Disk Cleanup is one of the “maintenance” tools that have been built into Windows for a long time. This tool allows users to free up more space on their computer by “cleaning up” temporary files and system files that are almost useless but take up quite a large space, such as installation files and update the previous version of Windows.
1. Set Disk Cleanup to run on your computer automatically
1. Press the Windows + X key combination to open the Power User Menu, where you select the Command Prompt (Admin) option.
2. Type the command below into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:
cleanmgr /sageset:11
3. After the Disk Cleanup Settings window appears on the screen, here check the items that you want the tool to automatically remove from your system in the list of options. Some files that you can delete:
- Windows Update Cleanup: Clean up Windows update files.
- Downloaded Program Files: Programs are downloaded and installed directly from the Internet.
- Temporary Internet Files: Files that are stored temporarily while accessing Web pages.
- Temporary files: Temporary files.
- System error memory dump files: Files are dumped during system memory error.
- Files discarded by Windows upgrade: Files removed during the Windows upgrade process.
Windows ESD installation files: Windows ESD installation files. - Previous Windows installations: Files to install previous versions of Windows.
- Recycle Bin: Files in the Recycle Bin.
- Temporary Windows installation files: Temporary Windows installation files.
4. Click OK to save the registry changes.
5. Next, click Start, then enter the Search box with the keyword Task Scheduler to open the Task Scheduler utility.
6. Right-click Task Scheduler Library, then click New Folder and give this folder a name, such as User Defined Tasks….
7. Right-click the folder you just created and then click Create Basic Task.
8. Name the Task, then add a description if you want and then click Next.
9. Select the length of time you want the Task to run and then click Next.
10. Select the date and time and then click Next.
11. In the Action section, select Start a program and then click Next.
12. Enter the path to open the Disk Cleanup tool: C:\Windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe, including the /sagerun:11 parameter (note to change the number 11 to the number you chose in the second step) .
13. Click Next.
14. On the Summary page window, click Finish to complete the process.
From now on Disk Cleanup will automatically run at the specific time you choose, deleting all unnecessary files on your computer.
In case if you want to change the current settings, just open the Task Scheduler, open the folder you created, double-click the Task and update the configuration.
2. How to run Disk Cleanup “off schedule”?
If you want to run Disk Cleanup before a specific time interval of your choice, follow the steps below:
1. Press the Windows + X key combination to open the Power User Menu, here you choose Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Type the command below into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:
C:\Windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe /sagerun:11
Note:
Change 11 to the number you chose to set up.
After running the command, Disk Cleanup will open and run immediately and delete all the files you set up on the tool.
3. How to edit Disk Cleanup settings?
If you want to add or remove any item in the list of items that you want Disk Cleanup to automatically delete, follow the steps below:
1. Press the Windows + X key combination to open the Power User Menu, here you choose Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Type the command below into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:
cleanmgr /sageset:11
Note:
Change the number 11 with the number of your choice to save the settings.
3. After the command is executed, the Disk Cleanup tool will be displayed on the screen with the settings you configured earlier.
Just tick the new items you want to add and uncheck the ones you don’t want Disk Cleaup to delete.
4. Finally click OK.
Good luck!
