Junk Files: What They Are and How To Remove Them From Your Computer

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Your computer’s storage often contains thousands of junk files, which generally leads to slower performance.  Surprisingly, most people don’t even realize that their laptops or computers have junk files, where they came from, or even how to remove them.

This article explains everything you need to know about junk files. Here’s the ultimate guide to junk files and how to get rid of them!

What Are Junk Files?

Junk files are the extra files created for your computer as you use various programs. They are meant to help it to operate better for a short period of time and should delete themselves, but for whatever reason, they fail to.

For instance, when you download files from the internet, junk files are created, and every time you run programs or download other files, the junk files keep accumulating, taking up space on your hard drive or SSD.

At first, these files are temporary and have useful data at the time of usage, but after a while, they become irrelevant – that’s when they become junk files.

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What Are The Main Types Of Junk Files?

Junk files go by a couple of different names, including Temporary internet files, Downloaded Program files, thumbnails, Recycle, etc. There are 6 main types of junk files:

  • Programs that have been improperly removed and any related material
  • Temporary internet files – they are stored as you browse various sites and reload when you visit a site more than once. Their main purpose is to speed up websites and can be deleted from the OS.
  • Microsoft word temporary files
  • Temporary program data – they are stored in your hard disk when you use a program or install one
  • Temporary system files – they are stored as you shut down or power on your computer.
  • Thumbnails – they are image previews that help images load faster when you open them on your computer.

Where Do You Accumulate Junk Files From?

Every time you use your computer, temporary files are created. For instance, as you power on or shut down your computer, the operating system creates temporary system files to speed up the process. As you open documents on Microsoft Word, temporary files are created to back up any work. As you browse through various websites, temporary internet files are downloaded to ensure the next time you visit the same website, it loads faster.

During the time of download, these files are extremely useful, but the problem comes in when your computer doesn’t delete them automatically after a while when your system no longer needs them.

Why Should You Delete Junk Files?

Junk files seem pretty harmless, right? Well, they are not! They slow down your computer, and they no longer serve their intended purpose.
Here’s what you need to know: your computer’s hard disk has limited space, and when it’s full, your computer may crash or even lock up. Every time you use your laptop or computer, the junk files pile up, wasting important disk space. This then prevents your machine from operating optimally.
The number of junk files in your hard drive determines how much time you take to access your computer programs or files. The more data there is on your hard drive, the more clogged up and sluggish your computer is. You will spend more time launching web pages and opening programs, while the system will take more time to find documents. If the junk files are excessive, your computer will take longer to power up.
Deleting junk files from your computer frees up megabytes or gigabytes of disk space on your hard drive. This provides you with more space for more files and improves your computer’s performance considerably.

How To Locate Junk Files

Where are the junk files located on your computer? First, go to the Disk Cleanup tool and click on “Clean up system files.” Find the tab labeled ‘more options’ and find your way to’ system restore.’ Click on the ‘clean up’ button and confirm through the ‘delete’ button.

How Do You Delete Junk Files?

There are 2 main ways of deleting junk files from your hard drive:

1. Using The Disk Cleanup Tool On Your Computer

Follow the steps indicated below to remove junk files using the Disk Cleanup Tool:

Step 1: Search for Disk Cleanup in the Windows search bar.

disk cleanup

Step 2: Select the drive you would like to cleanup junk files from.

disk cleanup windows example

Step 3: Select the Clean up system files option

screenshot of cleanup systems files

Step 4: Windows will ask you again which drive you would like to clean up system files on. 

Step 5: Select More Options

select more options

Step 6: Under System Restore and Shadow Copies, select Clean Up

Screenshot of disk cleanup tool

Step 7: Click Delete

delete junk files

The disk clean-up tool on your device may help you locate the junk files, but to delete them effectively, you will need to install a disk cleaner.

2. Installing A Disk Cleaner

The best way to delete junk files is by installing a disk cleaner that can delete in one click. The disk cleaner you settle on should be able to clear all unnecessary junk files with ease and should run regularly. If, however, you are looking for a more advanced disk cleanup utility that can more comprehensively delete junk files, you should consider the Shred Cube.

Why Shred Cube Is The Best Tool To Delete Junk Files

Junk files seem pretty harmless, right? Well, they are not! They slow down your computer, and they no longer serve their intended purpose.
Shred Cube is a USB tool that provides you with a better and more absolute way to fully get rid of a file. It is fast, automatically deletes files in the background without interfering with your computer usage and is easy to use.
It helps you to:
  • Permanently delete data from your computer.
  • Organize all computer files with ease
  • Destroy any data you’d like before selling your computer
Simply put, the Shred Cube will help you delete all unwanted files while protecting your privacy.

Make All Your Junk Files Disappear With Ease

Is your computer extremely slow? Does it take extraordinarily long to power up or access system documents? Is your hard disk full and making your computer sluggish? There’s a high chance that the accumulation of junk files is causing all these problems. Clean up your disk data like a pro and make all unwanted files disappear by using the Shred Cube today!

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Robert Hupman
Robert Hupman
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