Stop Paying $30 to Delete Your Cookies
Most third-party PC cleaners clear browser cookies and temp files, then nag you for an upgrade. The space that actually matters — Windows Update leftovers, old installations, memory dumps, delivery-optimization caches — they barely touch. Windows already ships a tool that does, and it's hidden behind two commands. On a machine that's been through a few updates, it's often tens of gigabytes.
The Two Commands
Open Command Prompt as administrator.
Run cleanmgr /sageset:1. That opens Disk Cleanup with every category visible — over twenty checkboxes, including the system caches the normal view hides. Tick what you want and press OK. This step only chooses; it doesn't delete anything.
Then run cleanmgr /sagerun:1. That's the one that actually cleans. The set-then-run order is the part most tutorials get backwards.
The One Box to Think About
Everything the tool lists is safe to remove — with one consequence worth knowing before you tick it. "Previous Windows installation(s)" deletes your rollback. After a major Windows update you normally have around ten days to revert; clearing this removes that option. If the last update has been behaving, it's usually the biggest single win. If you're not sure yet, leave it for a week.
For restore-point space as well, Disk Cleanup's More Options tab can remove all but your most recent restore point.
What's in the Guide
Both commands, which categories they unlock, what each one frees, the rollback caveat, and the restore-point cleanup. Free and built into Windows.
The full field guide is in the PDF.
Get the Guide
Drop your email below and we'll send it straight to your inbox.