $path) {
127            Write-Log "Cleaning: $path"
128            
129            try {
130                $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $path -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
131                    Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
132                
133                foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
134                    try {
135                        $fileSize = $file.Length
136                        Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
137                        $totalSize += $fileSize
138                        $filesRemoved++
139                    }
140                    catch {
141                        # File in use, skip silently
142                    }
143                }
144            }
145            catch {
146                Write-Log "Could not fully clean $path" -Level "WARN"
147            }
148        }
149    }
150    
151    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
152    Write-Log "Temp cleanup complete: Removed $filesRemoved files ($sizeMB MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
153    return @{ FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved; SizeFreed = $totalSize }
154}
155
156function Clear-BrowserCaches {
157    Write-Log "Starting browser cache cleanup..."
158    
159    $totalSize = 0
160    
161    $chromePaths = @(
162        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache",
163        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Code Cache"
164    )
165    
166    $firefoxProfile = Get-ChildItem "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
167        Select-Object -First 1
168    $firefoxPaths = @()
169    if ($firefoxProfile) {
170        $firefoxPaths = @("$($firefoxProfile.FullName)\cache2")
171    }
172    
173    $edgePaths = @(
174        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache",
175        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Code Cache"
176    )
177    
178    $allPaths = $chromePaths + $firefoxPaths + $edgePaths
179    
180    foreach ($cachePath in $allPaths) {
181        if (Test-Path $cachePath) {
182            try {
183                $cacheSize = (Get-ChildItem $cachePath -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
184                    Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
185                
186                Remove-Item -Path "$cachePath\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
187                $totalSize += $cacheSize
188                
189                $browserName = if ($cachePath -like "*Chrome*") { "Chrome" }
190                              elseif ($cachePath -like "*Firefox*") { "Firefox" }
191                              else { "Edge" }
192                
193                Write-Log "Cleared $browserName cache: $([math]::Round($cacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB"
194            }
195            catch {
196                Write-Log "Could not clear cache at $cachePath" -Level "WARN"
197            }
198        }
199    }
200    
201    Write-Log "Browser cleanup complete: Freed $([math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)) MB" -Level "SUCCESS"
202    return @{ SizeFreed = $totalSize }
203}
204
205function Clear-OldDownloads {
206    param ([int]$DaysOld = 30)
207    
208    Write-Log "Scanning Downloads for files older than $DaysOld days..."
209    
210    $downloadsPath = [Environment]::GetFolderPath("UserProfile") + "\Downloads"
211    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
212    
213    $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $downloadsPath -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
214        Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
215    
216    $totalSize = 0
217    $filesRemoved = 0
218    
219    foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
220        try {
221            $fileSize = $file.Length
222            Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
223            $totalSize += $fileSize
224            $filesRemoved++
225        }
226        catch {
227            Write-Log "Could not remove: $($file.Name)" -Level "WARN"
228        }
229    }
230    
231    Write-Log "Downloads cleanup: Removed $filesRemoved files ($([math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
232    return @{ FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved; SizeFreed = $totalSize }
233}
234
235function Clear-RecycleBinItems {
236    Write-Log "Emptying Recycle Bin..."
237    
238    try {
239        Clear-RecycleBin -Force -ErrorAction Stop
240        Write-Log "Recycle Bin emptied successfully" -Level "SUCCESS"
241    }
242    catch {
243        Write-Log "Could not empty Recycle Bin: $_" -Level "WARN"
244    }
245}
246
247# ============================================================================
248# Main Execution
249# ============================================================================
250
251Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"
252Write-Log "Windows Cleanup Script Started" -Level "INFO"
253Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"
254
255$totalFreed = 0
256
257# Clean Windows temp files
258$tempResult = Clear-WindowsTempFiles -DaysOld $DaysToKeepTempFiles
259$totalFreed += $tempResult.SizeFreed
260
261# Clean browser caches
262if (-not $SkipBrowserCache) {
263    $browserResult = Clear-BrowserCaches
264    $totalFreed += $browserResult.SizeFreed
265}
266else {
267    Write-Log "Skipping browser cache cleanup (SkipBrowserCache specified)" -Level "INFO"
268}
269
270# Clean old downloads
271if (-not $SkipDownloads) {
272    $downloadsResult = Clear-OldDownloads -DaysOld $DaysToKeepDownloads
273    $totalFreed += $downloadsResult.SizeFreed
274}
275else {
276    Write-Log "Skipping Downloads cleanup (SkipDownloads specified)" -Level "INFO"
277}
278
279# Empty Recycle Bin
280if (-not $SkipRecycleBin) {
281    Clear-RecycleBinItems
282}
283else {
284    Write-Log "Skipping Recycle Bin (SkipRecycleBin specified)" -Level "INFO"
285}
286
287# Summary
288Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"
289Write-Log "Cleanup Complete!" -Level "SUCCESS"
290Write-Log "Total space freed: $([math]::Round($totalFreed / 1MB, 2)) MB" -Level "SUCCESS"
291Write-Log "Log saved to: $LogFile" -Level "INFO"
292Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"

How to Run This Script

Method 1: Interactive Execution

powershell

1# Open PowerShell as Administrator and navigate to script location
2cd C:\Scripts
3
4# Run with default settings
5.\WindowsCleanup.ps1
6
7# Preview what would be deleted
8.\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -WhatIf
9
10# Custom settings
11.\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -DaysToKeepDownloads 14 -SkipBrowserCache

Method 2: Scheduled Task

Open Task Scheduler (search "Task Scheduler" in Start)
Click "Create Task"
General tab: Name it "Weekly Windows Cleanup"
Triggers tab: Add new trigger, Weekly, pick a day
Actions tab: New action
- Program: powershell.exe
- Arguments: -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Scripts\WindowsCleanup.ps1"
Check "Run with highest privileges"

Customization Options

Variable	Default	Description
$DaysToKeepDownloads	30	Days before downloads are considered "old"
$DaysToKeepTempFiles	7	Days before temp files are removed
$SkipBrowserCache	$false	Skip browser cache cleanup
$SkipDownloads	$false	Skip Downloads folder cleanup
$SkipRecycleBin	$false	Skip Recycle Bin emptying

Security Considerations

⚠️ Important security notes:

This script only deletes files in known safe locations (temp folders, caches)
Downloads cleanup uses age-based filtering—recent files are protected
Always run with -WhatIf first on a new system to preview actions
Log files are created for audit trails
The script doesn't require network access or external downloads
Never run scripts from untrusted sources without reviewing the code

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue	Cause	Solution
"Access Denied" errors	Files locked by processes	Close applications, run as Administrator
Browser cache not clearing	Browser is running	Close all browser windows first
Script won't run	Execution policy	Run: `Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser`
Downloads not being removed	Files too recent	Adjust `-DaysToKeepDownloads` parameter
No space freed	Already clean or nothing matched	Check log file for details

Taking It Further

Once you've mastered this script, consider these enhancements:

Email notifications: Send yourself a summary after each cleanup
Additional cleanup targets: Windows Update cache, installer caches
Disk space monitoring: Alert when free space drops below threshold
Network deployment: Push to multiple machines via Group Policy
Before/after reporting: Track space trends over time

Conclusion

You've just built a comprehensive Windows cleanup automation that handles the tedious task of disk maintenance. Set it to run weekly, and you'll never again be surprised by a "low disk space" warning.

The script is designed to be safe—it only targets known expendable files, logs everything it does, and supports preview mode. Feel free to customize the thresholds and targets for your specific needs.

Remember: the best automation is the kind you set up once and forget about. This cleanup script will quietly keep your system running smoothly in the background while you focus on work that actually matters.

Happy automating, and may your disk always have space to spare!

Automate Your Windows Cleanup: A PowerShell Script That Saves Hours

What You'll Learn

How to identify and target common disk space wasters on Windows
Building a comprehensive cleanup script with safety checks
Implementing logging to track what gets cleaned
Scheduling the script to run automatically
Customizing cleanup targets for your specific needs

Prerequisites

Windows 10 or 11 (Windows Server works too)
PowerShell 5.1 or higher (pre-installed on modern Windows)
Administrator privileges for full cleanup capabilities
Basic familiarity with running scripts

The Manual Pain

Here's what manual Windows cleanup typically looks like:

Open Disk Cleanup utility, wait for it to scan
Check all the boxes, click OK, wait for cleanup
Open Chrome, Settings, Privacy, Clear browsing data
Repeat for Firefox, Edge, or whatever browsers you use
Navigate to Downloads folder, sort by date, delete old files
Check the Recycle Bin, empty it
Hunt for large files you forgot about

This process takes 15-30 minutes and needs to happen regularly. Most people don't do it until their disk is critically low. Let's fix that.

The Automated Solution

We'll build a script that:

Cleans Windows temporary files and caches
Clears browser caches for major browsers
Removes old files from Downloads (with configurable age threshold)
Empties the Recycle Bin
Logs everything it does
Runs safely without deleting anything important

Step 1: Setting Up the Foundation

First, let's create the basic structure with parameters and logging:

powershell

1# Define configurable parameters
2$DaysToKeepDownloads = 30
3$DaysToKeepTempFiles = 7
4$LogPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\CleanupLogs"
5$LogFile = Join-Path $LogPath "Cleanup_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd_HHmmss').log"
6
7# Ensure log directory exists
8if (-not (Test-Path $LogPath)) {
9    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $LogPath -Force | Out-Null
10}

This sets up our configuration. Downloads older than 30 days get flagged, temp files older than 7 days are removed, and everything is logged for your records.

Step 2: Creating a Logging Function

Every good automation script logs what it does. Here's our logging function:

powershell

1function Write-Log {
2    param (
3        [string]$Message,
4        [ValidateSet("INFO", "WARN", "ERROR", "SUCCESS")]
5        [string]$Level = "INFO"
6    )
7    
8    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
9    $logMessage = "[$timestamp] [$Level] $Message"
10    
11    # Write to log file
12    Add-Content -Path $LogFile -Value $logMessage
13    
14    # Also display in console with color
15    switch ($Level) {
16        "INFO"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Cyan }
17        "WARN"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Yellow }
18        "ERROR"   { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Red }
19        "SUCCESS" { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Green }
20    }
21}

This gives us consistent logging to both a file and the console, with color-coded output so you can quickly see what happened.

Step 3: Cleaning Windows Temp Files

Windows accumulates temporary files in several locations. Let's clean them:

powershell

1function Clear-WindowsTempFiles {
2    param (
3        [int]$DaysOld = 7
4    )
5    
6    Write-Log "Starting Windows temp file cleanup (files older than $DaysOld days)..."
7    
8    $tempPaths = @(
9        $env:TEMP,
10        $env:TMP,
11        "C:\Windows\Temp",
12        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Temp"
13    )
14    
15    $totalSize = 0
16    $filesRemoved = 0
17    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
18    
19    foreach ($path in $tempPaths) {
20        if (Test-Path $path) {
21            Write-Log "Cleaning: $path"
22            
23            try {
24                $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $path -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
25                    Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
26                
27                foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
28                    try {
29                        $fileSize = $file.Length
30                        Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
31                        $totalSize += $fileSize
32                        $filesRemoved++
33                    }
34                    catch {
35                        # File in use, skip silently
36                    }
37                }
38            }
39            catch {
40                Write-Log "Could not fully clean $path - some files may be in use" -Level "WARN"
41            }
42        }
43    }
44    
45    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
46    Write-Log "Temp cleanup complete: Removed $filesRemoved files ($sizeMB MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
47    
48    return @{
49        FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved
50        SizeFreed = $totalSize
51    }
52}

Notice we're catching errors silently for files in use—this is normal and expected. Windows often has temp files locked by running processes.

Step 4: Clearing Browser Caches

Browser caches are often the biggest space hogs. Here's how to clean the major browsers:

powershell

1function Clear-BrowserCaches {
2    Write-Log "Starting browser cache cleanup..."
3    
4    $totalSize = 0
5    
6    # Chrome cache paths
7    $chromePaths = @(
8        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache",
9        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Code Cache",
10        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\GPUCache"
11    )
12    
13    # Firefox cache paths
14    $firefoxProfile = Get-ChildItem "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
15        Select-Object -First 1
16    $firefoxPaths = @()
17    if ($firefoxProfile) {
18        $firefoxPaths = @(
19            "$($firefoxProfile.FullName)\cache2",
20            "$($firefoxProfile.FullName)\startupCache"
21        )
22    }
23    
24    # Edge cache paths
25    $edgePaths = @(
26        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache",
27        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Code Cache",
28        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\GPUCache"
29    )
30    
31    $allPaths = $chromePaths + $firefoxPaths + $edgePaths
32    
33    foreach ($cachePath in $allPaths) {
34        if (Test-Path $cachePath) {
35            try {
36                $cacheSize = (Get-ChildItem $cachePath -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
37                    Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
38                
39                Remove-Item -Path "$cachePath\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
40                $totalSize += $cacheSize
41                
42                $browserName = if ($cachePath -like "*Chrome*") { "Chrome" }
43                              elseif ($cachePath -like "*Firefox*") { "Firefox" }
44                              elseif ($cachePath -like "*Edge*") { "Edge" }
45                              else { "Unknown" }
46                
47                Write-Log "Cleared $browserName cache: $([math]::Round($cacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB"
48            }
49            catch {
50                Write-Log "Could not clear cache at $cachePath (browser may be running)" -Level "WARN"
51            }
52        }
53    }
54    
55    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
56    Write-Log "Browser cache cleanup complete: Freed $sizeMB MB total" -Level "SUCCESS"
57    
58    return @{ SizeFreed = $totalSize }
59}

Important: Close your browsers before running this script for maximum effectiveness. Open browsers lock their cache files.

Step 5: Cleaning the Downloads Folder

The Downloads folder is where files go to be forgotten. Let's clean old downloads while being careful not to delete anything recent:

powershell

1function Clear-OldDownloads {
2    param (
3        [int]$DaysOld = 30,
4        [switch]$WhatIf
5    )
6    
7    Write-Log "Scanning Downloads folder for files older than $DaysOld days..."
8    
9    $downloadsPath = [Environment]::GetFolderPath("UserProfile") + "\Downloads"
10    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
11    
12    if (-not (Test-Path $downloadsPath)) {
13        Write-Log "Downloads folder not found at $downloadsPath" -Level "WARN"
14        return @{ FilesRemoved = 0; SizeFreed = 0 }
15    }
16    
17    $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $downloadsPath -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
18        Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
19    
20    $totalSize = 0
21    $filesRemoved = 0
22    
23    foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
24        if ($WhatIf) {
25            Write-Log "Would remove: $($file.Name) ($('{0:N2}' -f ($file.Length / 1MB)) MB)" -Level "INFO"
26        }
27        else {
28            try {
29                $fileSize = $file.Length
30                Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
31                $totalSize += $fileSize
32                $filesRemoved++
33                Write-Log "Removed: $($file.Name)"
34            }
35            catch {
36                Write-Log "Could not remove: $($file.Name) - $_" -Level "WARN"
37            }
38        }
39    }
40    
41    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
42    
43    if ($WhatIf) {
44        $potentialSize = ($oldFiles | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
45        Write-Log "WhatIf: Would remove $($oldFiles.Count) files ($([math]::Round($potentialSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)" -Level "INFO"
46    }
47    else {
48        Write-Log "Downloads cleanup complete: Removed $filesRemoved files ($sizeMB MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
49    }
50    
51    return @{
52        FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved
53        SizeFreed = $totalSize
54    }
55}

Notice the -WhatIf parameter—this lets you preview what would be deleted without actually deleting anything. Always run with -WhatIf first on a new system!

Step 6: Emptying the Recycle Bin

Finally, let's empty the Recycle Bin to truly reclaim that space:

powershell

1function Clear-RecycleBin {
2    Write-Log "Emptying Recycle Bin..."
3    
4    try {
5        # Get Recycle Bin size before clearing
6        $shell = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application
7        $recycleBin = $shell.NameSpace(0xA)
8        $itemCount = $recycleBin.Items().Count
9        
10        if ($itemCount -eq 0) {
11            Write-Log "Recycle Bin is already empty" -Level "INFO"
12            return @{ ItemsRemoved = 0 }
13        }
14        
15        # Clear the Recycle Bin
16        Clear-RecycleBin -Force -ErrorAction Stop
17        
18        Write-Log "Recycle Bin emptied: $itemCount items removed" -Level "SUCCESS"
19        return @{ ItemsRemoved = $itemCount }
20    }
21    catch {
22        Write-Log "Could not empty Recycle Bin: $_" -Level "ERROR"
23        return @{ ItemsRemoved = 0 }
24    }
25}

The Complete Script

Here's the full, production-ready script that brings it all together:

powershell

1<#
2.SYNOPSIS
3    Automated Windows cleanup script that removes temp files, browser caches, 
4    old downloads, and empties the Recycle Bin.
5
6.DESCRIPTION
7    This script performs comprehensive Windows cleanup including:
8    - Windows temporary files and caches
9    - Browser caches (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
10    - Old files in the Downloads folder
11    - Recycle Bin contents
12    
13    All actions are logged for review. The script includes safety features
14    and WhatIf support for previewing changes.
15
16.PARAMETER DaysToKeepDownloads
17    Files in Downloads older than this many days will be removed. Default: 30
18
19.PARAMETER DaysToKeepTempFiles
20    Temp files older than this many days will be removed. Default: 7
21
22.PARAMETER SkipBrowserCache
23    Skip browser cache cleanup (useful if browsers are running)
24
25.PARAMETER SkipDownloads
26    Skip Downloads folder cleanup
27
28.PARAMETER SkipRecycleBin
29    Skip Recycle Bin cleanup
30
31.PARAMETER WhatIf
32    Preview what would be deleted without actually deleting
33
34.EXAMPLE
35    .\WindowsCleanup.ps1
36    Runs full cleanup with default settings.
37
38.EXAMPLE
39    .\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -WhatIf
40    Preview what would be cleaned without deleting anything.
41
42.EXAMPLE
43    .\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -DaysToKeepDownloads 14 -SkipBrowserCache
44    Clean downloads older than 14 days, skip browser caches.
45
46.NOTES
47    Author: Chris Anderson
48    Date: 2025-11-03
49    Version: 1.0
50    Requires: PowerShell 5.1 or higher
51#>
52
53[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess)]
54param (
55    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
56    [ValidateRange(1, 365)]
57    [int]$DaysToKeepDownloads = 30,
58    
59    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
60    [ValidateRange(1, 90)]
61    [int]$DaysToKeepTempFiles = 7,
62    
63    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
64    [switch]$SkipBrowserCache,
65    
66    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
67    [switch]$SkipDownloads,
68    
69    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false)]
70    [switch]$SkipRecycleBin
71)
72
73# ============================================================================
74# Configuration
75# ============================================================================
76
77$LogPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\CleanupLogs"
78$LogFile = Join-Path $LogPath "Cleanup_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd_HHmmss').log"
79
80# Ensure log directory exists
81if (-not (Test-Path $LogPath)) {
82    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $LogPath -Force | Out-Null
83}
84
85# ============================================================================
86# Functions
87# ============================================================================
88
89function Write-Log {
90    param (
91        [string]$Message,
92        [ValidateSet("INFO", "WARN", "ERROR", "SUCCESS")]
93        [string]$Level = "INFO"
94    )
95    
96    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
97    $logMessage = "[$timestamp] [$Level] $Message"
98    
99    Add-Content -Path $LogFile -Value $logMessage
100    
101    switch ($Level) {
102        "INFO"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Cyan }
103        "WARN"    { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Yellow }
104        "ERROR"   { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Red }
105        "SUCCESS" { Write-Host $logMessage -ForegroundColor Green }
106    }
107}
108
109function Clear-WindowsTempFiles {
110    param ([int]$DaysOld = 7)
111    
112    Write-Log "Starting Windows temp file cleanup (files older than $DaysOld days)..."
113    
114    $tempPaths = @(
115        $env:TEMP,
116        $env:TMP,
117        "C:\Windows\Temp",
118        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Temp"
119    )
120    
121    $totalSize = 0
122    $filesRemoved = 0
123    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
124    
125    foreach ($path in $tempPaths) {
126        if (Test-Path $path) {
127            Write-Log "Cleaning: $path"
128            
129            try {
130                $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $path -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
131                    Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
132                
133                foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
134                    try {
135                        $fileSize = $file.Length
136                        Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
137                        $totalSize += $fileSize
138                        $filesRemoved++
139                    }
140                    catch {
141                        # File in use, skip silently
142                    }
143                }
144            }
145            catch {
146                Write-Log "Could not fully clean $path" -Level "WARN"
147            }
148        }
149    }
150    
151    $sizeMB = [math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)
152    Write-Log "Temp cleanup complete: Removed $filesRemoved files ($sizeMB MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
153    return @{ FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved; SizeFreed = $totalSize }
154}
155
156function Clear-BrowserCaches {
157    Write-Log "Starting browser cache cleanup..."
158    
159    $totalSize = 0
160    
161    $chromePaths = @(
162        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache",
163        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Code Cache"
164    )
165    
166    $firefoxProfile = Get-ChildItem "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
167        Select-Object -First 1
168    $firefoxPaths = @()
169    if ($firefoxProfile) {
170        $firefoxPaths = @("$($firefoxProfile.FullName)\cache2")
171    }
172    
173    $edgePaths = @(
174        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache",
175        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Code Cache"
176    )
177    
178    $allPaths = $chromePaths + $firefoxPaths + $edgePaths
179    
180    foreach ($cachePath in $allPaths) {
181        if (Test-Path $cachePath) {
182            try {
183                $cacheSize = (Get-ChildItem $cachePath -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
184                    Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
185                
186                Remove-Item -Path "$cachePath\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
187                $totalSize += $cacheSize
188                
189                $browserName = if ($cachePath -like "*Chrome*") { "Chrome" }
190                              elseif ($cachePath -like "*Firefox*") { "Firefox" }
191                              else { "Edge" }
192                
193                Write-Log "Cleared $browserName cache: $([math]::Round($cacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB"
194            }
195            catch {
196                Write-Log "Could not clear cache at $cachePath" -Level "WARN"
197            }
198        }
199    }
200    
201    Write-Log "Browser cleanup complete: Freed $([math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)) MB" -Level "SUCCESS"
202    return @{ SizeFreed = $totalSize }
203}
204
205function Clear-OldDownloads {
206    param ([int]$DaysOld = 30)
207    
208    Write-Log "Scanning Downloads for files older than $DaysOld days..."
209    
210    $downloadsPath = [Environment]::GetFolderPath("UserProfile") + "\Downloads"
211    $cutoffDate = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DaysOld)
212    
213    $oldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $downloadsPath -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
214        Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoffDate }
215    
216    $totalSize = 0
217    $filesRemoved = 0
218    
219    foreach ($file in $oldFiles) {
220        try {
221            $fileSize = $file.Length
222            Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
223            $totalSize += $fileSize
224            $filesRemoved++
225        }
226        catch {
227            Write-Log "Could not remove: $($file.Name)" -Level "WARN"
228        }
229    }
230    
231    Write-Log "Downloads cleanup: Removed $filesRemoved files ($([math]::Round($totalSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)" -Level "SUCCESS"
232    return @{ FilesRemoved = $filesRemoved; SizeFreed = $totalSize }
233}
234
235function Clear-RecycleBinItems {
236    Write-Log "Emptying Recycle Bin..."
237    
238    try {
239        Clear-RecycleBin -Force -ErrorAction Stop
240        Write-Log "Recycle Bin emptied successfully" -Level "SUCCESS"
241    }
242    catch {
243        Write-Log "Could not empty Recycle Bin: $_" -Level "WARN"
244    }
245}
246
247# ============================================================================
248# Main Execution
249# ============================================================================
250
251Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"
252Write-Log "Windows Cleanup Script Started" -Level "INFO"
253Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"
254
255$totalFreed = 0
256
257# Clean Windows temp files
258$tempResult = Clear-WindowsTempFiles -DaysOld $DaysToKeepTempFiles
259$totalFreed += $tempResult.SizeFreed
260
261# Clean browser caches
262if (-not $SkipBrowserCache) {
263    $browserResult = Clear-BrowserCaches
264    $totalFreed += $browserResult.SizeFreed
265}
266else {
267    Write-Log "Skipping browser cache cleanup (SkipBrowserCache specified)" -Level "INFO"
268}
269
270# Clean old downloads
271if (-not $SkipDownloads) {
272    $downloadsResult = Clear-OldDownloads -DaysOld $DaysToKeepDownloads
273    $totalFreed += $downloadsResult.SizeFreed
274}
275else {
276    Write-Log "Skipping Downloads cleanup (SkipDownloads specified)" -Level "INFO"
277}
278
279# Empty Recycle Bin
280if (-not $SkipRecycleBin) {
281    Clear-RecycleBinItems
282}
283else {
284    Write-Log "Skipping Recycle Bin (SkipRecycleBin specified)" -Level "INFO"
285}
286
287# Summary
288Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"
289Write-Log "Cleanup Complete!" -Level "SUCCESS"
290Write-Log "Total space freed: $([math]::Round($totalFreed / 1MB, 2)) MB" -Level "SUCCESS"
291Write-Log "Log saved to: $LogFile" -Level "INFO"
292Write-Log "========================================" -Level "INFO"

How to Run This Script

Method 1: Interactive Execution

powershell

1# Open PowerShell as Administrator and navigate to script location
2cd C:\Scripts
3
4# Run with default settings
5.\WindowsCleanup.ps1
6
7# Preview what would be deleted
8.\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -WhatIf
9
10# Custom settings
11.\WindowsCleanup.ps1 -DaysToKeepDownloads 14 -SkipBrowserCache

Method 2: Scheduled Task

Open Task Scheduler (search "Task Scheduler" in Start)
Click "Create Task"
General tab: Name it "Weekly Windows Cleanup"
Triggers tab: Add new trigger, Weekly, pick a day
Actions tab: New action
- Program: powershell.exe
- Arguments: -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Scripts\WindowsCleanup.ps1"
Check "Run with highest privileges"

Customization Options

Variable	Default	Description
$DaysToKeepDownloads	30	Days before downloads are considered "old"
$DaysToKeepTempFiles	7	Days before temp files are removed
$SkipBrowserCache	$false	Skip browser cache cleanup
$SkipDownloads	$false	Skip Downloads folder cleanup
$SkipRecycleBin	$false	Skip Recycle Bin emptying

Security Considerations

⚠️ Important security notes:

This script only deletes files in known safe locations (temp folders, caches)
Downloads cleanup uses age-based filtering—recent files are protected
Always run with -WhatIf first on a new system to preview actions
Log files are created for audit trails
The script doesn't require network access or external downloads
Never run scripts from untrusted sources without reviewing the code

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue	Cause	Solution
"Access Denied" errors	Files locked by processes	Close applications, run as Administrator
Browser cache not clearing	Browser is running	Close all browser windows first
Script won't run	Execution policy	Run: `Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser`
Downloads not being removed	Files too recent	Adjust `-DaysToKeepDownloads` parameter
No space freed	Already clean or nothing matched	Check log file for details

Taking It Further

Once you've mastered this script, consider these enhancements:

Email notifications: Send yourself a summary after each cleanup
Additional cleanup targets: Windows Update cache, installer caches
Disk space monitoring: Alert when free space drops below threshold
Network deployment: Push to multiple machines via Group Policy
Before/after reporting: Track space trends over time

Conclusion

Happy automating, and may your disk always have space to spare!

Automate Your Windows Cleanup: A PowerShell Script That Saves Hours

What You'll Learn

Prerequisites

The Manual Pain

The Automated Solution

Step 1: Setting Up the Foundation

Step 2: Creating a Logging Function

Step 3: Cleaning Windows Temp Files

Step 4: Clearing Browser Caches

Step 5: Cleaning the Downloads Folder

Step 6: Emptying the Recycle Bin

The Complete Script

How to Run This Script

Method 1: Interactive Execution

Method 2: Scheduled Task

Customization Options

Security Considerations

Common Issues & Solutions

Taking It Further

Conclusion

Share this article

Automate Your Windows Cleanup: A PowerShell Script That Saves Hours

What You'll Learn

Prerequisites

The Manual Pain

The Automated Solution

Step 1: Setting Up the Foundation

Step 2: Creating a Logging Function

Step 3: Cleaning Windows Temp Files

Step 4: Clearing Browser Caches

Step 5: Cleaning the Downloads Folder

Step 6: Emptying the Recycle Bin

The Complete Script

How to Run This Script

Method 1: Interactive Execution

Method 2: Scheduled Task

Customization Options

Security Considerations

Common Issues & Solutions

Taking It Further

Conclusion

Share this article