How Do I Open Disk Clean-Up on Windows 11?
Summary: Using Disk Clean-up on a regular basis makes managing files and removing unnecessary junk much easier. This article describes How do I open Disk Clean-up on Windows 11 and nine simple ways to access it. We’ll also go over a different, more secure data erasure choice to prevent your information from getting into the wrong hands.
You can help clean up your computer’s hard drive by using the Windows 11 Disk Clean-up program.
There are several different file erasing tools on the market. Some of them are sufficiently thorough to completely delete the files on your PC without any chance of recovery.
These file erasure tools can sometimes be more efficient than Disc Clean-up. But because it’s a feature of Windows 11, it’s free and appropriate for performing simple clean-up tasks.
We will go over several ways to use Disk Clean-up in this tutorial. If you want to securely delete your essential files after use, you will also have an advanced erasure option at your disposal.
Method 1. Utilize Windows Search to Start Disk Clean-up.
By using the Windows Search function, you may find Windows 11 Disc Clean-up quickly and easily. To start Disk Cleanup from search, follow these steps.
- Hold down Windows + S. You might also select the taskbar’s “looking glass” icon.
- Type “Disk Clean-up” into the search field.
- Launch Disk Cleanup by selecting option one. Click the Run as administrator option if you want to wipe out your system files.
Method 2. Go to Windows Run and launch Disc Cleanup.
Another included application in the Windows OS is called Run. Use the Run utility to access the program you’re seeking for if you know its text command. Use Run to access the Disk Clean-up tool by following the instructions below.
- Press Windows + R or enter “Run” in the search box, then pick the first result.
- Type “cleanmgr” and press Enter under the Run tab.
Your desktop will launch the Windows Disc Clean-up application.
Method 3. Launch Disk Cleanup from the Control Panel in Windows 11
On your Windows 11 computer, the Control Panel is where you may discover all the installed system applications. By selecting the Windows Tools option in the Control Panel, you can launch any app. Using the Control panel, follow these steps to launch Disk Cleanup.
- Open Control Panel by typing Control Panel into the Run tab or looking it up in the Windows Search programme.
- Click the first result to launch Control Panel from the search results.
- At the Control panel Window’s very bottom, select Windows Tools.
Note: By selecting View by in the upper right, you can change the icon sizes.
- To start Disk Clean-up, double-click on it.
Method 4. Start Menu, select Disk Clean-up
On Windows 11, you can access the Windows Tools from the Start menu if you don’t want to wade through all of the apps listed in the Control Panel. Check out the following steps to do it.
- Open Windows 11 and select the Start button.
- Choose All Apps.
- Locate the Windows Tools option by scrolling down the list, then click it to launch.
- To launch, find Disk Clean-up and click it.
Method 5. Open Disk Cleanup in Task Manager.
You can access any system tool on your Windows PC through Task Manager. You can quickly access Disk Cleanup from Task Manager, and it is very similar to Run.
- On your computer, select Task Manager by pressing the keys Ctrl, Alt, and Del.
- In the Task Manager window’s upper left corner, click the File tab.
- Select Use the drop-down menu to launch a new task.
- Type “cleanmgr” and hit Enter in the Create new task window.
Note: In the Create New work window, select the box next to Create this task with administrative permissions if you want to clean up your system files.
- To launch the tool, click OK.
Method 6. Open Disk Cleanup using the Cortana virtual assistant in Windows 11.
If you’ve ever used the Alexa or Google Assistant apps on your phone or home devices, Cortana, the virtual assistant built into Windows 11, is comparable. Based on text or voice instructions, it launches any system utilities that are installed on your PC. Use Cortana to run Disk Clean-up by following the instructions provided here.
To launch Cortana, click the blue circle symbol on your taskbar.
Note: Enter Cortana in the search box and choose the first result if the Cortana symbol is not displayed on the taskbar.
Enter the word “Disk Clean-up” into the Cortana text box.
Alternatively, to launch the tool, speak Open Disk Clean-up while clicking the microphone icon in the bottom right corner of the window.
Method 7. Make a shortcut on your desktop to launch Disk Clean-up.
It is best to keep the Disk Cleanup app close by and accessible if you anticipate using it regularly. Making a shortcut to the application on your PC’s desktop is a quick way to achieve it. This is the procedure.
- First, right-click anyplace on your desktop that is blank.
- From the right-click menu, choose New > Shortcut.
- In the tab marked “Type the location of the item,” type %windir%system32cleanmgr.exe.
- To continue, click Next.
- Type Disk Clean-up into the text box to serve as the shortcut’s name, then click Finish.
You can use the shortcut whenever you want by using it; it is generated on your desktop.
Method 8. Create a hotkey to start Disk Cleanup.
Additionally, a keyboard shortcut can be set up to enable quick access to Disk Clean-up. Utilize the procedures listed here to create a hotkey for Disk Cleanup.
- 1: Click the Properties option from the context menu of the Disk Cleanup shortcut you just generated.
- 2: In the Disk Cleanup Properties box, click the Shortcut tab.
- 3: Press any key to assign it as a hotkey for Disk Cleanup by selecting the Shortcut Key tab. If you press the C key, for instance, your hotkey will be configured as Ctrl + Alt + C.
- 4: Close the properties box by clicking Apply > OK.
- 5: To launch the Disk Clean-up software, press Ctrl + Alt + C (or the key you decided to use).
Method 9. Open Disk Cleanup on Windows 11 using Terminal
The command-line application offered on Windows 11 is called Windows Terminal. Either Powershell or Command Prompt can be used with it.
The following instructions can be used on either of the two to launch Disk Cleanup.
- 1: Click Windows Start with the right mouse button, then click Windows Terminal (Admin).
- 2: In the Windows Terminal window, select Command Prompt by clicking the Down Arrow next to the New Tab (+) symbol.
- 3: Type cleanmgr into the command prompt and hit Enter.
- Open the Disk Clean-up app.
How Do I Use Windows 11’s Disk Cleanup?
It is simple to use, and cleaning up your data only requires a few simple steps. Here’s how to use the Disk Cleanup software in Windows 11.
1: Launch Disk Cleanup by selecting one of the ways mentioned above.
2: From the drop-down menu in the Disk Clean-up tab, choose the disc you wish to clean, and then click OK.
3: In the Files to delete area of the Disk Cleanup tab, choose the file types to delete.
4: Click “OK.”
The option to delete system files is available if you need extra space. Take cautious, though, as deleting the incorrect system file could make your computer inoperable. Avoid this approach entirely if you are unsure of which files to remove.
- First, choose Clean-up system files from the tool window.
- Pick the file types you want to delete in step two. Click a file’s name to see its details.
- Next, select OK.
Is there a Disk Cleanup alternative that is more secure?
We have a straightforward yet effective option for you if you’re looking for a more safe and reliable approach to delete your files on Windows 11.
Even the most complicated incidents of data loss can be recovered using a variety of powerful data recovery software nowadays.
If you want to be certain that your data is completely gone, simply wiping the data won’t do. As a result, data needs to be deleted.
The CubexSoft Data Wipe Software, developed by the professional data recovery specialists at CubexSoft, is one of the most powerful options for file erasure.
The tool has some of the most cutting-edge erasing algorithms in the world, including DoD 5220.22-M. These algorithms function by repeatedly overwriting the same data, making it unrecoverable.
If you’re unsure of how to use CubexSoft Data Wipe on a Windows 11 computer, don’t worry—the tool offers a straightforward user interface that makes DIY data erasure simple steps.
Wrapping Up
You can manage files, free up space, and enhance PC performance by regularly using Disk Clean-up.
When was the last time you went through the trouble of deleting all the unneeded files that had amassed over your workday? Can’t recall?
For maximum productivity, the system must be cleaned on a regular basis. We hope that Windows 11 will allow you to access and utilise the Disk Cleanup software. Please feel free to add your ideas in the comment section.
