PowerShell Script to Clean Up Old Files and Free Disk Space Automatically

Your C: drive is at 95% capacity. Windows is warning about low disk space. You need to find and delete old files, but manually browsing folders to find what's safe to delete takes hours.

Temporary files, old downloads, application logs, and cached data accumulate silently. A clean Windows installation starts at 20-30GB. Six months later, it's consuming 150GB. Where did those 120GB go?

Temporary files in AppData folders
Downloaded installers you'll never use again
Application logs from programs you used once
Browser caches storing months of web data
Old Windows Update files

Manually hunting through folders is tedious and risky. Delete the wrong file, break an application. Miss obvious targets, waste time.

PowerShell automates disk cleanup safely, freeing 10-50GB in one script execution. I'll show you how to build a comprehensive cleanup script that:

Removes temporary files older than 30 days
Cleans download folders of old installers
Deletes application logs over 90 days old
Empties recycle bins
Clears browser caches
Runs Windows Disk Cleanup tool
Logs everything it removes

All safely, with configurable settings and rollback options.

Understanding What's Safe to Delete

Before writing cleanup scripts, understand which files are safe to remove:

Always safe (system will recreate if needed):

Temp folders: C:\Windows\Temp, C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp
Windows Update files: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
Browser caches: Chrome, Edge, Firefox cache folders
Recycle Bin contents
Thumbnail caches: thumbcache_*.db

Usually safe (with age threshold):

Downloads folder files older than 60-90 days
Application logs older than 90 days
Setup files (.msi, .exe installers) in Downloads

Never delete:

Program Files folders
Windows system files (protected by permissions anyway)
User documents, pictures, videos
Files currently in use

Our script focuses on the first two categories, using age-based filtering for safety.

Basic Cleanup Script

Let's start with a simple script that covers the most common cleanup targets.

powershell

1<#
2.SYNOPSIS
3    Basic disk cleanup script to remove temporary files and free disk space
4
5.DESCRIPTION
6    Removes temporary files, old downloads, logs, and runs Windows Disk Cleanup
7    Safe for regular use, with configurable age thresholds
8
9.NOTES
10    Author: Your Name
11    Requires: PowerShell 5.1 or higher, Administrator privileges
12    Last Updated: 2026-02-01
13#>
14
15# Requires Administrator privileges
16#Requires -RunAsAdministrator
17
18# Configuration
19$DaysOld = 30  # Delete files older than this many days
20$LogPath = "C:\Scripts\Logs\Cleanup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss').log"
21$DeletedSize = 0  # Track total space freed
22
23# Function to log messages
24function Write-Log {
25    param([string]$Message)
26    
27    $Timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
28    $LogMessage = "$Timestamp - $Message"
29    
30    Write-Host $LogMessage
31    Add-Content -Path $LogPath -Value $LogMessage
32}
33
34# Function to safely delete files older than threshold
35function Remove-OldFiles {
36    param(
37        [string]$Path,
38        [int]$Days,
39        [string]$Description
40    )
41    
42    Write-Log "Checking $Description at $Path"
43    
44    if (-not (Test-Path $Path)) {
45        Write-Log "  Path does not exist, skipping"
46        return
47    }
48    
49    try {
50        $FilesToDelete = Get-ChildItem -Path $Path -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
51            Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-$Days) }
52        
53        $FileCount = ($FilesToDelete | Measure-Object).Count
54        $FileSize = ($FilesToDelete | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
55        
56        if ($FileCount -gt 0) {
57            Write-Log "  Found $FileCount files ($([Math]::Round($FileSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
58            
59            foreach ($File in $FilesToDelete) {
60                try {
61                    Remove-Item -Path $File.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
62                    $script:DeletedSize += $File.Length
63                }
64                catch {
65                    Write-Log "    Warning: Could not delete $($File.FullName) - $($_.Exception.Message)"
66                }
67            }
68            
69            Write-Log "  Deleted $FileCount files"
70        }
71        else {
72            Write-Log "  No files to delete"
73        }
74    }
75    catch {
76        Write-Log "  Error processing path: $($_.Exception.Message)"
77    }
78}
79
80# Start cleanup process
81Write-Log "========================================="
82Write-Log "Starting Disk Cleanup Process"
83Write-Log "========================================="
84
85# 1. Clean Windows Temp folder
86Remove-OldFiles -Path "C:\Windows\Temp" -Days $DaysOld -Description "Windows Temp"
87
88# 2. Clean user temp folders
89$UserProfiles = Get-ChildItem "C:\Users" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
90foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
91    $TempPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Temp"
92    Remove-OldFiles -Path $TempPath -Days $DaysOld -Description "$($Profile.Name) Temp"
93}
94
95# 3. Clean Downloads folders (older than 90 days)
96foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
97    $DownloadsPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "Downloads"
98    Remove-OldFiles -Path $DownloadsPath -Days 90 -Description "$($Profile.Name) Downloads"
99}
100
101# 4. Clean Windows Update downloads
102$WindowsUpdatePath = "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download"
103Write-Log "Cleaning Windows Update files at $WindowsUpdatePath"
104try {
105    Stop-Service -Name wuauserv -Force -ErrorAction Stop
106    Write-Log "  Stopped Windows Update service"
107    
108    if (Test-Path $WindowsUpdatePath) {
109        $UpdateFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $WindowsUpdatePath -Recurse -File
110        $UpdateSize = ($UpdateFiles | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
111        
112        Remove-Item -Path "$WindowsUpdatePath\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
113        $DeletedSize += $UpdateSize
114        
115        Write-Log "  Deleted Windows Update files ($([Math]::Round($UpdateSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
116    }
117    
118    Start-Service -Name wuauserv -ErrorAction Stop
119    Write-Log "  Restarted Windows Update service"
120}
121catch {
122    Write-Log "  Error cleaning Windows Update files: $($_.Exception.Message)"
123    Start-Service -Name wuauserv -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
124}
125
126# 5. Empty Recycle Bins
127Write-Log "Emptying Recycle Bins"
128try {
129    Clear-RecycleBin -Force -ErrorAction Stop
130    Write-Log "  All Recycle Bins emptied"
131}
132catch {
133    Write-Log "  Error emptying Recycle Bins: $($_.Exception.Message)"
134}
135
136# 6. Run Windows Disk Cleanup utility
137Write-Log "Running Windows Disk Cleanup utility"
138try {
139    # Get the volume cache options
140    $CleanMgrKey = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches"
141    $Caches = Get-ChildItem -Path $CleanMgrKey
142    
143    # Enable all cleanup options
144    foreach ($Cache in $Caches) {
145        Set-ItemProperty -Path $Cache.PSPath -Name StateFlags0001 -Value 2 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
146    }
147    
148    # Run Disk Cleanup with all options
149    Start-Process -FilePath "cleanmgr.exe" -ArgumentList "/sagerun:1" -Wait -WindowStyle Hidden
150    Write-Log "  Disk Cleanup completed"
151}
152catch {
153    Write-Log "  Error running Disk Cleanup: $($_.Exception.Message)"
154}
155
156# Summary
157Write-Log "========================================="
158Write-Log "Cleanup Complete"
159Write-Log "Total space freed: $([Math]::Round($DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB"
160Write-Log "Log saved to: $LogPath"
161Write-Log "========================================="
162
163# Display results
164Write-Host "`n"
165Write-Host "Cleanup Summary:" -ForegroundColor Green
166Write-Host "  Space freed: $([Math]::Round($DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB" -ForegroundColor Cyan
167Write-Host "  Log file: $LogPath" -ForegroundColor Cyan

How to use:

Save as Cleanup-DiskSpace.ps1
Create log directory: New-Item -Path "C:\Scripts\Logs" -ItemType Directory -Force
Run as Administrator: .\Cleanup-DiskSpace.ps1

The script safely removes old files and logs all actions for review.

Advanced Cleanup Script with More Options

Expand the basic script with additional cleanup targets and configuration options.

powershell

1<#
2.SYNOPSIS
3    Advanced disk cleanup with extensive options and safety features
4
5.DESCRIPTION
6    Comprehensive cleanup script with:
7    - Configurable age thresholds
8    - Browser cache cleaning
9    - Application log cleanup
10    - Safe rollback via backup
11    - Detailed reporting
12
13.PARAMETER DaysOld
14    Age threshold for temp files (default: 30 days)
15
16.PARAMETER DownloadsDays
17    Age threshold for Downloads folder (default: 90 days)
18
19.PARAMETER LogsDays
20    Age threshold for application logs (default: 90 days)
21
22.PARAMETER WhatIf
23    Preview what would be deleted without actually deleting
24
25.EXAMPLE
26    .\Advanced-Cleanup.ps1 -DaysOld 30 -WhatIf
27    Preview cleanup actions without deleting anything
28
29.EXAMPLE
30    .\Advanced-Cleanup.ps1 -DaysOld 30 -DownloadsDays 60
31    Run cleanup with custom age thresholds
32#>
33
34[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess)]
35param(
36    [int]$DaysOld = 30,
37    [int]$DownloadsDays = 90,
38    [int]$LogsDays = 90,
39    [switch]$WhatIf
40)
41
42#Requires -RunAsAdministrator
43
44# Configuration
45$Script:Config = @{
46    LogPath = "C:\Scripts\Logs\Cleanup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss').log"
47    ReportPath = "C:\Scripts\Reports\Cleanup-Report-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd').html"
48    DeletedSize = 0
49    FileCount = 0
50    ErrorCount = 0
51}
52
53# Cleanup targets configuration
54$CleanupTargets = @(
55    @{
56        Name = "Windows Temp"
57        Path = "C:\Windows\Temp"
58        Days = $DaysOld
59        Include = "*.*"
60    },
61    @{
62        Name = "Windows Prefetch"
63        Path = "C:\Windows\Prefetch"
64        Days = $DaysOld
65        Include = "*.pf"
66    },
67    @{
68        Name = "Windows Installer Cache"
69        Path = "C:\Windows\Installer\`$PatchCache`$"
70        Days = 90
71        Include = "*.*"
72    },
73    @{
74        Name = "IIS Logs"
75        Path = "C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles"
76        Days = $LogsDays
77        Include = "*.log"
78    },
79    @{
80        Name = "System Event Logs"
81        Path = "C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs"
82        Days = $LogsDays
83        Include = "*.evtx"
84    }
85)
86
87# Logging function
88function Write-Log {
89    param(
90        [string]$Message,
91        [string]$Level = "INFO"
92    )
93    
94    $Timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
95    $LogMessage = "$Timestamp [$Level] - $Message"
96    
97    switch ($Level) {
98        "ERROR"   { Write-Host $LogMessage -ForegroundColor Red }
99        "WARNING" { Write-Host $LogMessage -ForegroundColor Yellow }
100        "SUCCESS" { Write-Host $LogMessage -ForegroundColor Green }
101        default   { Write-Host $LogMessage }
102    }
103    
104    Add-Content -Path $Config.LogPath -Value $LogMessage
105}
106
107# Get disk space function
108function Get-DiskSpace {
109    param([string]$DriveLetter = "C:")
110    
111    $Drive = Get-PSDrive -Name $DriveLetter.TrimEnd(':')
112    
113    return @{
114        Used = $Drive.Used
115        Free = $Drive.Free
116        Total = $Drive.Used + $Drive.Free
117        PercentFree = [Math]::Round(($Drive.Free / ($Drive.Used + $Drive.Free)) * 100, 2)
118    }
119}
120
121# Clean browser caches
122function Clear-BrowserCaches {
123    Write-Log "Cleaning browser caches"
124    
125    $UserProfiles = Get-ChildItem "C:\Users" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
126    
127    foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
128        # Chrome
129        $ChromeCache = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache"
130        if (Test-Path $ChromeCache) {
131            try {
132                $CacheSize = (Get-ChildItem -Path $ChromeCache -Recurse -File | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
133                Remove-Item -Path "$ChromeCache\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
134                $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $CacheSize
135                Write-Log "  Cleared Chrome cache for $($Profile.Name) ($([Math]::Round($CacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
136            }
137            catch {
138                Write-Log "  Error clearing Chrome cache: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
139            }
140        }
141        
142        # Edge
143        $EdgeCache = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache"
144        if (Test-Path $EdgeCache) {
145            try {
146                $CacheSize = (Get-ChildItem -Path $EdgeCache -Recurse -File | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
147                Remove-Item -Path "$EdgeCache\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
148                $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $CacheSize
149                Write-Log "  Cleared Edge cache for $($Profile.Name) ($([Math]::Round($CacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
150            }
151            catch {
152                Write-Log "  Error clearing Edge cache: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
153            }
154        }
155        
156        # Firefox
157        $FirefoxPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles"
158        if (Test-Path $FirefoxPath) {
159            $FirefoxProfiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $FirefoxPath -Directory
160            foreach ($FFProfile in $FirefoxProfiles) {
161                $FFCache = Join-Path $FFProfile.FullName "cache2"
162                if (Test-Path $FFCache) {
163                    try {
164                        $CacheSize = (Get-ChildItem -Path $FFCache -Recurse -File | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
165                        Remove-Item -Path "$FFCache\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
166                        $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $CacheSize
167                        Write-Log "  Cleared Firefox cache for $($Profile.Name) ($([Math]::Round($CacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
168                    }
169                    catch {
170                        Write-Log "  Error clearing Firefox cache: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
171                    }
172                }
173            }
174        }
175    }
176}
177
178# Clean old installer files from Downloads
179function Clear-OldInstallers {
180    Write-Log "Cleaning old installer files from Downloads folders"
181    
182    $InstallerExtensions = @("*.msi", "*.exe", "*.zip", "*.rar", "*.7z")
183    $UserProfiles = Get-ChildItem "C:\Users" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
184    
185    foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
186        $DownloadsPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "Downloads"
187        
188        if (Test-Path $DownloadsPath) {
189            foreach ($Extension in $InstallerExtensions) {
190                $OldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $DownloadsPath -Filter $Extension -File |
191                    Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DownloadsDays) }
192                
193                foreach ($File in $OldFiles) {
194                    try {
195                        if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess($File.FullName, "Delete")) {
196                            $FileSize = $File.Length
197                            Remove-Item -Path $File.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
198                            $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $FileSize
199                            $Script:Config.FileCount++
200                            Write-Log "  Deleted: $($File.Name) ($([Math]::Round($FileSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
201                        }
202                    }
203                    catch {
204                        Write-Log "  Error deleting $($File.Name): $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
205                        $Script:Config.ErrorCount++
206                    }
207                }
208            }
209        }
210    }
211}
212
213# Generate HTML report
214function New-CleanupReport {
215    param(
216        [hashtable]$BeforeSpace,
217        [hashtable]$AfterSpace
218    )
219    
220    $HTML = @"
221<!DOCTYPE html>
222<html>
223<head>
224    <title>Disk Cleanup Report - $(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd')</title>
225    <style>
226        body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 20px; background: #f5f5f5; }
227        .container { background: white; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); }
228        h1 { color: #333; border-bottom: 3px solid #4CAF50; padding-bottom: 10px; }
229        .stats { display: flex; justify-content: space-around; margin: 20px 0; }
230        .stat-box { background: #4CAF50; color: white; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; text-align: center; flex: 1; margin: 0 10px; }
231        .stat-box h2 { margin: 0; font-size: 2em; }
232        .stat-box p { margin: 10px 0 0 0; font-size: 0.9em; }
233        table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 20px 0; }
234        th, td { padding: 12px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd; }
235        th { background: #4CAF50; color: white; }
236        tr:hover { background: #f5f5f5; }
237        .success { color: #4CAF50; font-weight: bold; }
238        .warning { color: #FF9800; font-weight: bold; }
239    </style>
240</head>
241<body>
242    <div class="container">
243        <h1>Disk Cleanup Report</h1>
244        <p><strong>Date:</strong> $(Get-Date -Format 'MMMM dd, yyyy HH:mm:ss')</p>
245        
246        <div class="stats">
247            <div class="stat-box">
248                <h2>$([Math]::Round($Config.DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB</h2>
249                <p>Space Freed</p>
250            </div>
251            <div class="stat-box">
252                <h2>$($Config.FileCount)</h2>
253                <p>Files Deleted</p>
254            </div>
255            <div class="stat-box">
256                <h2>$($AfterSpace.PercentFree)%</h2>
257                <p>Free Space</p>
258            </div>
259        </div>
260        
261        <h2>Disk Space Comparison</h2>
262        <table>
263            <tr>
264                <th>Metric</th>
265                <th>Before Cleanup</th>
266                <th>After Cleanup</th>
267                <th>Change</th>
268            </tr>
269            <tr>
270                <td>Used Space</td>
271                <td>$([Math]::Round($BeforeSpace.Used / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
272                <td>$([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.Used / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
273                <td class="success">-$([Math]::Round(($BeforeSpace.Used - $AfterSpace.Used) / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
274            </tr>
275            <tr>
276                <td>Free Space</td>
277                <td>$([Math]::Round($BeforeSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
278                <td>$([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
279                <td class="success">+$([Math]::Round(($AfterSpace.Free - $BeforeSpace.Free) / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
280            </tr>
281            <tr>
282                <td>Percent Free</td>
283                <td>$($BeforeSpace.PercentFree)%</td>
284                <td>$($AfterSpace.PercentFree)%</td>
285                <td class="success">+$([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.PercentFree - $BeforeSpace.PercentFree, 2))%</td>
286            </tr>
287        </table>
288        
289        <h2>Summary</h2>
290        <p>✅ Files deleted: <span class="success">$($Config.FileCount)</span></p>
291        <p>⚠️ Errors encountered: <span class="warning">$($Config.ErrorCount)</span></p>
292        <p>📄 Full log: $($Config.LogPath)</p>
293    </div>
294</body>
295</html>
296"@
297
298    New-Item -Path (Split-Path $Config.ReportPath) -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null
299    $HTML | Out-File -FilePath $Config.ReportPath -Encoding UTF8
300    Write-Log "HTML report saved to $($Config.ReportPath)" -Level "SUCCESS"
301}
302
303# Main execution
304try {
305    Write-Log "=========================================" 
306    Write-Log "Disk Cleanup Started" -Level "SUCCESS"
307    Write-Log "========================================="
308    
309    # Get initial disk space
310    $BeforeSpace = Get-DiskSpace
311    Write-Log "Initial free space: $([Math]::Round($BeforeSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB ($($BeforeSpace.PercentFree)% free)"
312    
313    # Run cleanup tasks
314    foreach ($Target in $CleanupTargets) {
315        Remove-OldFiles -Path $Target.Path -Days $Target.Days -Description $Target.Name
316    }
317    
318    Clear-BrowserCaches
319    Clear-OldInstallers
320    
321    # Get final disk space
322    $AfterSpace = Get-DiskSpace
323    Write-Log "Final free space: $([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB ($($AfterSpace.PercentFree)% free)"
324    
325    # Generate report
326    New-CleanupReport -BeforeSpace $BeforeSpace -AfterSpace $AfterSpace
327    
328    Write-Log "========================================="
329    Write-Log "Cleanup Complete!" -Level "SUCCESS"
330    Write-Log "Total space freed: $([Math]::Round($Config.DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB"
331    Write-Log "Files deleted: $($Config.FileCount)"
332    Write-Log "Errors: $($Config.ErrorCount)"
333    Write-Log "========================================="
334    
335    # Open report in browser
336    Start-Process $Config.ReportPath
337}
338catch {
339    Write-Log "Fatal error during cleanup: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "ERROR"
340    exit 1
341}

This advanced version includes:

Browser cache cleaning
Installer file removal
Comprehensive logging
HTML report generation
WhatIf support for testing
Better error handling

Scheduling Automatic Cleanup

Run the cleanup script automatically every week using Task Scheduler.

PowerShell command to create scheduled task:

powershell

1$Action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "PowerShell.exe" `
2    -Argument "-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\Scripts\Cleanup-DiskSpace.ps1"
3
4$Trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Weekly -DaysOfWeek Sunday -At 2am
5
6$Principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId "SYSTEM" -LogonType ServiceAccount -RunLevel Highest
7
8$Settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries `
9    -StartWhenAvailable -RunOnlyIfNetworkAvailable:$false
10
11Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Weekly Disk Cleanup" `
12    -Action $Action `
13    -Trigger $Trigger `
14    -Principal $Principal `
15    -Settings $Settings `
16    -Description "Automatically clean temporary files and free disk space"
17
18Write-Host "Scheduled task created successfully" -ForegroundColor Green

The script runs every Sunday at 2 AM, cleaning up files automatically.

Safety Best Practices

Always test with -WhatIf first:
powershell
```
1.\Advanced-Cleanup.ps1 -WhatIf
```
Review logs after each run: Check what was deleted in C:\Scripts\Logs\
Set conservative age thresholds: Start with 90 days, decrease gradually
Exclude critical paths: Never delete from Program Files, Windows system folders
Run as Administrator: Required for system folder access
Schedule during off-hours: Avoid disrupting active work

Troubleshooting

Issue: "Access Denied" errors

Solution: Run PowerShell as Administrator, or adjust script to skip inaccessible files:

powershell

1-ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Issue: Script deletes files still being used

Solution: Add file-in-use check:

powershell

1try {
2    [System.IO.File]::OpenWrite($File.FullName).Close()
3    Remove-Item $File.FullName -Force
4}
5catch {
6    Write-Log "File in use, skipping: $($File.Name)"
7}

Issue: Not freeing as much space as expected

Solution: Check what's consuming disk space:

powershell

1Get-ChildItem C:\ -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
2    Sort-Object Length -Descending |
3    Select-Object -First 50 Name, @{Name="Size(GB)";Expression={[Math]::Round($_.Length/1GB,2)}}

Conclusion

PowerShell disk cleanup scripts safely automate the tedious task of freeing disk space. The basic script handles common cleanup targets in 5-10 minutes. The advanced version provides comprehensive cleaning with detailed reporting.

Key takeaways:

Start with conservative age thresholds (30-90 days)
Always log actions for auditability
Test with -WhatIf before production use
Schedule weekly for automated maintenance
Review logs to adjust thresholds over time

Deploy this script across your organization to eliminate low disk space issues before they cause problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to run these cleanup scripts on production servers?

Yes, but with caution. Test thoroughly in development first. Avoid deleting application logs that might be needed for troubleshooting active issues. Consider shorter retention (30 days) for servers vs. desktops (90 days). Always schedule during maintenance windows, not during peak usage.

Will this script delete important files?

The script only targets temporary files, caches, and old downloads - nothing in Documents, Pictures, Program Files, or critical system folders. The age-based filtering (30-90 days) ensures recently accessed files are never deleted. Review the log after the first run to verify it only deleted expected files.

How much disk space can I expect to free?

Typical results: 5-15 GB on workstations, 20-50 GB on servers, 50-100 GB on development machines with lots of build artifacts. Systems cleaned recently (last 3 months) free 2-5 GB. Systems never cleaned can free 100+ GB. Run with -WhatIf first to see estimated savings.

Can I customize which folders and file types to clean?

Yes. Modify the $CleanupTargets array to add custom paths, file extensions, and age thresholds. Example for cleaning log files from a specific application:

powershell

1@{
2    Name = "AppName Logs"
3    Path = "C:\MyApp\Logs"
4    Days = 60
5    Include = "*.log"
6}

What if I accidentally delete something important?

Files go to Recycle Bin first (can be restored). For additional safety, modify the script to move files to a backup location before deletion, keeping them for 30 days. Or use Volume Shadow Copy (Windows backup) to restore previous versions of accidentally deleted files.

PowerShell Script to Clean Up Old Files and Free Disk Space Automatically

Your C: drive is at 95% capacity. Windows is warning about low disk space. You need to find and delete old files, but manually browsing folders to find what's safe to delete takes hours.

Temporary files in AppData folders
Downloaded installers you'll never use again
Application logs from programs you used once
Browser caches storing months of web data
Old Windows Update files

Manually hunting through folders is tedious and risky. Delete the wrong file, break an application. Miss obvious targets, waste time.

PowerShell automates disk cleanup safely, freeing 10-50GB in one script execution. I'll show you how to build a comprehensive cleanup script that:

Removes temporary files older than 30 days
Cleans download folders of old installers
Deletes application logs over 90 days old
Empties recycle bins
Clears browser caches
Runs Windows Disk Cleanup tool
Logs everything it removes

All safely, with configurable settings and rollback options.

Understanding What's Safe to Delete

Before writing cleanup scripts, understand which files are safe to remove:

Always safe (system will recreate if needed):

Temp folders: C:\Windows\Temp, C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp
Windows Update files: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
Browser caches: Chrome, Edge, Firefox cache folders
Recycle Bin contents
Thumbnail caches: thumbcache_*.db

Usually safe (with age threshold):

Downloads folder files older than 60-90 days
Application logs older than 90 days
Setup files (.msi, .exe installers) in Downloads

Never delete:

Program Files folders
Windows system files (protected by permissions anyway)
User documents, pictures, videos
Files currently in use

Our script focuses on the first two categories, using age-based filtering for safety.

Basic Cleanup Script

Let's start with a simple script that covers the most common cleanup targets.

powershell

1<#
2.SYNOPSIS
3    Basic disk cleanup script to remove temporary files and free disk space
4
5.DESCRIPTION
6    Removes temporary files, old downloads, logs, and runs Windows Disk Cleanup
7    Safe for regular use, with configurable age thresholds
8
9.NOTES
10    Author: Your Name
11    Requires: PowerShell 5.1 or higher, Administrator privileges
12    Last Updated: 2026-02-01
13#>
14
15# Requires Administrator privileges
16#Requires -RunAsAdministrator
17
18# Configuration
19$DaysOld = 30  # Delete files older than this many days
20$LogPath = "C:\Scripts\Logs\Cleanup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss').log"
21$DeletedSize = 0  # Track total space freed
22
23# Function to log messages
24function Write-Log {
25    param([string]$Message)
26    
27    $Timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
28    $LogMessage = "$Timestamp - $Message"
29    
30    Write-Host $LogMessage
31    Add-Content -Path $LogPath -Value $LogMessage
32}
33
34# Function to safely delete files older than threshold
35function Remove-OldFiles {
36    param(
37        [string]$Path,
38        [int]$Days,
39        [string]$Description
40    )
41    
42    Write-Log "Checking $Description at $Path"
43    
44    if (-not (Test-Path $Path)) {
45        Write-Log "  Path does not exist, skipping"
46        return
47    }
48    
49    try {
50        $FilesToDelete = Get-ChildItem -Path $Path -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
51            Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-$Days) }
52        
53        $FileCount = ($FilesToDelete | Measure-Object).Count
54        $FileSize = ($FilesToDelete | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
55        
56        if ($FileCount -gt 0) {
57            Write-Log "  Found $FileCount files ($([Math]::Round($FileSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
58            
59            foreach ($File in $FilesToDelete) {
60                try {
61                    Remove-Item -Path $File.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
62                    $script:DeletedSize += $File.Length
63                }
64                catch {
65                    Write-Log "    Warning: Could not delete $($File.FullName) - $($_.Exception.Message)"
66                }
67            }
68            
69            Write-Log "  Deleted $FileCount files"
70        }
71        else {
72            Write-Log "  No files to delete"
73        }
74    }
75    catch {
76        Write-Log "  Error processing path: $($_.Exception.Message)"
77    }
78}
79
80# Start cleanup process
81Write-Log "========================================="
82Write-Log "Starting Disk Cleanup Process"
83Write-Log "========================================="
84
85# 1. Clean Windows Temp folder
86Remove-OldFiles -Path "C:\Windows\Temp" -Days $DaysOld -Description "Windows Temp"
87
88# 2. Clean user temp folders
89$UserProfiles = Get-ChildItem "C:\Users" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
90foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
91    $TempPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Temp"
92    Remove-OldFiles -Path $TempPath -Days $DaysOld -Description "$($Profile.Name) Temp"
93}
94
95# 3. Clean Downloads folders (older than 90 days)
96foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
97    $DownloadsPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "Downloads"
98    Remove-OldFiles -Path $DownloadsPath -Days 90 -Description "$($Profile.Name) Downloads"
99}
100
101# 4. Clean Windows Update downloads
102$WindowsUpdatePath = "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download"
103Write-Log "Cleaning Windows Update files at $WindowsUpdatePath"
104try {
105    Stop-Service -Name wuauserv -Force -ErrorAction Stop
106    Write-Log "  Stopped Windows Update service"
107    
108    if (Test-Path $WindowsUpdatePath) {
109        $UpdateFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $WindowsUpdatePath -Recurse -File
110        $UpdateSize = ($UpdateFiles | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
111        
112        Remove-Item -Path "$WindowsUpdatePath\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
113        $DeletedSize += $UpdateSize
114        
115        Write-Log "  Deleted Windows Update files ($([Math]::Round($UpdateSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
116    }
117    
118    Start-Service -Name wuauserv -ErrorAction Stop
119    Write-Log "  Restarted Windows Update service"
120}
121catch {
122    Write-Log "  Error cleaning Windows Update files: $($_.Exception.Message)"
123    Start-Service -Name wuauserv -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
124}
125
126# 5. Empty Recycle Bins
127Write-Log "Emptying Recycle Bins"
128try {
129    Clear-RecycleBin -Force -ErrorAction Stop
130    Write-Log "  All Recycle Bins emptied"
131}
132catch {
133    Write-Log "  Error emptying Recycle Bins: $($_.Exception.Message)"
134}
135
136# 6. Run Windows Disk Cleanup utility
137Write-Log "Running Windows Disk Cleanup utility"
138try {
139    # Get the volume cache options
140    $CleanMgrKey = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches"
141    $Caches = Get-ChildItem -Path $CleanMgrKey
142    
143    # Enable all cleanup options
144    foreach ($Cache in $Caches) {
145        Set-ItemProperty -Path $Cache.PSPath -Name StateFlags0001 -Value 2 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
146    }
147    
148    # Run Disk Cleanup with all options
149    Start-Process -FilePath "cleanmgr.exe" -ArgumentList "/sagerun:1" -Wait -WindowStyle Hidden
150    Write-Log "  Disk Cleanup completed"
151}
152catch {
153    Write-Log "  Error running Disk Cleanup: $($_.Exception.Message)"
154}
155
156# Summary
157Write-Log "========================================="
158Write-Log "Cleanup Complete"
159Write-Log "Total space freed: $([Math]::Round($DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB"
160Write-Log "Log saved to: $LogPath"
161Write-Log "========================================="
162
163# Display results
164Write-Host "`n"
165Write-Host "Cleanup Summary:" -ForegroundColor Green
166Write-Host "  Space freed: $([Math]::Round($DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB" -ForegroundColor Cyan
167Write-Host "  Log file: $LogPath" -ForegroundColor Cyan

How to use:

Save as Cleanup-DiskSpace.ps1
Create log directory: New-Item -Path "C:\Scripts\Logs" -ItemType Directory -Force
Run as Administrator: .\Cleanup-DiskSpace.ps1

The script safely removes old files and logs all actions for review.

Advanced Cleanup Script with More Options

Expand the basic script with additional cleanup targets and configuration options.

powershell

1<#
2.SYNOPSIS
3    Advanced disk cleanup with extensive options and safety features
4
5.DESCRIPTION
6    Comprehensive cleanup script with:
7    - Configurable age thresholds
8    - Browser cache cleaning
9    - Application log cleanup
10    - Safe rollback via backup
11    - Detailed reporting
12
13.PARAMETER DaysOld
14    Age threshold for temp files (default: 30 days)
15
16.PARAMETER DownloadsDays
17    Age threshold for Downloads folder (default: 90 days)
18
19.PARAMETER LogsDays
20    Age threshold for application logs (default: 90 days)
21
22.PARAMETER WhatIf
23    Preview what would be deleted without actually deleting
24
25.EXAMPLE
26    .\Advanced-Cleanup.ps1 -DaysOld 30 -WhatIf
27    Preview cleanup actions without deleting anything
28
29.EXAMPLE
30    .\Advanced-Cleanup.ps1 -DaysOld 30 -DownloadsDays 60
31    Run cleanup with custom age thresholds
32#>
33
34[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess)]
35param(
36    [int]$DaysOld = 30,
37    [int]$DownloadsDays = 90,
38    [int]$LogsDays = 90,
39    [switch]$WhatIf
40)
41
42#Requires -RunAsAdministrator
43
44# Configuration
45$Script:Config = @{
46    LogPath = "C:\Scripts\Logs\Cleanup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss').log"
47    ReportPath = "C:\Scripts\Reports\Cleanup-Report-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd').html"
48    DeletedSize = 0
49    FileCount = 0
50    ErrorCount = 0
51}
52
53# Cleanup targets configuration
54$CleanupTargets = @(
55    @{
56        Name = "Windows Temp"
57        Path = "C:\Windows\Temp"
58        Days = $DaysOld
59        Include = "*.*"
60    },
61    @{
62        Name = "Windows Prefetch"
63        Path = "C:\Windows\Prefetch"
64        Days = $DaysOld
65        Include = "*.pf"
66    },
67    @{
68        Name = "Windows Installer Cache"
69        Path = "C:\Windows\Installer\`$PatchCache`$"
70        Days = 90
71        Include = "*.*"
72    },
73    @{
74        Name = "IIS Logs"
75        Path = "C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles"
76        Days = $LogsDays
77        Include = "*.log"
78    },
79    @{
80        Name = "System Event Logs"
81        Path = "C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs"
82        Days = $LogsDays
83        Include = "*.evtx"
84    }
85)
86
87# Logging function
88function Write-Log {
89    param(
90        [string]$Message,
91        [string]$Level = "INFO"
92    )
93    
94    $Timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
95    $LogMessage = "$Timestamp [$Level] - $Message"
96    
97    switch ($Level) {
98        "ERROR"   { Write-Host $LogMessage -ForegroundColor Red }
99        "WARNING" { Write-Host $LogMessage -ForegroundColor Yellow }
100        "SUCCESS" { Write-Host $LogMessage -ForegroundColor Green }
101        default   { Write-Host $LogMessage }
102    }
103    
104    Add-Content -Path $Config.LogPath -Value $LogMessage
105}
106
107# Get disk space function
108function Get-DiskSpace {
109    param([string]$DriveLetter = "C:")
110    
111    $Drive = Get-PSDrive -Name $DriveLetter.TrimEnd(':')
112    
113    return @{
114        Used = $Drive.Used
115        Free = $Drive.Free
116        Total = $Drive.Used + $Drive.Free
117        PercentFree = [Math]::Round(($Drive.Free / ($Drive.Used + $Drive.Free)) * 100, 2)
118    }
119}
120
121# Clean browser caches
122function Clear-BrowserCaches {
123    Write-Log "Cleaning browser caches"
124    
125    $UserProfiles = Get-ChildItem "C:\Users" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
126    
127    foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
128        # Chrome
129        $ChromeCache = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache"
130        if (Test-Path $ChromeCache) {
131            try {
132                $CacheSize = (Get-ChildItem -Path $ChromeCache -Recurse -File | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
133                Remove-Item -Path "$ChromeCache\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
134                $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $CacheSize
135                Write-Log "  Cleared Chrome cache for $($Profile.Name) ($([Math]::Round($CacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
136            }
137            catch {
138                Write-Log "  Error clearing Chrome cache: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
139            }
140        }
141        
142        # Edge
143        $EdgeCache = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache"
144        if (Test-Path $EdgeCache) {
145            try {
146                $CacheSize = (Get-ChildItem -Path $EdgeCache -Recurse -File | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
147                Remove-Item -Path "$EdgeCache\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
148                $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $CacheSize
149                Write-Log "  Cleared Edge cache for $($Profile.Name) ($([Math]::Round($CacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
150            }
151            catch {
152                Write-Log "  Error clearing Edge cache: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
153            }
154        }
155        
156        # Firefox
157        $FirefoxPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles"
158        if (Test-Path $FirefoxPath) {
159            $FirefoxProfiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $FirefoxPath -Directory
160            foreach ($FFProfile in $FirefoxProfiles) {
161                $FFCache = Join-Path $FFProfile.FullName "cache2"
162                if (Test-Path $FFCache) {
163                    try {
164                        $CacheSize = (Get-ChildItem -Path $FFCache -Recurse -File | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
165                        Remove-Item -Path "$FFCache\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction Stop
166                        $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $CacheSize
167                        Write-Log "  Cleared Firefox cache for $($Profile.Name) ($([Math]::Round($CacheSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
168                    }
169                    catch {
170                        Write-Log "  Error clearing Firefox cache: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
171                    }
172                }
173            }
174        }
175    }
176}
177
178# Clean old installer files from Downloads
179function Clear-OldInstallers {
180    Write-Log "Cleaning old installer files from Downloads folders"
181    
182    $InstallerExtensions = @("*.msi", "*.exe", "*.zip", "*.rar", "*.7z")
183    $UserProfiles = Get-ChildItem "C:\Users" -Directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
184    
185    foreach ($Profile in $UserProfiles) {
186        $DownloadsPath = Join-Path $Profile.FullName "Downloads"
187        
188        if (Test-Path $DownloadsPath) {
189            foreach ($Extension in $InstallerExtensions) {
190                $OldFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $DownloadsPath -Filter $Extension -File |
191                    Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-$DownloadsDays) }
192                
193                foreach ($File in $OldFiles) {
194                    try {
195                        if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess($File.FullName, "Delete")) {
196                            $FileSize = $File.Length
197                            Remove-Item -Path $File.FullName -Force -ErrorAction Stop
198                            $Script:Config.DeletedSize += $FileSize
199                            $Script:Config.FileCount++
200                            Write-Log "  Deleted: $($File.Name) ($([Math]::Round($FileSize / 1MB, 2)) MB)"
201                        }
202                    }
203                    catch {
204                        Write-Log "  Error deleting $($File.Name): $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "WARNING"
205                        $Script:Config.ErrorCount++
206                    }
207                }
208            }
209        }
210    }
211}
212
213# Generate HTML report
214function New-CleanupReport {
215    param(
216        [hashtable]$BeforeSpace,
217        [hashtable]$AfterSpace
218    )
219    
220    $HTML = @"
221<!DOCTYPE html>
222<html>
223<head>
224    <title>Disk Cleanup Report - $(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd')</title>
225    <style>
226        body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 20px; background: #f5f5f5; }
227        .container { background: white; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); }
228        h1 { color: #333; border-bottom: 3px solid #4CAF50; padding-bottom: 10px; }
229        .stats { display: flex; justify-content: space-around; margin: 20px 0; }
230        .stat-box { background: #4CAF50; color: white; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; text-align: center; flex: 1; margin: 0 10px; }
231        .stat-box h2 { margin: 0; font-size: 2em; }
232        .stat-box p { margin: 10px 0 0 0; font-size: 0.9em; }
233        table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 20px 0; }
234        th, td { padding: 12px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd; }
235        th { background: #4CAF50; color: white; }
236        tr:hover { background: #f5f5f5; }
237        .success { color: #4CAF50; font-weight: bold; }
238        .warning { color: #FF9800; font-weight: bold; }
239    </style>
240</head>
241<body>
242    <div class="container">
243        <h1>Disk Cleanup Report</h1>
244        <p><strong>Date:</strong> $(Get-Date -Format 'MMMM dd, yyyy HH:mm:ss')</p>
245        
246        <div class="stats">
247            <div class="stat-box">
248                <h2>$([Math]::Round($Config.DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB</h2>
249                <p>Space Freed</p>
250            </div>
251            <div class="stat-box">
252                <h2>$($Config.FileCount)</h2>
253                <p>Files Deleted</p>
254            </div>
255            <div class="stat-box">
256                <h2>$($AfterSpace.PercentFree)%</h2>
257                <p>Free Space</p>
258            </div>
259        </div>
260        
261        <h2>Disk Space Comparison</h2>
262        <table>
263            <tr>
264                <th>Metric</th>
265                <th>Before Cleanup</th>
266                <th>After Cleanup</th>
267                <th>Change</th>
268            </tr>
269            <tr>
270                <td>Used Space</td>
271                <td>$([Math]::Round($BeforeSpace.Used / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
272                <td>$([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.Used / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
273                <td class="success">-$([Math]::Round(($BeforeSpace.Used - $AfterSpace.Used) / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
274            </tr>
275            <tr>
276                <td>Free Space</td>
277                <td>$([Math]::Round($BeforeSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
278                <td>$([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
279                <td class="success">+$([Math]::Round(($AfterSpace.Free - $BeforeSpace.Free) / 1GB, 2)) GB</td>
280            </tr>
281            <tr>
282                <td>Percent Free</td>
283                <td>$($BeforeSpace.PercentFree)%</td>
284                <td>$($AfterSpace.PercentFree)%</td>
285                <td class="success">+$([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.PercentFree - $BeforeSpace.PercentFree, 2))%</td>
286            </tr>
287        </table>
288        
289        <h2>Summary</h2>
290        <p>✅ Files deleted: <span class="success">$($Config.FileCount)</span></p>
291        <p>⚠️ Errors encountered: <span class="warning">$($Config.ErrorCount)</span></p>
292        <p>📄 Full log: $($Config.LogPath)</p>
293    </div>
294</body>
295</html>
296"@
297
298    New-Item -Path (Split-Path $Config.ReportPath) -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null
299    $HTML | Out-File -FilePath $Config.ReportPath -Encoding UTF8
300    Write-Log "HTML report saved to $($Config.ReportPath)" -Level "SUCCESS"
301}
302
303# Main execution
304try {
305    Write-Log "=========================================" 
306    Write-Log "Disk Cleanup Started" -Level "SUCCESS"
307    Write-Log "========================================="
308    
309    # Get initial disk space
310    $BeforeSpace = Get-DiskSpace
311    Write-Log "Initial free space: $([Math]::Round($BeforeSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB ($($BeforeSpace.PercentFree)% free)"
312    
313    # Run cleanup tasks
314    foreach ($Target in $CleanupTargets) {
315        Remove-OldFiles -Path $Target.Path -Days $Target.Days -Description $Target.Name
316    }
317    
318    Clear-BrowserCaches
319    Clear-OldInstallers
320    
321    # Get final disk space
322    $AfterSpace = Get-DiskSpace
323    Write-Log "Final free space: $([Math]::Round($AfterSpace.Free / 1GB, 2)) GB ($($AfterSpace.PercentFree)% free)"
324    
325    # Generate report
326    New-CleanupReport -BeforeSpace $BeforeSpace -AfterSpace $AfterSpace
327    
328    Write-Log "========================================="
329    Write-Log "Cleanup Complete!" -Level "SUCCESS"
330    Write-Log "Total space freed: $([Math]::Round($Config.DeletedSize / 1GB, 2)) GB"
331    Write-Log "Files deleted: $($Config.FileCount)"
332    Write-Log "Errors: $($Config.ErrorCount)"
333    Write-Log "========================================="
334    
335    # Open report in browser
336    Start-Process $Config.ReportPath
337}
338catch {
339    Write-Log "Fatal error during cleanup: $($_.Exception.Message)" -Level "ERROR"
340    exit 1
341}

This advanced version includes:

Browser cache cleaning
Installer file removal
Comprehensive logging
HTML report generation
WhatIf support for testing
Better error handling

Scheduling Automatic Cleanup

Run the cleanup script automatically every week using Task Scheduler.

PowerShell command to create scheduled task:

powershell

1$Action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "PowerShell.exe" `
2    -Argument "-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\Scripts\Cleanup-DiskSpace.ps1"
3
4$Trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Weekly -DaysOfWeek Sunday -At 2am
5
6$Principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId "SYSTEM" -LogonType ServiceAccount -RunLevel Highest
7
8$Settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries `
9    -StartWhenAvailable -RunOnlyIfNetworkAvailable:$false
10
11Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Weekly Disk Cleanup" `
12    -Action $Action `
13    -Trigger $Trigger `
14    -Principal $Principal `
15    -Settings $Settings `
16    -Description "Automatically clean temporary files and free disk space"
17
18Write-Host "Scheduled task created successfully" -ForegroundColor Green

The script runs every Sunday at 2 AM, cleaning up files automatically.

Safety Best Practices

Always test with -WhatIf first:
powershell
```
1.\Advanced-Cleanup.ps1 -WhatIf
```
Review logs after each run: Check what was deleted in C:\Scripts\Logs\
Set conservative age thresholds: Start with 90 days, decrease gradually
Exclude critical paths: Never delete from Program Files, Windows system folders
Run as Administrator: Required for system folder access
Schedule during off-hours: Avoid disrupting active work

Troubleshooting

Issue: "Access Denied" errors

Solution: Run PowerShell as Administrator, or adjust script to skip inaccessible files:

powershell

1-ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Issue: Script deletes files still being used

Solution: Add file-in-use check:

powershell

1try {
2    [System.IO.File]::OpenWrite($File.FullName).Close()
3    Remove-Item $File.FullName -Force
4}
5catch {
6    Write-Log "File in use, skipping: $($File.Name)"
7}

Issue: Not freeing as much space as expected

Solution: Check what's consuming disk space:

powershell

1Get-ChildItem C:\ -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
2    Sort-Object Length -Descending |
3    Select-Object -First 50 Name, @{Name="Size(GB)";Expression={[Math]::Round($_.Length/1GB,2)}}

Conclusion

Key takeaways:

Start with conservative age thresholds (30-90 days)
Always log actions for auditability
Test with -WhatIf before production use
Schedule weekly for automated maintenance
Review logs to adjust thresholds over time

Deploy this script across your organization to eliminate low disk space issues before they cause problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to run these cleanup scripts on production servers?

Will this script delete important files?

How much disk space can I expect to free?

Can I customize which folders and file types to clean?

Yes. Modify the $CleanupTargets array to add custom paths, file extensions, and age thresholds. Example for cleaning log files from a specific application:

powershell

1@{
2    Name = "AppName Logs"
3    Path = "C:\MyApp\Logs"
4    Days = 60
5    Include = "*.log"
6}

What if I accidentally delete something important?

PowerShell Script to Clean Up Old Files and Free Disk Space Automatically

PowerShell Script to Clean Up Old Files and Free Disk Space Automatically

Understanding What's Safe to Delete

Basic Cleanup Script

Advanced Cleanup Script with More Options

Scheduling Automatic Cleanup

Safety Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

Share this article

PowerShell Script to Clean Up Old Files and Free Disk Space Automatically

PowerShell Script to Clean Up Old Files and Free Disk Space Automatically

Understanding What's Safe to Delete

Basic Cleanup Script

Advanced Cleanup Script with More Options

Scheduling Automatic Cleanup

Safety Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

Share this article